Essay On Social Inequality

Social inequality has various definitions; it depends on who you ask. It is difficult to formulate a specific definition for social inequality because it is such a broad topic. The textbook definition of the term “inequality” is “the condition of being unequal; lack of equality; disparity” (Dictionary.com, 2015). But, social inequality in the United States specifically focuses on social disparities in America. However, my definition of social inequality in the United States is this: American citizens that don’t receive equal opportunities because they don’t have access to equal resources. Two, of many, dimensions of social inequality are education and gender. I believe that education has the strongest relationship with social inequality.

Throughout history women have traditionally been known as the “stay at home caretakers.” Eventually, in the 1800s, women were put into the workforce, but they were still separated by gender. Men were seen as superiors, so women faced high amounts of discrimination at the workplace. To this day women still face discrimination in the work force. “On average, full-time working women earn just 78 cents for every dollar a man earns” (The White House, 2015). Women get paid less than men for the same work, simply because of their gender. Also, women commonly get sexually objectified where they work and treated like they are inferior to everyone else at the workplace because of their history of being “stay at home moms.” Rizzo 3

These two examples of social inequality define what social inequality means to me. People who get unequal opportunities, especially to get an education, and people who discriminate against others because of how they are identified is not fair. Social inequality can be found in almost every aspect of life. Furthermore, the “problem” of social inequality is not going to be fixed over night. Our nation has to gradually become more fair to all, and it can take years for us to overcome this issue. Some people don’t even see social inequality as being a

This is why Mike Rose believes that it is crucial for everyone to get a higher education. With a college education, there are more job opportunities and a better chance of finding what you want to do with your life. But, these are just two of the many benefits of going to college. A college education doesn’t just foster intellectual growth, it also fosters social development. Also, many new topics and ideas are exposed to students that attend college; these new ideas can help a student discover what they are passionate about. College may be intimidating for some people, but there are too many benefits to gain from getting a college education; so everyone deserves the chance to go. People who do not go to college have less of a chance at getting a good career than people who do go to college. This is true because going to college helps you interact with many new people that can eventually connect you to job opportunities. Also, simply having a higher education is more appealing to