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Social inequality essay
Inequality in society today
Social inequality essay
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Overall, as seen in society that people born into a higher class family of a country are the most wealthy and those that have the highest standing are not best suited to lead a nation. Although we assume to believe that we have come along the age of aristocracy, along with inherited wealth and privilege, are behind us; we are all meritocrats now. It is often seen that people with the inherited are the born into a position which is determined to be a label with them for their whole life. For example, if a child is born into a low class family but is highly intelligent he will still not be seen as a child that has space for further development. Although some school may reconize the the child’s qualities and offer help most of teh time in developing
In May 2014, Time.com published an article that would soon become the source of no small amount of social contention (1). In the article, “Dear Privileged-at-Princeton: You. Are. Privileged. And Meritocracy Is a Myth,” author Briana Payton lashes out at classmate Tal Fortgang for an article he wrote a month prior (1). Payton, a freshman studying sociology at Princeton University and the political antithesis of Fortgang, takes issue with her classmates’ definition of the word “privilege” (1). She argues that, because Fortgang is white, society inherently affords him “privilege” (Payton 1). Payton’s main flaw is her tone — her condescending, demeaning, and arrogant rhetoric distracts from her content and diminishes her credibility. Conversely,
Preventing poverty and improving the school system can help prevent class reproduction, but Macleod argues that, "what is required is the creation of a truly open society--a society where the life chances of those at the bottom are not radically different from those at the top and where wealth is distributed more equitably" (260). Until structural inequality is eliminated, wealth is more evenly distributed, and discrimination between classes ends, social reproduction will be to well known by society.
Growing up in The United States, people are given this idea of an American Dream. Almost every child is raised to believe they can become and do anything they want to do, if one works hard enough. However, a majority of people believe that there is a separation of class in American society. Gregory Mantsios author of “Class in America-2009” believes that Americans do not exchange thoughts about class division, although most of people are placed in their own set cluster of wealth. Also political officials are trying to get followers by trying to try to appeal to the bulk of the population, or the middle class, in order to get more supporters. An interesting myth that Mantsios makes in his essay is how Americans don’t have equal opportunities.
America has always seen as the symbolic ideal country of prosperity and equality. This is the reason why people come to America hoping to become successful, but in matter of fact we all have an equal plan field to be successful is not entirely true. For there are social boundaries that keep use limited based upon our own status. Whether we are born of a low class or of a high class the possibility of economic mobility in a sense are predetermined by two factors of social class and success together they both affecting one’s another opportunity of success. In order to achieve success, we must know that it is made up of two main concepts and they are fortune and position. But when a person is limited by their class prohibiting them to achieve success, the point of trying is meaningless. However, there is a way to break the construct that keep groups stuck in the lower-class and is through education. Education gives more opportunities for success to the individuals and since education is very important, culture and the government should focus more directly upon this to reach economic stability. Class standing directly affects economic success in America by limiting a person’s chance of success however; one can overcome by focusing more upon education and culture.
As much as society tries to deny the fact that the family that one comes from determines their fate, in almost every case this very fact is true. Today, we see how infants who are born into wealthy families are treated differently than children who are born into drug and disease-stricken poverty. Higher classed people stand out in society on both a local and national level much more than the average middle class working family.
Returning to his old high school after having had graduate ten years ago, Shamus Rahman Khan came in with one goal: to study the inequality of a school that claims to be more “diverse.” St. Paul’s School located in Concord, New Hampshire claims to have become more diverse over the years, accepting people of different racial backgrounds and social classes to their prestigious boarding school. However, as described in his book, Khan found that this claim made by the school is false. He also found out that the elite that used to attend his school is not the same as the elite attending it now. Nonetheless, it was the elite that were succeeding because they were the ones who could afford the school, had family linages that already attended the school, and mastered “ease” which made them privileged in society. Separating his book into five different chapters, each focusing on a different topic that helps support his claim, Khan describes this change in elite and the inequality that still accompanies St. Paul’s. In the introduction to Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul’s School, Khan states the three most important points he will refer to during the rest of the book: hierarchies are natural and can be used to one’s advantage, experiences matter more than inherited qualities, and the elite signal their status through ease and openness. These are discussed thoroughly in throughout Privilege.
“As a child who had dropped in from a parallel universe of purchased educational opportunity and order, I had no idea why such difference existed, nor of its consequences” (Ford 2012). Wealth and status play a major role in power and with power comes great opportunities. For example; a family that comes from a rural or remote area, will not have the same resources as one who lives in a more suburban area, where resources are in arms reach. Someone who lives in rural areas,
The upper class are able to afford all kinds of things that put their children at a higher advantage. Whether it be playing tennis at a country club, private piano lessons, and etc. The lower class have less access to these types of learning experiences for their children. They are more of a self-taught learner, and success is rarely a solo achievement. That was the whole takeaway from Lareau's study. She conducted a study with twelve families within the middle and the lower class, and saw how they performed based on their parenting skills. She learned that they’re two child learning styles. First method is Concerted Cultivation. This is commonly used by wealthier families. These kids would have more privilege than the majority, "One of the well-off children Lareau followed played on a baseball team, two soccer teams...lessons" (pg.103-104.) and, "They expected their children... authority." Parents are highly involved with their child’s success, being active in their lives and their talents. Teaching them how to perform their own insights, as oppose of adults talking down to children. Second method is Natural growth. Parents see their children already growing and taking care of themselves and are seen as less whiny and more behaved. However, were not taught to speak up for one's self to a higher authority, "The poorer children were, to her mind, often better behaved...
Does meritocracy still exist in America? Are many talented people who have worked hard throughout their lives going to get deserving rewards and promotions? Does the word meritocracy invented by Michael Young in 1958 still make sense to all of us? Many people still think that meritocracy exists in America because America is the land of opportunities. However, meritocracy does not really exist in America because many hard working people still do not have adequate benefits for their lives and an uncertain future.
In today’s society people are viewed as being in different classes depending on how much money they bring in. The categorization of people is known as classism. Classism is simply the prejudice or in favor of people belonging to a particular social class. Classism is known as one of the largest social problems plaguing the world today. Classes are formed according to how the rules of the following institutions; government regulations and economic status. It is held in place by a system of beliefs and cultural attitudes that ranks people according to their; economic status, family lineage, job status, and level of education. There are three major classifications to which people are titled. They include upper or high class which includes the people with the most money. The middle class who includes the people that brings home the average income. Finally, the class titled the lower class that includes the people who have only one income coming in or none at all (“What Is Classism.”). In the classrooms these classes still remain and the students within each class have different ways in which they learn, and view schooling. We as educators have to look passed their ways and address each class the same.
Similarly in case of occupation people with prestigious occupation like business, service, governmental organization, etc. are regarded as upper class and those who carry out work as labor, driver, conductor, servants, etc. are under lower class. There is also class categorization based on race. These class categorization emerged due various reasons like illiteracy, lack of coordination among the society’s people, discrimination, social status, religious beliefs, etc. Here we will be talking about class on the field of education. This class distribution is done by the teachers to categorize their students according to their performance or education. There are both positive and negative impacts of class in education. The positive impacts include motivation to the good students, it will be easier for school authority to focus on poor students, etc. while the negative impacts include demotivation and discourage to the poor students, humiliation from friends and teachers, punishment to poor
This meritocratic system ensures that wealthy children gets a head-start over their peers. They can afford to attend premium institutions as compared to children from lower-income families, who receive a lower brand of childhood education. This results in very different starting points for these groups of children when they enter primary school, which might affect their chances of success in education. However, I disagree that the quality of childhood education has a huge bearing on a child’s success in education. While it is undeniable that a quality childhood education will better a child’s future education prospects, it is not a primary mean for a child to achieve educational success. For instance, in the past few years, the top scorers of the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) had consistently comprised of students from both the elite and neighborhood primary schools. This shows that quality childhood education shapes only the start, but not the outcome of a child’s education. A quality childhood education will not necessarily guarantee future educational successes. Ultimately, the onus is on the child if he wants to be successful in his education. Therefore, meritocracy helps promote equality as children who do well in their PSLE can further their studies in better secondary schools since admission is based on
Social classes have been part of this country’s history for a very long time. Social class and sometimes race play an important role determining the opportunities a person is able to receive. People from different social backgrounds live different lifestyles as well as have different opportunities in life. As a result of that, individuals in higher social class have an advantage over those in a lower social class. However, we as individuals are the masters of our own destiny. Just because someone is born in a lower social class it doesn’t necessarily mean they have to maintain that social status the rest of their lives. Education, hard work and the willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed are some of the traits that can make this change happen.
There has been hierarchy all the time in the society. Assume education equality is feasible, hierarchy is a normal and not going to complicate egalitarian of education. According to Ho, “ The culture of smartness is not simply a quality of Wall Street, but a currency, a driving force productive of both profit accumulation and global prowess.” (167) In this case, the culture of smartness serves as a hierarchy pyramid, the brightest people are the ‘ cream of the crop ’ on the top of the pyramid. The most population working place, investment banks in Wall Street, chooses smartest people to fit in it (bank) . This recruiting process is quite normal. Despite a obvious example of hierarchy - Princeton and Harvard are on the top of Ivy League schools. When bankers come from NYC to Princeton to recruit potential employees, bankers ranked students roughly from the most desirable group to the least. Those actions indicate people are living around different forms of hierarchy. Under this situation, individuals are supposed to learn in many ways and devote themselves to society in their own stratum. Davidson mentioned a green-haired girl in her article, “The girl with the green hair has special skills that shows up nowhere on her compulsory EOG state tests (...) and yet she has a special and valued ability that cannot be replaced by a computer program.” As the education in this girl’s classroom is not equal at all, because this girl is not interested in that which is taught. This kind of teaching and imparting knowledge is not a egalitarian of education but a form of false impression and time waste. A hierarchy may take shape automatically from top scored students to lower grade students. However, this girl devote herself into painting which she is good at and can bring happiness to her classmates other than listening classes. She released her potential abilities and play a positive role even she is at the middle or low
...ks in life”. In opposition to this, children in private schools tend to be moulded into the sophisticated society they live in. Their view on life and others may become narrow minded as a result. Considering the same private school educated getting the better job purely based on their schooling background might be considered as an ethical issue. This leaves the people raised in a governing school system in an injustice situation where they, as Sir John Mayor said, are "locked under the circumstances they were born within”.