Land Of Limitations? By Nicholas Kristof
What does this image say to you?
Kristof writes about how we were once the land of opportunity. That is what this country stands for but it does not always prove to be true. Some of us are lucky enough to be born into the upper pr middle class.
Class:
Being born into the upper middle class gives you a better chance of making it in this country. Kristof writes that "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, according to a Pew study. A separate (somewhat dated) study found that in Britain, such a boy has about a 12 percent chance." Why is the chance lower for someone in America than it is for someone in Britain? Why are these not the issues our leaders are looking at?
Opportunity:
Kristof goes on to write "“talent is universal, but opportunity is not.” This quote says a lot. Two people in this world could both be equally talented but because one has more money, or more connections that person has a higher chance of making it. As I continued to read I came across another one of Kristof's quotes that read, "the best predictor of where we end up is where we start." Kristof was talking about his friend but I was thinking of my own family and friends and how try this statement was. America is supposed to be the land of opportunity and dreams but that is only true for a very small percentage of people. The system is set up for those in power to succeed and those without to stay at the bottom.
Schooling:
Lets consider school and education now. Do you know that the graduation rate for those in the lower class is much lower than those from the upper middle class? Have you ever asked yourself why? In my opinion this should be a concern. Where does this issue start? How do we as a nation solve this issue?
Hi Kelsey!
ReplyDeleteI really like the first image you included, of the person who appears to be homeless sleeping under the American Flag blanket. It relates back to Kristof's point that America has developed the same problems that our forefathers once broke away from, and these problems keep getting worse. That homeless person is someone who lives in what is known as the land of opportunity, and yet can not afford a roof over his head. I also like the quotes you included, as they emphasize Kristof's main points throughout the article. There is no equal opportunity for anyone of different social classes, and it is extremely difficult for those who are born into low income families to rise to a higher social class.
Lastly, I like how you set up this blog and separated each paragraph with labels on what they are about. The questions you asked (especially the first one under the image of the homeless person) kept me engaged in your blog. :)
Great first image! People will always tell you that it is important to have an amazing hook to capture a readers attention and to make sure that you have something impactful. You did that very impressively and they say a picture is worth a thousand words. It hooked me in and your commentary on the photo and the other points you brought up keeps me reading and tied in well to the original article.
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