I really liked the PBS documentary title People Like Us and the various points that it made about class and struggle and the dimension of each one throughout the United States and in America. We are broken up and classified based on our class and the amount of money that we make, the amount of money we grow up on.
I enjoyed the documentary and how it connected back to the idea we discussed in class about how we see ourselves growing up and the class we are in and in reality what category of class we actually do fall into. We fail to live up to the idea that all men are created equal when in fact we are not but as long as we keep striving towards that dream we are able to keep that distinction in society of the different classes and ranking among one another. Can we actually move from one class to another and change our social ranking? or is that something that can whatever class you are born into is where you will stay your entire life?
The way that we are raised is very dependent on where we end up later on in our lives and it is up to our surroundings and our parents and how we are raised to determine where we end up. I think it can either make us stronger or weaker and it helps to examine all of the people we are like us. Although it doesn't relate directly back to this class lesson, we are constantly learning from one another and strive to be like another.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Positive Functions of the Underserving Poorn
The 13 positive functions of the Underserving Poor are completely interrelated and all piggy back off one another. The circumstances that many of them come into play is in direct result to lack of resources and support. Some are more positive then the others.
1. Risk reduction
2. Scapegoating and displacement
3. Economic banishment and the reserve army of labor
4. Supplying illegal goods
5. Job creation
6. Moral legitimation
7. Norm reinforcement
8. Supplying popular culture villains
9. Institutional scapegoating
10. Conservative power shifting
11. Spatial purification
12. Reproduction of stigma and the stigmatized
13. Extermination of the surplus
In the explanations of each of these functions, the author Herbert J. Gans was able to show us how the underserving poor live their lives but how each of these functions work in or out of favor to those that are not necessarily poor. Whether it is proven or just a theory but POVERTY is the biggest issue in the world and is not getting better as we progress everyday. One of the most important factors that will make or break us in each society is education. I am not only referring to schooling but understanding and education others about right and wrong, true and false and cultural competency. Unemployment is taking its toll negatively, virus's and illnesses are changing everyday some we know more about and reduction factors but everything is constantly changing.
I like in the last paragraph of the document amount the exaggeration of the actual dangers that stem from the poor. Are their actual dangers or just a conflict in opinion and norms and values? People from a poorer class are in no way trying to bring upon danger to themselves or their surroundings but I feel danger will always come into play with the individuals that have the constant need and desire to be better than one another. It is healthy to have some competition and to strive for a better life but not when it comes to putting yourself or other people in danger.
Who knows what the big issue will be next.
As long as there are people living in poverty and "hope of a second chance" there will always be those who will take advantage of the less fortunate and make themselves look better. The poor are always looked down upon and no matter how they may try to make good for themselves there is always those who will shun them. There is this unequal balance between the classes and as sad as it sounds I think there always be. The two positive functions that I think could really make the most difference are job creation and scapegoating and displacement.
1. Risk reduction
2. Scapegoating and displacement
3. Economic banishment and the reserve army of labor
4. Supplying illegal goods
5. Job creation
6. Moral legitimation
7. Norm reinforcement
8. Supplying popular culture villains
9. Institutional scapegoating
10. Conservative power shifting
11. Spatial purification
12. Reproduction of stigma and the stigmatized
13. Extermination of the surplus
In the explanations of each of these functions, the author Herbert J. Gans was able to show us how the underserving poor live their lives but how each of these functions work in or out of favor to those that are not necessarily poor. Whether it is proven or just a theory but POVERTY is the biggest issue in the world and is not getting better as we progress everyday. One of the most important factors that will make or break us in each society is education. I am not only referring to schooling but understanding and education others about right and wrong, true and false and cultural competency. Unemployment is taking its toll negatively, virus's and illnesses are changing everyday some we know more about and reduction factors but everything is constantly changing.
I like in the last paragraph of the document amount the exaggeration of the actual dangers that stem from the poor. Are their actual dangers or just a conflict in opinion and norms and values? People from a poorer class are in no way trying to bring upon danger to themselves or their surroundings but I feel danger will always come into play with the individuals that have the constant need and desire to be better than one another. It is healthy to have some competition and to strive for a better life but not when it comes to putting yourself or other people in danger.
Who knows what the big issue will be next.
As long as there are people living in poverty and "hope of a second chance" there will always be those who will take advantage of the less fortunate and make themselves look better. The poor are always looked down upon and no matter how they may try to make good for themselves there is always those who will shun them. There is this unequal balance between the classes and as sad as it sounds I think there always be. The two positive functions that I think could really make the most difference are job creation and scapegoating and displacement.
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