After reading and discussing chapter 2 I began to wonder if inequality is inevitable. This idea, of inequality being needed to maintain our way of life, has also been brought up in another class I'm taking. Resources are often distributed unevenly, the well-off recieve more opportunity than do the less fortunate. So can you climb your way through life, improving yourself and your situation as you go? Or are you born into what you will become?
Some people argue yes, that it isn't only inevitable but that it creates a positive attitude in the work force. These individuals feel that inequality drives people to become more succesful. These people argue that after the wealthy become so, some of their wealth will trickle down in improve "the masses" as well as their own stability.
Others argue that it's not. They feel that some people aren't afforded the same luxury that others are. They argue that lower income families put their children through poorer schooling, which is all they can afford, and from there are offered less opportunity for success.
It's hard to say. Again, your opinion probably has a lot to do with your experiences in this case.
Another interesting point in the reading for me was found on page 33. "..sociologists began to show that intergroup relations between blacks and whites were just as much a white problem because it was the dominant white group that controlled the character and course of those realtions more than did blacks themselves." Very rarely do we look at the majority and analyze their problems. Well personally at least, I always consider the minority. I wonder what makes them different, consider what they are or aren't doing. But reading this allowed me to take a step back and realize that the majority is just as much to blame the minorities for the seperation and distinction between the two.
No comments:
Post a Comment