Second thoughts about this comment. You are being disingeneous to yourself. On the one hand you want to compare to the status of the "poor" to the wealthiest people in the world but on the other hand refuse to consider their status to either the worlds poor or the average people in the world.
Perhaps I could express myself more clearly. From where I stand, families in or close to poverty look at how they are doing by asking if they are making progress, that is, are they moving ahead, struggling more, or doing about the same. They also look at how others in similiar situations to themselves are doing. This is not having it one way only, as I think you imply.