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The Cycle Of Poverty In The Working Poor By David Shipler

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Cycle of Poverty Each day in America people face new challenges weather big or small. The normal everyday challenges include bills, tight schedules, disagreements, and the unforeseen trials that may arise. It is possible for the average person to have a good day or a few good days while feeling worry free. A person who is considered a part of the working poor may never feel worry free. Their challenges hit them hard each day as they struggle with the issues they’ve most likely dealt with their entire lives. Living in poverty does not afford those citizens the luxury of feeling worry free as if they are just anyone else. Sadness sets in at the realization that children of a family in poverty often times feel the same stress and worry …show more content…

In this essay, the author

  • Opines that living in poverty does not afford those citizens the luxury of feeling worry free as they've dealt with their entire lives.
  • Explains that poverty is a large issue in the united states, larger than most people may realize. shipler addresses how poverty can be due to lack of parenting, personal mistakes, abuse, bad start in life, or combination of other systematical variables.
  • Analyzes how shipler's book shows that it is a question of skill and will to tackle this cycle in the nation. large institutions may put small portions into charities or donate to convince the public.
  • Argues that the american dream is a myth because working poor people work hard for little pay and aren't always responsible for their poverty. shipler's research shows that people suffer from higher interest rates, debt, poor education, and low wages.
  • Analyzes how the inequality in america is apparent and the responsibility should be given to the top one percent and government. if people living in poverty had access to equal opportunities and wealth, the nation would be near perfect

With the issue being so large, there will truly never be an end to it. There are many variations to poverty, it should never be looked at in one particular way. In the book The Working Poor, the author David Shipler addresses how poverty can be due to a lack of parenting, personal mistakes, abuse, a bad start in life, or a combination of other systematical variables. The sources used throughout this research paper represent key connections between the working poor and the programs offered to “help” them. There have been several researched causing factors of poverty and solutions that solve nothing. The outcomes of poverty are most often times, negative and can result in many people never living far above the line of poverty or escaping poverty at all. Living in poverty can become a way of life, it is part of a systematical cycle designed to be never …show more content…

“Inequality is evident when looking at the earnings of the people at the top compared to the ones in the middle” (Inequality for All). The larger share of the nation’s income goes to the top unfairly, and leaves the rest struggling to get to financial levels they may or may not ever reach. This is the unjust system that exists in the nation which people pretend not to participate in so the poor can be blamed for their own issues. Most people participate in this system often involuntarily or unknowingly through turning their backs, taking larger pay cuts than necessary, and participating heavily in consumerism. Statistics from the video proved that “Seventy percent of the economy is consumer spending” (Inequality for all). While many of the working poor do in fact spend unnecessarily and unwisely it is unfortunate that they cannot enjoy the same pleasures as everyone else. The inequality in America is very apparent and the responsibility should be given to the top one percent and the government. It would be great if every person would step up and help make the nation great again by taking responsibility/accountability, and by creating a culture of justice, equality, and wealth. The video reported that in the year 1978 compared to 2010, the income of the typical worker differed by more than $345,000 (Inequality

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    • The Cycle of Poverty
      explanatory essay
      Inequality exist and is high in America because the amount of income and wealth that is distributed through power. In America the income distribution is very inequality and the value of a person wealth is based on their income with their debts subtracted. “As of 2007, the top 1% of households (the upper class) owned 34.6% of all privately held wealth, and the 19% (the managerial, professional, and small business stratum) had 50.5%, which means that just 20% of the people owned a remarkable 85%, leaving only 15% of the wealth for the bottom 80% (wage and salary workers)” (Domhoff, 2011). In contrary the poor do not get ahead and the rich get more. Americans are judged and placed in class categories through their home ownership which translates to wealth. Americans social class is often associated with their assets and wealth. “People seek to own property, to have high incomes, to have interesting and safe jobs, to enjoy the finest in travel and leisure, and to live long and healthy lives” (Domhoff, 2011). Power indicates how these “values” are not distributed equally in American society. Huge gains for the rich include cuts in capital gains and dividends and when tax rates decrease for the tiny percent of Americans income is redistributed. Taxes directly affect the wealth and income of Americans every year.

      In this essay, the author

      • Explains that america is one of the wealthiest nations on earth with high inequality in income, wealth, power and education. people who are legally and socially poor in the united states tend to stay in a cycle through life, not always by choice but because they are given fewer opportunities.
      • Explains that inequalities exist in america because of the amount of income and wealth that is distributed through power.
      • Explains that poverty is defined through severe deprivation of education, food, safe water, sanitation, and health care regardless of one's income.
      • Explains that poverty rates vary between ethnic and racial subgroups. black or hispanic families are statistically higher in poverty than of families headed by single men or married couples.
      • Opines that the social class of the poor is not achieved it is ascribed. people struggle to get food, clothes, and shelter, but social classes work hard to achieve higher opportunities and advancements.
      • Explains that there are levels of social mobility for the poor based on the degree to which one’s earnings, housing status, education, and benefits change. education plays a role in the continuation of the poverty cycle.
      • Explains that the american dream is sought through success, wealth, fame, and power. all levels of success vary depending on what one would like to achieve.
      • Explains that anthropologist oscar lewis argued that poor people hold a set of values that emphasizes living for the moment rather than thrift, investment in the future, or hard work.
      • Explains that labor markets affect poverty levels because there are fewer opportunities available for people to achieve jobs when the market is down.
      • States that brinkerhoff, ortega, weitz, & white, l. k. (2011). essentials of sociology.
      • Cites page, m. e., and stevens, a. h. understanding the relation between labor market opportunities and poverty rates in california.
      • Cites rector, r., "how poor are america's poor? examining the "plague" of poverty in america".
      1204 words
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    • Breaking the Cycle of Poverty caused by Lack of Education
      analytical essay
      "Society has been trying to reduce poverty for over 500 years" (Indigenous) and has never succeeded. The education and skill level, health or handicap status, and discrimination play a vital role in poverty. So why does society keep trying the same approaches: give them money or give them jobs? Neither one ever worked. A major factor determining whether someone will end up living in poverty, education or skill level can make or break an income. Education plays a vital role in acquiring jobs, learning new skills, and bringing home necessities and comforts of life. A person who does not receive an education has a very small chance of making much money and acquiring skills that would bring home a desirable income. Many who do not have an education bring their family into a cycle of poverty, where their children do not necessarily have the income to go to college or even do not have a desire to acquire a high school diploma. "Poverty has been with us since the dawn of time." (Castillo, Kathy) Poverty shows in our society as being poor as a result of lack of money, none or few material possessions, insufficient nutrition, decent housing and most of the things people think are necessary for an acceptable and comfortable life.

      In this essay, the author

      • Explains that education and skill level, health or handicap status, and discrimination play a vital role in poverty.
      • Argues that teachers are underpaid for what they have to put up with and often have too many students in one class. more people will get into teaching with the greater pay.
      • Argues that small class sizes in kindergarten and first grade establish the learning basics of for our students.
      • Analyzes how the well-to-do did not try helping the poor, citing the old testament story of ruth and boaz.
      • Argues that the head start program provides a non-poverty environment that supports and motivates children to learn. motivation for primary grades is different from that for secondary grades.
      1869 words
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