Transcript
Shireen Razavi
SOC 101
Professor Davis
October 1st, 2018
Discussion Task #3
F: Relating reading to personal experiences: This task should include at least one specific way in which you can relate the content of the reading to your personal experiences. Please explain how and why they are related.
This week's reading and podcast both discuss poverty and how it ties in with the same idea of sociological mindfulness. The podcast brings to light a very crucial issue in America: Today, more than 45 million Americans live in poverty. This problem has been addressed countless times but yet we still seem to face the same issue time and time again. In the podcast, they address poverty myths that many people seem to believe. For example, many people seem to associate "lazy" with "poor" and that is just not true. Matthew Desmond states that "We need to have a frank conversation of how our lives contribute to poverty in America. Poverty is not a realm of where the other half lives, not even a lack of money, but rather a process- a complex social and financial interaction that strengthens positions of the comfortable. The word "exploitation" has vanished from the debate and should be reinstated." He also believes that it's the people who are making a "pretty dollar" off the poor who are also contributing to the high poverty rates. He asks the people to have a honest and civil conversation about the matter rather than to point fingers and place blame on others. At the end of the day, we are trying to make America a better place for everyone.
In the reading, the author discusses that there are many forms of inequality that take place in U.S. society. In a case of inequality, it simply means that some people have advantages over others- better chances to live nicer lives. Schwalbe brings up a great point "We should also be mindful that inequalities are social, not personal. They are social because they result from how society is organized and where people fit into that pattern or organization. For example, one can be born into poverty only in a society that allows poverty to exist. Likewise, one can feel lucky to have a clean, safe, high-paying job only in a society where many people are forced to take dirty, unsafe, low-paying jobs." Then again, perspective and view of what can be considered huge issues for others, may not be for the people experiencing them. Schwalbe states "To say that society is rife with inequalities is not to say that everyone who is disadvantaged lives in constant misery. Hardship is not pleasant, of course; nor is injustice. Yet many people who do not have much money or formal education, do not travel, do not have luxurious homes or go to fancy restaurants... are happy." He brought up a very powerful point here-- money can never buy happiness, maybe only temporarily.
Growing up in Sacramento, I went to a public elementary school in a nice location. Families who took their children to the school were mainly in the middle class. I was friends with other students whose families were doing pretty good financially (not affluent, but in the high middle class). Their parents had nice, high paying careers and were well-off. One day, my teacher told the class that we would be getting a new student in our class from Oklahoma, whose family is having financial difficulties with the move and to be welcoming of her because she may have difficulty making friends. Once I met her, I could have never been able to tell she was potentially living in poverty. Despite the financial difficulties, her family genuinely loved one another and they were always happy. She always was the number one priority of her parents. In her parent's eyes as long as she was happy, healthy, and able to do things that the other kids were doing, it didn't matter if they couldn't get that one pair of jeans or buy that one expensive car they've always wanted. After reading Schwalbe's thoughts and opinions on perspective/attitude and looking back at my own experiences, he is right that a person does not need to have luxury items or privileges to lead a happy, fulfilled life. After finishing Schwalbe's reading, I thought of the quote "Some people are so poor, all they have is money!"
