The Social Stratification Of The United States | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

The Social Stratification Of The United States

Is it really the land of opportunity?

94
The Social Stratification Of The United States
Jordan Whitefield Unsplash

The United States is known as the country of opportunity. If one simply works hard, he or she can become successful. Society gives equal or similar opportunities for all. However, is this really true?

Recently, I saw a cartoon called "On a Plate" by Toby Morris. It compares two different lives: of Richard, whose parents were financially stable, and of Paula, whose parents are poor. Richard's house is full of books and food while Paula's house is dry and crowded. Richard is supported by his parents as they will do anything for their child while Paula's parents support her by working all the time. In terms of education, Richard has many resources and teacher support and school while Paula is in crowded classes with little attention from teachers. There are higher expectations for Richard and if he struggles in a class he can get a tutor. For college, Richard's parents pay his tuition, but Paula has to work many jobs while studying to be able to attend college. Richard's father connects Richard to an internship. When the main characters get jobs, due to his educational advantage, Richard works at an office while Paula works at a restaurant. The expectations society holds of them are different and people expect Richard to be skilled while people expect Paula to be troublesome. In the end, Richard is a person of high authority at a party while Paula serves him.

The little advantages that the higher class have slowly add up to overwhelm the poor.

Another example is the SAT. People of wealth can afford prep classes while the poor don't have money to receive help much less do they have resources to practice the exam. Since the SAT is taken into account for college applications, the wealthier generally have an advantage.

People from wealthier backgrounds often blame the poor for their statuses. Their belief in the typical rags to riches story allows them to assert that anyone who tries hard enough can become successful. To them, if one still cannot succeed, the person simply is not qualified; it is a matter of social darwinism. They don't take into account, however, the extreme struggles the poor face. The lack of resources, the lack of hope, and the negative public image and lack of self-confidence restrict the poor from rising in status. Rising up in class for the poor is like trying to climb up a never-ending well: it seems almost hopeless.

According to James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me, in textbooks, they boast of the United States' high social mobility (ability to rise in social status) and lack of social stratification. However, the people of colonial America were much more socially and economically equal than those of today. Today, the economic gap between the poor and the rich are increasing. Japan and much of Europe has more equal social statuses among people. There are certainly many positive aspects and freedoms of the United States' capitalist system, but there is room to improve. It is time to stop ignoring the extreme social stratification of the United States.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Gilmore Girls
Hypable

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.

They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend

Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.

209
Thank You on wooden blocks

1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.

A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.

2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.

Keep Reading...Show less
sick student
StableDiffusion

Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.

Keep Reading...Show less
kid
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.

Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."

Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
tv.com

"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments