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This article explores the issue of homelessness in the American public, with student responses detailing the importance of addressing the problem and suggesting remedies such as increased support, job training programs, and changing societal attitudes towards the homeless.
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Hot Button Question: Is homelessness a problem that should concern the American public? If so, what should be done to remedy the issue of homelessness?
Student Responses…YES! • Yes because homeless people are part of the American public. We have to live together peacefully. We need to set up more shelters and be more generally welcoming and friendly towards homeless people, meaning get them food and water and places to stay. We put much more emphasis on victims of disasters than we do people who are homeless all the time, which makes no sense.
Student Responses…YES! • Homelessness is a pressing issue to the American public. Therefore, in order to combat this problem, the government needs to do more to help lift these people out of poverty. For example, creating and implementing a program aimed at training and hiring the homeless to work on public works projects around the nation.
Student Responses…YES! • Homelessness is the elephant in the room of society. We as Americans know its there but do not want to talk about it. I am not sure what can be done since homeless people do not get the opportunity to succeed because people in society look down on them.
Student Responses…YES! • Yes, homelessness should concern the public. The distribution of wealth is messed up when someone can drive out of a mansion in a BMW and pass someone on the side of the road who is homeless. The fact that most Americans don’t care IS the problem. There are numerous organizations that money can be donated to in order to help the homeless and the impoverished.
Student Responses…YES! • I think homelessness should concern the American public. I think we should continue with soup kitchens and make more places for them to stay, and create programs that help them on their feet.
Student Responses…UMM… • Yes, but we should not spoon feed them. It wasn’t by chance that they are homeless. • I think homelessness is a problem but I don’t think we can do any more than we are doing now because most homeless people want to be like that so they don’t have to deal with the real world.
Student Responses…UMM… • I don’t think it’s necessarily a problem. I wish there were more ways to help them pick up their lives and maybe the American public can help out in such ways. In other ways, it shows the younger generations of maybe what could happen if life isn’t managed the right way before it’s too late.
Student Responses…NO! • No, it’s called Social Darwinism • I don’t think homelessness is an issue. I think that it is their decision to be homeless or not. • I don’t think homelessness is a major issue in the U.S. because our definition of poverty is nothing compared to that of 3rd world countries. A homeless person here can drink clean, free water at any water fountain or public restroom sink and go to a soup kitchen. A homeless person in a country like Guatemala or Tanzania may not even have clean water or government assistance
Social Stratification • DEFINITION: the ranking of individuals based on the unequal distribution of power, prestige & property • Access to scarce resources & social rewards • Resources & Rewards: • Education, stable job and bank loan
Social Stratification • In most cases, power, prestige & property occur together; however, this is not always true • EXAMPLES?
Social Stratification • Property: • Net worth and/or wealth • Objective measurement • Power: • Capacity to influence people & events in order to obtain wealth & prestige • Objective measurement
Social Stratification • Prestige: • An individual’s status among his peers and in society • Subjective measurement
Social Stratification • Which careers do you think are most prestigious? • Least prestigious?
Socioeconomic Status • DEFINITION: a rating that determines an individual’s relative position within the system of stratification • Three Factors: • Education • Occupation • Income
Caste System • Position based on ascribed status • Fixed, closed boundaries • Not much potential for social mobility • Endogamy; exogamy not permitted • Status consistency
Class System • Position based on achieved status • Open boundaries • Greater potential for social mobility • Endogamy not required; exogamy allowed • Less status consistency
Social Class • DEFINITION: a group of people who share similar levels of wealth, influence and status (SES) • Sociologists use THREE methods to determine one’s social class
Social Class • Objective Method: analyzes “hard” facts • Subjective Method: asks people what they think of themselves • Reputational Method: asks what people think of others
Hot Button Question: Why are wealthy people wealthy? Why are poor people poor?
Student Responses…Wealthy people are wealthy because… • They work hard and do not expect things to be handed to them. • They are smart, lucky, or both. • They either inherited their wealth or worked very hard for it. • From a young age they work hard or are born into that lifestyle. • They are successful and very capable. • They are motivated to show and prove their talents/skills to be successful.
Student Responses…Wealthy people are wealthy because… • They went to very good colleges, studied hard, and set themselves up for a successful future…the wealthy families usually remain wealthy because they are able to pay for better education for their children. • They are born into money or made their way to the top, often times by stepping on the people below them. Some people make it there on hard work, but it’s not all that common.
Student Responses…Poor people are poor because… • They are lazy or just unlucky. • They are not very capable and have positioned themselves to be poor. • They are lazy and unmotivated. • Either they were negligent with their money or Obama’s horrible economy caused them to lose large sums of money. • They are lazy and do not have good work ethic. • They either have a lack of education and skill or they are too in pity about money that they have no real motivation.
Student Responses…Poor people are poor because… • Young adults whose families are poor may have to leave school to get a job to support their family, never getting a proper education and never being able to move up in life. • Their past generations may have been poor or the person could have been laid off of a job or such. Honestly, it truly depends. • They were born into a situation with less opportunity, and while they may work hard, they may lack the financial resources for higher education. • They were born into poverty and are trapped at the bottom, or they have had some misfortune that has set them up for poverty.
Lower Class • 15–20% of population • Less than $19,000/year
Lower Class • Characteristics: • Poverty, homelessness, unemployment • (Absolute poverty v. relative poverty) • Most do not have high school diplomas • Lack of adequate housing, food, clothing, safety, medical care, etc.
Working Class • 30–40% of population • Median: males ($40,000) & females ($26,000) • Minimally educated, though generally have high school diplomas • Manual labor
Working Class • Working poor: • Unskilled workers • Dishwashers, cashiers, maids, servers, etc. • Minimum wage; underpaid • No opportunity for career advancement; “dead-end job”
Working Class • Blue Collar: • Skilled workers; trade • Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, truck drivers, police officers, etc. • Better wages than the working poor
Middle Class, “Sandwich” • 40–50% of population • Median: males ($70,000) & females ($50,000) • Lower Middle: • Less education (B.A.) with lower incomes • Upper Middle: • Highly educated (M.A, PhD) with higher incomes
Upper Class • 1–3% of population • $350,000+ • 25% of total wealth
Upper Class • Lower-Upper: • “New” money • Made from investments, business ventures, etc.
Upper Class • Upper-Upper: • “Old” money • Aristocratic, high-society, inheritance
