The American Dream of accessible opportunities and prosperity is fading due to growing income inequality. While the U.S. still offers benefits like freedom and a high GDP, the gap between rich and poor has increased since the 1980s, diminishing the middle class. Education is increasingly unequal as well, with wealthy families able to influence college admissions for unqualified children while hardworking lower-income youth are priced out. However, some argue the American Dream is still alive as the U.S. remains admired for opportunities and the government still provides some assistance to the poor. Overall, the essay argues income inequality is making it harder for many to achieve financial stability and success through hard work alone.
A beginner's guide to understanding poverty in America and what can be done about it. Great resource for those just learning about poverty and justice.
A beginner's guide to understanding poverty in America and what can be done about it. Great resource for those just learning about poverty and justice.
University of Phoenix - ETH/125 - Diversity Project PowerPoint Presentation. This presentation is a final assignment that took place over the course of nine weeks during class and among other assignments.
DISASTERS AND THE CYCLE OF POVERTY: UNDERSTANDING URBAN, RURAL, AND GENDER ASPECTS OF SOCIAL VULNERABILITY by Kathy Lynn, Associate Director Resource Innovations, University of Oregon’s Institute for a Sustainable Environment September 2005
This article aims to analyze the causes of the popular uprising currently occurring in the United States that resulted from the murder of George Floyd, a black American handcuffed by a white policeman in Minneapolis, who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he was dead. This event served as a starting point for a rallying cry in more than 100 American cities against, not only racism, but also against the social ills suffered by the great majority of the American population, especially by the black population, which were aggravated for the spread of the new Coronavirus that contributed to driving the North American economy into recession and to the dizzying rise of unemployment in the United States.
Minorities in American DreamMinorities do not Equal Acce.docxaltheaboyer
Minorities in American Dream
Minorities do not Equal Access to the American Dream
Teddy Chou
Oregon State University
In this new world, people who are from all over the world have been moving into America and intending to start and live a better life. Emigrants from Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia, among other regions of the world, have all come in the US hoping for better political, economic and social conditions. They just have one thing in their minds, and that is to achieve the American dream. In addition, the American Dream is just like that life should be better, richer and fuller for every person, with opportunity for each based on his ability or achievement. It is a national spirit that represents the best possible life of the American population. Everyone has an opportunity to be successful, lead a prosperous life, and have the freedom to climb up the economic ladder along with their family and children, without any regard to their origin or social class. Also, the United States usually declared the independence that is the American Dream should let all people are equal and have the freedom to enjoy life, liberty, and happiness. Furthermore, practically, realizing the American dream is to own a house built on a private land. President Bill Clinton emphasized that for one to realize this dream, they have to work hard in order to have a chance for personal development and advancement. Living the American Dream is the principal goal for the majority of American citizens and those that have been fighting to attain American citizenship. However, the realization of this dream has proved to be a nightmare for most Americans because of many reasons (Cullen, 2004, p. 124). And then the American Dream for most American has been rendered unrealistic and impossible to achieve.
In 2000, after many years of significant economic development and success, the rate of poverty of both Latino and African American populations was still close to three times higher than that of the white American white population. Even though this difference was alarming, the previous decades had seen worse with higher disparities recorded. When the economy made a slow turn to the worse after 2000, the rate of poverty among the minorities rose significantly higher than that of the whites. They result in a widened poverty gap and make the realization of the American Dream among them even seem impossible (Soyer, 2016). Although the number of Americans living in poverty reduced by over a million between 2004 and 2005, the poverty levels of the minorities heightened.
Gender has also been an obstacle for most people to achieve the American Dream. Since ancient times, the men have been viewed by the society as stronger, able and the host of their families. This notion has identified women as a minority gender and made it difficult for them to get ahead of society’s stereotype against them. A majority of them have been trapped in a society that limits ...
Poverty in America
Poverty in America Essay
Poverty In America
poverty in america
Poverty In The United States Essay
Essay on Poverty in America
Poverty In America
University of Phoenix - ETH/125 - Diversity Project PowerPoint Presentation. This presentation is a final assignment that took place over the course of nine weeks during class and among other assignments.
DISASTERS AND THE CYCLE OF POVERTY: UNDERSTANDING URBAN, RURAL, AND GENDER ASPECTS OF SOCIAL VULNERABILITY by Kathy Lynn, Associate Director Resource Innovations, University of Oregon’s Institute for a Sustainable Environment September 2005
This article aims to analyze the causes of the popular uprising currently occurring in the United States that resulted from the murder of George Floyd, a black American handcuffed by a white policeman in Minneapolis, who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he was dead. This event served as a starting point for a rallying cry in more than 100 American cities against, not only racism, but also against the social ills suffered by the great majority of the American population, especially by the black population, which were aggravated for the spread of the new Coronavirus that contributed to driving the North American economy into recession and to the dizzying rise of unemployment in the United States.
Minorities in American DreamMinorities do not Equal Acce.docxaltheaboyer
Minorities in American Dream
Minorities do not Equal Access to the American Dream
Teddy Chou
Oregon State University
In this new world, people who are from all over the world have been moving into America and intending to start and live a better life. Emigrants from Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia, among other regions of the world, have all come in the US hoping for better political, economic and social conditions. They just have one thing in their minds, and that is to achieve the American dream. In addition, the American Dream is just like that life should be better, richer and fuller for every person, with opportunity for each based on his ability or achievement. It is a national spirit that represents the best possible life of the American population. Everyone has an opportunity to be successful, lead a prosperous life, and have the freedom to climb up the economic ladder along with their family and children, without any regard to their origin or social class. Also, the United States usually declared the independence that is the American Dream should let all people are equal and have the freedom to enjoy life, liberty, and happiness. Furthermore, practically, realizing the American dream is to own a house built on a private land. President Bill Clinton emphasized that for one to realize this dream, they have to work hard in order to have a chance for personal development and advancement. Living the American Dream is the principal goal for the majority of American citizens and those that have been fighting to attain American citizenship. However, the realization of this dream has proved to be a nightmare for most Americans because of many reasons (Cullen, 2004, p. 124). And then the American Dream for most American has been rendered unrealistic and impossible to achieve.
In 2000, after many years of significant economic development and success, the rate of poverty of both Latino and African American populations was still close to three times higher than that of the white American white population. Even though this difference was alarming, the previous decades had seen worse with higher disparities recorded. When the economy made a slow turn to the worse after 2000, the rate of poverty among the minorities rose significantly higher than that of the whites. They result in a widened poverty gap and make the realization of the American Dream among them even seem impossible (Soyer, 2016). Although the number of Americans living in poverty reduced by over a million between 2004 and 2005, the poverty levels of the minorities heightened.
Gender has also been an obstacle for most people to achieve the American Dream. Since ancient times, the men have been viewed by the society as stronger, able and the host of their families. This notion has identified women as a minority gender and made it difficult for them to get ahead of society’s stereotype against them. A majority of them have been trapped in a society that limits ...
Poverty in America
Poverty in America Essay
Poverty In America
poverty in america
Poverty In The United States Essay
Essay on Poverty in America
Poverty In America
Running head THE AMERICAN DREAM 1The American Dream Dead.docxtoltonkendal
Running head: THE AMERICAN DREAM 1
The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?
Brandon King
University of Cincinnati
King.indd 1 1/16/14 12:00 PM
THE AMERICAN DREAM 2
The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?
What is the true state of the so- called “American Dream”
today? Is it still around, waiting to be achieved by those who work
hard enough, or is it effectively dead, killed off by the Great
Recession and the economic hardships that many Americans have
come to face? Statistics reveal alarming facts, including trillions of
dollars lost in the stock market (Paradis, 2009). While these losses,
combined with admittedly high unemployment in the past few
years, have contributed to seemingly dismal prospects for
prosperity in the United States, I believe that the ideals and values
of the American Dream are still very much alive. In fact, the
original term “American Dream” was coined during the Great
Depression by James Truslow Adams, who wrote that the American
dream “is that dream of a land in which life should be better and
richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according
to ability and achievement, regardless of social class or
circumstances of birth” (1931). I would redefine the American
Dream today as the potential to work for an honest, secure way of
life and save for the future. Many liberal economists and activists
say that the American Dream is dead, but I say that it’s more alive
and important than ever— and that it is the key to climbing out of
the Great Recession, overcoming inequality, and achieving true
prosperity.
Despite the harshness of the Great Recession, a 2009 New
York Times survey found that 72 percent of Americans still believed
it was possible to start poor, work hard, and become rich in
America (Seelye, 2009). In the same survey, Americans were also
King.indd 2 1/16/14 12:00 PM
THE AMERICAN DREAM 3
asked questions about what they believed constituted being
“successful,” with the majority naming things such as a steady job,
financial security for the future, being able to retire without
struggling, and having a secure place of residence. Less common
were responses about owning a home or car and being able to buy
other expensive goods, implying a subtle shift from the American
Dream of the past to a more modest one today. In many ways, the
American Dream of today is a trimmed down version of its former
self. The real sign of success in our society used to be owning
expensive items, namely cars and homes, and acquiring more
material wealth. Living the American Dream meant going from
dirt poor to filthy rich and becoming more than you could have
ever imagined. Today, most people do not strive for a rags- to-
riches transition, and instead prefer a stable, middle- class lifestyle,
one in which they can focus on saving money for the future and
having secure employment. For example, more ...
16 contexts.orgrethinkingamericanpovertyby mark r. rank.docxfelicidaddinwoodie
16 contexts.org
rethinkingamericanpoverty
by mark r. rank
It’s a fundamental paradox: in America,
the wealthiest country on earth, one also
finds the highest rates of poverty in the
developed world. Whether we examine
children’s rates of poverty, poverty
among working age adults, poverty
within single parent families, or overall
rates of poverty, the story is much the
same—the United States has exceedingly
high levels of impoverishment.
It’s a fundamental paradox: in America,
the wealthiest country on earth, one also
finds the highest rates of poverty in the
developed world. Whether we examine
children’s rates of poverty, poverty
among working age adults, poverty
within single parent families, or overall
rates of poverty, the story is much the
same—the United States has exceedingly
high levels of impoverishment.
rethinkingamericanpoverty
by mark r. rank
17spring 2011 contexts
food stamps at some point during childhood. Life expectancy in
Harlem is shorter than in Bangladesh. The bottom 60 percent
of the American population currently holds less than 1 percent
of the financial wealth in the country. And two thirds of the
counties that black children are growing up in are considered
high poverty with respect to impoverished neighborhoods.
Although there are several possible explanations for why
these conditions exist, the argument developed here is that a
major reason has to do with how we as a society have tended
to conceptualize the issue of poverty and, based upon this
thinking, how we have acted (or better put, failed to act) toward
the issue.
The traditional manner of thinking about poverty in the
U.S. has viewed impoverishment as largely the result of individ-
ual inadequacies and failings. These shortcomings include not
working hard enough, failure to acquire sufficient skills, or just
making bad decisions. Consequently, the problem of poverty is
often seen through a lens of individual pathology. Since indi-
viduals are perceived as having brought poverty onto them-
selves, our collective and societal obligations are seen as limited.
The age-old distinction between the deserving versus the unde-
serving poor reflects this perspective—unless the working-age
poor have very good grounds for their
poverty, they’re deemed largely unde-
serving of help. Poverty is therefore
understood as primarily affecting those
who choose not to play by the rules of
the game. Ultimately, this perspective reflects and reinforces
the myths and ideals of American society: there are economic
opportunities for all, individualism and self-reliance are para-
mount, and hard work is rewarded.
This overall mindset has long influenced both the general
public’s attitudes toward the poor and much of the policy and
academic work analyzing poverty. Nevertheless, it seriously mis-
construes the true nature of poverty and fosters a lack of polit-
ical and social will to address the problem itself. Three major
chan ...
16 contexts.orgrethinkingamericanpovertyby mark r. rank.docxdrennanmicah
16 contexts.org
rethinkingamericanpoverty
by mark r. rank
It’s a fundamental paradox: in America,
the wealthiest country on earth, one also
finds the highest rates of poverty in the
developed world. Whether we examine
children’s rates of poverty, poverty
among working age adults, poverty
within single parent families, or overall
rates of poverty, the story is much the
same—the United States has exceedingly
high levels of impoverishment.
It’s a fundamental paradox: in America,
the wealthiest country on earth, one also
finds the highest rates of poverty in the
developed world. Whether we examine
children’s rates of poverty, poverty
among working age adults, poverty
within single parent families, or overall
rates of poverty, the story is much the
same—the United States has exceedingly
high levels of impoverishment.
rethinkingamericanpoverty
by mark r. rank
17spring 2011 contexts
food stamps at some point during childhood. Life expectancy in
Harlem is shorter than in Bangladesh. The bottom 60 percent
of the American population currently holds less than 1 percent
of the financial wealth in the country. And two thirds of the
counties that black children are growing up in are considered
high poverty with respect to impoverished neighborhoods.
Although there are several possible explanations for why
these conditions exist, the argument developed here is that a
major reason has to do with how we as a society have tended
to conceptualize the issue of poverty and, based upon this
thinking, how we have acted (or better put, failed to act) toward
the issue.
The traditional manner of thinking about poverty in the
U.S. has viewed impoverishment as largely the result of individ-
ual inadequacies and failings. These shortcomings include not
working hard enough, failure to acquire sufficient skills, or just
making bad decisions. Consequently, the problem of poverty is
often seen through a lens of individual pathology. Since indi-
viduals are perceived as having brought poverty onto them-
selves, our collective and societal obligations are seen as limited.
The age-old distinction between the deserving versus the unde-
serving poor reflects this perspective—unless the working-age
poor have very good grounds for their
poverty, they’re deemed largely unde-
serving of help. Poverty is therefore
understood as primarily affecting those
who choose not to play by the rules of
the game. Ultimately, this perspective reflects and reinforces
the myths and ideals of American society: there are economic
opportunities for all, individualism and self-reliance are para-
mount, and hard work is rewarded.
This overall mindset has long influenced both the general
public’s attitudes toward the poor and much of the policy and
academic work analyzing poverty. Nevertheless, it seriously mis-
construes the true nature of poverty and fosters a lack of polit-
ical and social will to address the problem itself. Three major
chan.
Summary - That Used to Be Us - How America Fell Behind in the World It Invent...Alberto Rocha
Book summary of That Used to Be Us - How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back, by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum, 400 pages
In our global community, the concept of poverty has varied dependent upon our ideological perspectives. Our perspectives about the causation of poverty is frequently skewed by our relationship to poverty itself. There are many variables that might be the causation of poverty: if we have never fallen unto hard times, if we have never had to live paycheck-to-paycheck, then the likelihood that we might worry over financial matters may be slim-to-none.
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1. Szabo 1
Emma Szabo
Professor Jodi Weiss
ENC1101
05 December 2016
The Fading American Dream
Accessible opportunities, prospects, and well-being are what people wish for from all
around the world. Known as the eminent American Dream, which has lured people from all
around the world in the pursuit of a successful lifestyle, no longer exist. According to Paul
Krugman’s essay, “Confronting Inequality”, the American Dream has turned into an
unachievable concept due to the egregious inequality which remorselessly deprives people of
opportunities and personal development.
Having the precious ability to live up to their potential, and reach success while
possessing happiness are the verifying reasons why people are striving to accomplish the
American Dream. As the theory professes, pure effort and persistence seasoned with luck, are
enough to achieve higher standards and exceed expectations. It was true in the early 1970s when
every drop of perspiration is worth the success. The current economic situation is clearly
providing an impediment for individuals whose main purpose is to improve and acquire a
comfortable well-being status.
The gap between rich and poor has been prominently increasing since the 1980s. The
ambitious middle-class is slowly diminishing while the affluent are getting richer and the lower
class is getting poorer. “The fact that vast income equality brings vast social inequality in its
2. Szabo 2
train. And this social inequality isn’t just a matter of envy and insult. It has real, negative
consequences for the way people live in this country” (Krugman 563). Parents are striving to
provide a good education for their infants; the proper and desirable school districts are
extenuating, and the cost to live there is substantially increasing.
Education is clearly playing a vital role in children’s lives because a lousy start could
destroy their hopeful prospects and opportunities. Inequality has also intruded into the school
system; many highly extoled education institutions tend to accept brides from wealthy parents to
accept their idle youngsters, declining the diligent, industrious youth whom families are barely
capable to afford the school fees. Another stunning injustice emerged during a study where
family status exceeded the test scores achieved by the students (Krugman 566). Colleges and
universities are pricey and scholarships are often inviable to cover attendance. Evidently, affluent
family status dearly matters in the case of education.
On the other hand, the population cannot claim that the American dream premise is dead
because of the distribution of money and the governing power of the wealth. There are
undeniable benefits for people who live in the United States: from the tenable freedom to the
remarkably high GDP (gross domestic product). Every American citizen possesses the granted
freedom which is protected by the Bill of Rights. Americans treat their poor, old, disabled
individuals better than any other county in the world; government is consistently striving to
provide aid for people who are in need and indigent, for instance social security, welfare and
other forms of government support save millions from hopelessness. In the essay, “The
American Dream: Dead, Alive or on Hold?” Author Brandon King accentuates the immorality of
the American Dream. As a matter of fact, The American Dream was able to conquer the great
3. Szabo 3
depression, the economic shrinking in 1979, and the economic collapse in 2008; hereby, it is
going to be victorious against inequality, and other dicey prospects. “The American Dream will
continue to exist as a part of the American psyche, not artificially stimulated by government
regulations to change income distribution” (Brandon 578)
America still offers great prospects for a successful life compared to other countries. In
the essay, “America Remains the World’s Beacon of Success” Author Tim Roemer emphasizes
that the United States has great advantages, accessible markets, thriving information technology,
improvements in production capability, and investment, and developed education, environmental
protections. “I learned that America is still deeply admired around the world and the place where
many people want to live out their dreams” (Roemer 618).
Cleary, the American Dream is quickly fading because of the deteriorating opportunities
to achieve a successful life. This is especially true in terms of income inequality which makes it
increasingly arduous for the middle class and the lower middle class to get ahead and experience
continuing financial stability. Another example of the fading American Dream is the inequality
fosters by higher education. It is widely accepted that education is the key to success; however,
the extravagant coasts limit access to post-secondary education to the wealthy and upper middle
class. It is fully recognized that despite the negatives that impact the American Dream, there
have been and always will be glorious undeniable benefits for people living in the United States.
4. Szabo 4
Works Cited
Krugman, Paul. “Confronting Inequality.” They Say/I Say. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein,
and Russel Dust, Norton, W. W. & Company: 2015. Print. pp. 561-578.
Roemer, Tim. “America Remains the World’s Beacon of Success.” They Say/I Say. Ed. Gerald
Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Dust, Norton, W. W. & Company: 2015. Print. pp.
618-621.
King, Brandon. “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” They Say/I Say. Ed. Gerald
Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Dust, Norton, W. W. & Company: 2015. Print. pp.
610-616