Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Essay Example for Free
Essay Most people think ââ¬Å"weâ⬠are becoming more equal through out history. Although, the reality is that we repeat history. Between class, gender, and race the recreation of systems of discrimination is repetitive. With that being said I will introduce five facts that reflect social construct relating to class, gender and race in America. Class is a set of concepts that society has created to measure ones income, wealth, and status. While, there is not a direct definition of class it is a huge aspect of the way we live our lives. I will break down class within the way society measures it. Income is based on the particular money or revenue an employee is bringing home. Meaning wealth is significantly associated with income plus the material things an individual owns; for example expensive cars, land, or any ownership that shows fortune. In theory, status is the exemplification of inheritance, for example a family business, a home or even something as small as jewelry. The Daily Conversation displays a visual by a Harvard business professor whom interviewed five thousand people on their view of wealth inequality in America (YouTube, 2014). As shown in the YouTube video Wealth Inequality In America Daily Conversation proves that society has no authentic awareness on the way wealth is spread among the American people. Out of the five thousand Americans interviewed they thought that the top twenty percent of wealthy people were almost as half the amount of high-middle, middle, and poor class wealth. Ninety-two percent of those people think the ideal wealth should be dispensed nearly equally among the top twenty percent wealthy and middle class with a less portion to the poor class. In reality the top twenty percent of wealthy Americans are roughly three-fourths the wealth compared to the middle and lower class. As mentioned in the article Mobility, measured it shows that ââ¬Å"America is no less socially mobile than it was a generation agoâ⬠(The Economist, 2014). The image showed before the article displays a triple bunk bed related to the differencesââ¬â¢ between social class constructions. On the top bunk posi tioned the wealthy percent of the population with only two characters, a man and woman. Underneath the middle class is placed then demonstrated as the educated. Next the poor or lower class is detained in a filthy and packed environment. On the sides of the bunk bed are ladders. On the left is a character that seems to be educated and excited to move up the ladder to the top wealthy percentile. Also on the left another educated character isà falling off the ladder showing the immobilization of society. There are many reasons why social mobility is decreasing over the years. Such as the correlation between parents and children, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦the odds that a child born into the bottom fifth of the income distribution will climb all the way up to the top fifthâ⬠(The Economist, 2014) is nearly unmanageable. Statistics show that this correlation has not altered over years. Although there is evidence that mobilization is lessening, Americans still believe that the lower class has a chance at climbing the ladder and succeeding, just as mentioned in the YouTube video previously. It may seem nevertheless that class is the only contribution to each individualââ¬â¢s well-being but everyone has intersectionality in society. Class, gender and race include all aspects of who we are and where we are placed among the spectrum. Gender roles are a huge democracy in todayââ¬â¢s American society. Yet, they are different in all types of cultures in different parts of the world. It was simply that the women was a housewife and contributed to the man of the household and children as her job. Furthermore the menââ¬â¢s job was to work and bring home the income. Society presents these different types of roles through everyday media. The cheery blossom market mentioned in the YouTube video Medias portrayal of gender roles shows little girls grocery shopping and cooking like women roles should be, so why not learn early? Not to mention the Tonka Pods that are small construction toys to show little boys where they are expected to work (YouTube, 2014). Though parents might think toys are just for children to play with, those ââ¬Å"toysâ⬠are molding them for the future. Toys such as Baby Alive or the American Girl dolls, give the perception that its okay for young ladies to have children and that its their role to take care of the child, because they are a the woman. On the a web page called women in advertisements and body image illustrate an image with a woman on the floor seeming to be looking a Christmas card. In the caption of the advertisement it states ââ¬Å" Christmas morning she will be happier with a hooverâ⬠this statement undergoes the housewife role. Studies of advertisements in a variety of mens, womens, and general interest magazines have categorized women in various roles: housewife, decorative element, sex object, and dependent on menâ⬠(Zimmerman Dahlberg, 71). With the intention of grabbing the man or womanââ¬â¢s attraction to the product based on their gender roles, thus their interest. In addition, race is theà greatest influential on society. Well what exactly is race? Race is grouping of entities that believed to share joint inborn biological characteristics. To start from the beginning slave codes where set to govern slaves, black people. Once it became unconstitutional the black codes where then placed, which are regulations that only affected blacks. As stated before the recreation of systems of discrimination is repetitive. Meaning black codes where only the recreated, yet name change of slave codes. Ne xt the Jim Crow laws were assigned setting segregation status between whites and blacks. Although these laws are not placed today and are considered unconstitutional statistics show that blacks are still the underdogs. The likelihood that a black defendant with a white victim will be prosecuted is significantly more than a white defendant and a black victim. Race has physical and cultural social construction. Physical differences cause the cultural differences. For example within the African American culture there is a battle between the light skin and dark skin men and women. In the Race In Hollywood: Black Actresses Weigh In On The Light Skin Vs. Dark Skin Debate (VIDEO) successful actresses and the lovely Oprah discuses the topic of dark and lighter skin people in the same race. Oprah asked if the actresses wherever denied a part, because it was for the ââ¬Å"prettier black girl, even from their own peopleâ⬠and two mentioned yes (The Huffington Post, 2014). Gabrielle Union mentioned in the video that dark and light skin girls go to clubs and promote against each other. From experience I have personality been a victim of the dark and light skin discrimination. Things like ââ¬Å"our pretty for a dark skin girlâ⬠or even ââ¬Å"your dark skin makeup sets wellâ⬠are a few slurs African American females through at each other. As for the African American race to be the most victimized it is astonishing that there would be hatred against each other. Also, said in the Oprah interview some believe this is the aftermath of slavery that African Americans are still mad, hurt and are continuing to battle against one another because of it. Do you think ââ¬Å"weâ⬠are becoming more equal through out history? Although, the reality is that we repeat history. Between class, gender, and race the recreation of systems of discrimination is repetitive. After showing the massive class misconception and non-mobility, gender roles, race against race, yet also against same racial group how well is our society creating a equal nation. References The Economist,. Mobility, measured, 2014. Online. Internet. 11 Nov. 2014. . Available: http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21595437-america-no-less-socially-mobile-it-was-generation-ago-mobility-measured. The Huffington Post,. WATCH: Actresses Tackle The Light Skin Vs. Dark Skin Debate, 2014. Online. Internet. 11 Nov. 2014. . Available: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/race-in-hollywood-light-dark-skin_n_3473707.html. Womeninads.weebly.com,. WOMEN IN ADVERTISEMENTS AND BODY IMAGE Overview, 2014. Online. Internet. 11 Nov. 2014. . Available: http://womeninads.weebly.com/index.html. YouTube,. Medias portrayal of gender roles, 2014. Online. Internet. 11 Nov. 2014. . Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2bYinZ6RX0. YouTube,. Wealth Inequality In America, 2014. Online. Internet. 11 Nov. 2014. . Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTj9AcwkaKM.
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