Slumonomics

Reading about slums I am finding that Smith's idea seems to be true in the case of the "permanent situation" of an individual not living in an informal settlement, as compared with that of a slum-dweller.  When we view the life of someone living in a slum we imagine ourselves in such a situation, but someone who has grown used to living in a slum has a completely different view of their own situation.  It is a form of ethnocentrism.  I would like to emphasize that I am not attempting to downplay the impoverishment in the slums.  I am pointing out that there is no common denominator with which to compare the slum-dwellers view of the slum with that of the non-slum-dweller.  This is important because many policies are based on the view of the latter.