Sunday, September 13, 2015

Nicholas Kristof-U.S.A., Land of Limitation?

Argument: This author Kristof argues that your social status and the environment that you grow up in has a direct effect on your success and well-being later on in life. Kristof uses a lot of different ideas and examples to explain his theory. The quantitative data from Kristof's research shows that his theory may indeed be correct, as "a child born in the bottom quintile of incomes in the United States has only a 4 percent chance of rising to the top quintile". Kristof also uses qualitative data in explaining his theory by reflecting on his late friend, Rick Goff. Kristof uses Goff as a qualitative example to show how he was born into this idea of a "lower system" and how it effected his life in schooling and his attitude towards discipline compared to people born into a "higher system" of living. This evidence showed Goff knew his limits whereas people who never are disciplined tend to not know their limits. Kristof's data overall brings up the theory that many tend to turn their eye to, which is are children born into some sort of social status? Based on the evidence shown in this piece, it is hard to not believe or feel this way, and as Kristof shows in his example with  Goff, this isn't an idea that was born over night, rather this has possibly been happening for decades or even centuries.

After diving into this piece of writing the question arose to me, is it possible that one day we can live in a society where people will not be pigeon holed into an economic sector of well-being? Is it possible to one day have children viewed as equal no matter what the upbringing?

http://inspiringnewfutures.blogspot.com/2012/02/education-gap-grows-between-rich-and.html

2 comments:

  1. Austin- I think you can find the answer to your questions in the Johnson reading. Johnson tells the reader that our nations number one issue is the gap between races. This truth explains the ever growing economic gap, educational limitations, etc. Kristof's statistics solidifies Johnson's theorems. Since only 4 percent americans have the luck to move social class- the other 96 percent are living in the Johnson's article. Theres a giant tree sitting in the middle of the U.S. and no one seems to notice it.

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  2. Sounds like this piece got you thinking!

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