"When you ain't got no money, you gotta get an attitude"

Richard Pryor’s statement, “When you ain’t got no money, you gotta get an attitude,” captures the raw intersection of poverty, dignity, and survival. Lacking money in a society obsessed with wealth and material success often means being overlooked, disregarded, or treated with less respect. For many marginalized people, especially in Pryor’s community, this absence of economic power can turn into social invisibility. The “attitude” Pryor references is more than bravado or misplaced pride, it’s a shield and a tool, a way to reclaim presence and command respect in worlds predisposed to dismiss those who appear powerless.

Without financial resources, individuals must develop other means to assert boundaries and establish their worth. “Attitude” becomes synonymous with self-respect, resilience, and, at times, defiance. It refuses victimhood and resists the humiliation frequently heaped by those who wield wealth without empathy. It also represents authenticity and a refusal to apologize for one’s circumstances. For Pryor, whose comedy often drew from his own experiences with poverty, attitude was a language of survival, sometimes funny, sometimes raw, always honest.

This statement also recognizes the performative aspect of surviving in poverty. When stripped of money, people may have to exaggerate their confidence or defensiveness to counteract stereotypes and prevent being taken advantage of. Society, flawed as it is, often preys on vulnerability; attitude becomes both a mask and a weapon. Yet, it is not only about defense, it can be an act of claiming space and demanding to be seen on one’s own terms.

Pryor’s phrase resonates because it honors the creativity and grit required to live without financial security. When stripped of the armor money can buy, people develop another kind of armor, a psychological one. In that sense, “attitude” becomes a powerful form of currency, necessary for navigating an often unforgiving world.