American Dream or American Damned
opinion Essay
1841 words
Living the American Dream is becoming something farther and farther out of reach for our society, and many don’t even realize it. The current teenage population is projected to be less successful than their parents are. Poverty circumstances that many citizens are born into are increasingly harder to overcome. How can young adults escape the poverty levels in order to become competitive in the professional world when the opportunities are slimmer than ever? American society is becoming harder for those to get ahead and live the American Dream; living above the status quo takes dedication, perseverance, and tenacity.
Poverty has many different meanings throughout the world, to some, poverty is a third-world country; however, in America poverty is generally categorized in two ways. Situational poverty is one way; this means that the person is considered to be in poverty because of certain circumstances that they may be undergoing. However, the second, and much more oppressive to our society as it seems, is generational poverty. “Seventy-one percent of the participants also reported that their personal worth was judged by the kind of work their parents did or did not do” (Beegle 13). A person is considered to be victim of generational poverty if they were born into it and also die in it. Generational poverty is a vicious cycle that plagues much of our world today, even those around us in American society.
The biggest enemy of poverty is lack of education not only for the victims of it, but also for those that have the ability to help. Many are born into an impoverished lifestyle with expectations to overcome it someday, yet still lack the skills needed to do so. Opportunities often require money and a great education to back it u...
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...o do so. America is the wealthiest and most successful nation in the world so there is no need for any of our population to live poverty stricken lives. Getting ahead in the social ladder takes dedication, a dream, and the skills in order to do so. Generational poverty is something that is becoming more and more prevalent in American society; it is an issue that something can be done about, if people chose to take the time.
Works Cited
Beegle, Donna M. Overcoming the Silence of Generational Poverty. Rep. Invisible Literacies, n.d. Web.
Carlock, Happy. "A Different Type of Poverty." US News. U.S.News & World Report, 05 Sept. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
"Minimum Wage Laws in the States - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor." Minimum Wage Laws in the States - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that living the american dream is becoming more and more out of reach for our society. the current teenage population is projected to be less successful than their parents are.
- Explains that in america, poverty is categorized in two ways: situational poverty, and generational, which is oppressive to society.
- Opines that the biggest enemy of poverty is lack of education. many are born into an impoverished lifestyle with expectations to overcome it, yet still lack the skills needed to do so.
- Explains that schools are doing their best to prepare students for the "real world," but none of these requirements include how to succeed in the real world.
- Opines that poverty is an obstacle which a large amount of americans face each day, yet it is looked down on more than anything in the country where its citizens are supposed to prosper.
- Explains that in the united states, minimum wage rates have been put in place to ensure that its population is making enough money to sustain themselves in a humane way.
- Explains how a small town in findlay, ohio combined all its outreach programs into one building to make it much easier for people to reach them.
- Explains that schools have worked towards reforming their student requirements to better accommodate students preparing for college. however, for those not planning to attend college, this does not benefit them as much.
- Explains that students who are affected by poverty hate school because of the discrimination by those who consider them to be more lowly than they make themselves out.
- Explains that many students shut down because of feeling like the outsider among their classmates. this leads to poor grades due to lack of caring, and high school drop-outs with the mindset that they can just go straight into the workforce.
- Analyzes how american media has built the idea of the "american dream" as something that just falls in place for people. wealthy lifestyles and substance abuse are what most media, especially music, focuses on.
- Compares the teenage generation of america to their parent's generation and explains that college costs are rising and admission requirements are more rigorous than ever.
- Explains that social networking is a common factor for those looking for jobs. many opportunities for middle-class students go hand in hand with what money they have available to get involved in certain activities.
- Argues that the problem with people reaching out to those in need is that they view it as being selfish and don't actually need the help.
- Analyzes how the government recognizes poverty as an issue in america that needs targeted. many people view it as something that only existed during the great depression and was solved after it ceased.
- Opines that if society were more educated on poverty, and how to help those who are victim to it, america would be a much more pleasant place to live.
- Opines that generational poverty is an issue in america that needs help and fast. getting ahead in the social ladder takes dedication, a dream, and the skills to do so.
- Describes the various types of poverty in the united states, including minimum wage laws and wage and hour laws.
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- Explains that the most common classification that people make on the underprivileged is that they are all criminals or drug addicts.
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In this essay, the author
- Opines that overcoming generational poverty requires a paradigm shift of thinking for society. america needs reform of the welfare system.
- Describes generational poverty as an ongoing cycle of poverty in which two or more generations of families experience limited resources.
- Opines that in order for society to shift its thinking around those suffering from poverty, we need to first start with ourselves.
- Opines that the likelihood of someone to commit a crime is more than just being poor; it is being around lots of poor people.
- Explains that people fall into poverty due to various reasons and there is not one fix all solution in which to help someone out.
- Opines that educators must first be aware of their biases toward low-income students and then help increase awareness for others.
- Analyzes anakwenze, ujunwa, and daniyal zuberi's "mental health and poverty in the inner city."
- Opines that helping to lift individuals out of generational poverty requires an optimistic environment that includes positive influences that can emphasize the value of success in education.
- Explains how poverty affects classroom engagement. santiago, catherine decarlo, et al., anxiety, stress & coping 25.3 (2012): 239-258.
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In this essay, the author
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- Explains that 80% of the world population live on less than ten dollars a day. poor people have less access to health and education than the rich.
- Explains that lack of education, poor attitude, and over-population can cause poverty.
- Explains that poverty can lead to serious effects, such as a low birth weight, mental or physical disabilities, poor families, and homelessness.
- Explains that 22,000 children die each day due to poverty, and they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth. being meek and weak in life makes them even more invisible in death.
- Estimates that it would take forty billion dollars to provide each person in the developing countries with basic needs such as clean water, proper nutrition and education.
- Explains that the modern poor are not pitied, but written off as trash. the twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar reminds of nothing.
- Opines that we can reduce poverty by supporting and promoting education. children need tools to learn and earn money to support themselves and their families.
- Opines that the goal is to end extreme poverty, not all poverty. the rich can help most by giving the extreme poor some assistance to extricate themselves from the poverty trap that now ensnares them
- Explains that hunger is the number one cause of death in the world. we need to stop consuming more food than we need and instead pack the extra food and give them to the poor.
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that poverty exposes the weakest and most vulnerable through their want for food, safety, shelter, and overall basic needs. maslow's hierarchy of needs states that a person is self-motivated and definitively fulfilled once they have transitioned and accomplished levels of attainment.
- Analyzes how the collection of documentary titles chronicled an overall future trend that points towards targeting the vulnerabilities of people living in poverty.
- Analyzes how the documentary "blue gold: world water wars" challenges the accessibility of clean drinking water and its limitations as a renewable resource.
- Opines that the economic crisis of 2010 was man-made and predatory upon weak and unknowledgeable homeowners.
- Opines that access to technology is only available to those with the resources to maintain connection and advance with constant updates. the intelligence revolution documentary identifies how far we have come.
- Analyzes how the human rights topic and not my life film showed predatory behaviors upon men and women who were already vulnerable and in need of money, shelter, safety—the typical basic needs in order to become self-actualized.
- Recalls an interview where one of s said, "most citizens' wake up and focus on their morning commute, paying the mortgage, buying a new car, going on vacation."
- Opines that the top levels of decision-making have a responsibility to operate with integrity and obligation for the majority.
- Explains that poverty creates a population that is meek and longing for their basic and common needs. there are many indications that the set type is more common than others.
- Explains that the data collection process identifies a demographic population that suffers below achievement levels of the local, state, and national standards. the relationship between family income and safety in schools is in line with higher academic achievement.
- Explains that america's promise alliance provides five areas that reinforce thriving and productive child behaviors, such as caring adults, safe places and constructive use of time, a healthy start, effective education, and opportunities to help others.
- Explains that a family from lower income levels becomes more susceptible to poorer outcomes, including crime, not completing high school, more frequent suspensions, and risqué behaviors.
- Analyzes how children become ensnared in slave labor and sex trades because they are left alone more frequently or their families sell them to gain more resources for the rest of the impoverished families.
- Analyzes how a missing 8-year-old girl, relisha rudd, was reported missing by her mother in washington dc. the janitor's wife was found dead, and the slain woman was sold into slavery.
- Explains that even threats of financial collapse on those in poverty can be devastating and add crisis levels to an already weakened population.
- Opines that the work for impacting poverty does not end at the proverbial "water's edge" when a human being graduates from high school.
- Explains that while there are global needs to address food & water necessities, shah enumerated a litany of problem sets related to poverty and the lack of clean drinking water identified by the united nations.
- Explains that water problems affect half of humanity. 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.
- Explains that access to piped water in the household averages about 85% for the wealthiest 20% of the population.
- Explains that non-potable water impacts half of the humans on this planet. maslow's hierarchy of needs must be provided to allow self-actualization, self awareness, and self esteem.
- Analyzes how poverty limits access to technology among the poor. lack of access creates a void where information accessibility has no value. the digital divide is defined as the gulf between those with ready access and those without.
- Opines that in order to break the cycle of decline, poverty, and demise, human beings must be aware of the areas of vulnerability.
2462 wordsRead More - Social Classexplanatory essayA social class that has been highly isolated from rest has been all those who live in poverty. Many people are aware of the issues involving poverty, yet they choose to do nothing expecting the government to solve the problem. What people don’t take into consideration is that his problem affects not only them, but also the country as a whole. According to Ron Smith escaping poverty has become more challenging than in past years due to the lack of employment opportunities and the expenses of family care. Smith also stated that the government has been working to find a solution for poverty or more less trying to find a way to prevent it from increasing. The government working through it with the help of policymakers; the w...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that america is a land of opportunity, but many people wonder if it is true. america's social inequality divides the social class into multiple groups that struggle with each other.
- Explains that social class has always been influential in america, but the truth is that it's become a larger concept than what it’s thought to be.
- Explains that poverty is a social class that has been isolated from rest, yet many people do nothing expecting the government to solve the problem.
- Explains that fifteenth percent of the population in the united states is in poverty, while the percentage has increased by two and a half since the year 2007.
- Explains that according to william g. domhoff, the opposite of poverty is a part of the upper class referred to as the top one percent.
- Explains that the healthy marriage initiative was created to promote healthy, stable marriages through educational programs for unmarried couples and high students at-risk.
- Compares the situation of amos harper and mary vasquez, who live off of $765 monthly through their social security check.
- Explains that the other america, 2012: confronting the poverty epidemic | the nation.
- Explains that domhoff, g. william, "who rules america: wealth, income, and power." university of california at santa cruz, sept. 2005.
802 wordsRead More - Poverty and Classismargumentative essayAccording to Schwartz-Nobel, America will lose as much as 130 billion in future productive capacity for every year that 14.5 American children continue to live in poverty (Koppelman and Goodhart, 2007). Sadly the seriousness of poverty is still often clouded by myths and misunderstandings by society at large. This essay studies the issue of poverty and classism in today's society.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that america will lose 130 billion in future productive capacity for every year that 14.5 american children continue to live in poverty. the seriousness of poverty is still clouded by myths and misunderstandings by society at large.
- Opines that most people blame the poor for their own predicament. they do not think about their government that might have made bad decisions and policies that could harm successful development.
- Explains that the u.s. education system denies students in poverty the opportunities and access it affords to most other students. merchants exploit the poor by enforcing or formulating policies that earn them more profits.
- Explains that low-income households suffer more health problems due to the lack of income. the american health care system is not adequate to provide immediate services to poor people.
- Explains that classism refers to attitudes and discriminatory actions towards others based on their low socioeconomic status. the american capitalist economic system emphasizes on competition and admires the winners.
- Recommends affirmative actions to combat poverty or classism. education could play a big role in reducing poverty. subsidies for women's shelters and child care services are important.
758 wordsRead More - Does Poverty Fosters Crime?explanatory essay“Poverty at Large: A Dark Spot in Humanity.” Causes of Poverty, 25 March 2014. Web. 26
In this essay, the author
- Explains that 60% of rural children in the united states are living in poverty. education plays a huge role in this problem because most of america is not fully educated.
- Explains that corruption is a deceptive conduct by those in power who try to keep those who are in poverty trapped within their situations.
- Explains that tax avoidance is the legal way to fix a financial situation in order to lower the amount of taxes they have to pay.
- Explains that hunger is a horrible symptom of world poverty. to solve world hunger, one needs to diminish the poverty rate. food scarcity raises statistics of health issues and illnesses.
- Opines that rural crime and abuse rates are increasing in rural america.
- Explains that poverty is a great factor of violence in poor communities, and that violence and drug dealing are common factors in many ways.
- Explains that cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana are considered the gateway drugs, which have huge effects on teens in the rural area.
- Explains that over 21% of mississippi households and 32% of ms children live in poverty. over 3 billion people in the world today survive on less than $2.50 every day.
- Explains that rural youth are more likely to commit violent crimes because they can't afford what they want. african americans and low-income communities have a greater percentage of adult males who are incarcerated than caucasians.
- Explains that poverty and poor health go hand-in-hand. economic, social, and political maltreatments are the main causes of poverty. liable individuals who are most affected by poverty put their health at risk.
- Cites ford, jean otto. rural crime and poverty. broomall: mason crest publishers inc., 2008.
1457 wordsRead More