Before you listen to this story, I want to take a couple of minutes and think about how you got to where you are today. Think about the resources you've received, whether it be in the form of financial, emotional, spiritual, or any other kind of support. Think about the little things along the way that encouraged you to go to college. Now compare your story with the two families in this podcast.
Notice that both families are successful, but the path they took was very different. How can we help people in our communities to become successful?
Thursday, September 15, 2011
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This was a good example of "real life" because inequalities do exist and affect people's lives and their generations to come. The story represented social capitalism: It's not what you know, but who you know. Stephanie and Demetri came from similiar backgrounds but did not have access to the same resources, therefore, Stephanie was able to obtain success quicker and easier than Demetri. I think we could help people in our community become successful by first, understanding that inequalities exist and the minorities do suffer at times. Becoming aware that there is a problem is important because then we can address the problem.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the woman reporting on this points out a key factor when it comes to "making it". She made the statement that Demetra was "smart" in the way she dealt with poverty. Demetra actively sought out resources and used them to get where she is today. People who are not "smart" in their approach to living will always struggle to get by even if they come from families that have "made it".
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ReplyDeleteOkay, but how do people become "smart" about their approach to living? Some people inherit it. Okay, well that's not likely to help poor blacks. Some people learn it through the education system. Again, unless you're one of the few lucky enough to make it into a good charter school, good education is inaccessible to most of the people we're concerned about. Sure, some people figure it out on their own, but if we condemn poor people who just can't figure it out on their own, we are accepting that poverty and its accompanying crime rates and societal degradation will persist. Just because you cried at the end of "The Pursuit of Happyness" (don't get me wrong, I did too) doesn't mean equal opportunity is in the hands of every American. That's the danger of case studies. I know statistics can lie, but sometimes case studies lie more readily.
ReplyDeleteNow, to end on a positive note, I think education is a HUGE part of the solution. I know that doesn't account for the difference in assets, but it at least would be a start in giving some of these poor people the tools they need to get themselves out of the hole, including the right social connections, which can often be acquired at college.