The Secret Shame Of Middle Class America Analysis

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Published on the cover of the May 2016 issue of The Atlantic is an article titled “The Secret Shame of Middle-Class Americans,” in which one journalist writes about his own financial struggles, the embarrassment of what he calls “financial impotence,” the “social suicide” of struggling financially, and the inability of 47% of middle class Americans to easily obtain $400 in an emergency (Gabler 2016). Of course, as with any touchy subject, this article had both its’ supports and its’ critics. Scott Winship’s response on nationalreview.com titled “The Middle Class is Doing Okay: No Need for Gloom and Doom” (2016) attacks Gabler’s idea that the odds are stacked against the middle class. Winship cites Gabler’s personal financial choices as the main reason for his financial plight, contradicts most of the statistics presented in the The Atlantic article, and instead advocates the benefits of frugality; insisting the economy is not, in fact, working against the middle class. I would disagree with Winship however, as would the countless studies by sociologists and economists alike. …show more content…

Incomes have largely been stagnant, while prices for crucial items, such as education, health care, and housing, have risen rapidly. Consequently, the middle class is increasingly anxious about its economic future” (Weller 2006:37). So what are some of the causes of this trend of economic inequality and dissatisfaction, and what can we do about it? You can take a peek into that conundrum by investigating Rana Foroohar’s May 2016 TIME magazine article “Saving Capitalism,” which is a brief overview of what she discusses in her new book, Makers and

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