# Min Jin Lee on Poverty, Respect and Materialism

- Original post: https://www.twitter.com/i/status/2116667910878113870
- Source account: [@SaraBangtan07](https://x.com/SaraBangtan07)
- Source language: English
- Duration: 2:20
- Published: 2026-11-01
- Canonical URL: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism

## Transcript

[0:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism) Well, my parents were humiliated so regularly in doing their work. It was very clear to me as a young person that the world didn't respect them.

[0:10](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=10) And it's hard as a kid to watch your parents be dismissed and to be disrespected.

[0:17](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=17) And I have to say this, and I think that almost every poor person will agree with me. When you grow up in a poor community, what really matters is respect.

[0:26](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=26) Like, it's a kind of currency that you almost overvalue because you don't have other things.

[0:32](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=32) So that's the reason why when you think about gang violence, it can be started just because someone didn't respect you.

[0:39](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=39) And even now, as somebody who's mature and has had a lot of good things happen to them, like, there's a part of me that just goes bonkers when I feel disrespected.

[0:50](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=50) I just kind of think, "Oh, you've crossed a line."

[0:53](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=53) It's even-- It's worse than even, like, being cheated of money or something, which other pe- other people would probably think is very important.

[1:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=60) When was the last time Min Jin Lee was disrespected?

[1:03](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=63) A lot of people don't think I speak English.

[1:06](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=66) That's very common. And whenever I go into public spaces, I re- I always make an effort to, in the way I dress, because if I look less well off or polished, I am treated in a very different way.

[1:23](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=83) I've actually tested this a lot, and I kind of think, "Wow, it must be exhausting." So people have said things like, "Well, why do Asian Americans care about status items in terms of luxury goods?" And I tell them, "Well, it's because if you wear those things, those status markers,

[1:38](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=98) because of global commercialism, it explains to another person that this person might have money, and therefore, if you disrespect them, there'll be consequences."

[1:49](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=109) And I find that to be really sad because materialism is obviously a painful, terrible thing for most people. However, I do understand when a young person who has no money buys expensive sneakers. I get it.

[2:01](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=121) A- and I think that to get angry at a person who does that is almost...

[2:07](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/rWZDwztPXvFC/en/min-jin-lee-on-poverty-respect-and-materialism?t=127) You're decontextualizing materialism.