poorise

Poorise is a term used in speculative social theory and worldbuilding to describe the deliberate management of self-presentation by individuals experiencing economic precarity. It refers to the practice of maintaining dignity and social composure in public interactions despite limited resources. The term is fictional and used for hypothetical discussion rather than as an established real-world discipline.

Etymology and scope: The word blends "poor" and "poise" and is used across sociology, anthropology, and fiction to analyze how people navigate stigma and social expectations in resource-scarce environments.

Practice and manifestations: Poorise can involve nonverbal cues such as calm voice, controlled gestures, and measured speech, as well as choices about attire, setting, and negotiation style designed to signal competence and resilience without public admission of hardship.

In narrative and analysis: In fiction, poorise helps develop character and social dynamics; in scholarly or policy discussions, it serves as a lens to examine dignity maintenance, peer support, and the limits of individual agency within structural constraints.

Criticism: Some observers warn that focusing on poorise risks romanticizing poverty or diverting attention from structural causes; supporters argue that it illuminate resilience and everyday strategies people use to cope with precarity.

See also: dignity, stigma management, impression management, poverty studies.