another try

America, a country with all the opportunities you can only think of, a place where by hard work you suppose to be able to live the dream life, but as of today social inequality are as alive in America as they ever been. The reason for it is the wealth and income differences. In cities like New York the gap between the rich and a working class is significant and very noticeable, and we shouldn’t pretend that is different, but instead of complaining we should work to improve our economic status, by motivating ourselves and by taking advantage of every opportunity we have in life. And not only that but in my opinion society as a whole should confront inequality as well.

Paul Krugman in “Confronting Inequality “ writes about the transition of increasing inequality that negatively affects our society, he also implies some suggestions to prevent or at least reduce these changes. In the early beginning of his essay he refers to Thomas Jefferson statement, “The small landholders are the most precious part of a state”, page 323. In other words, the wide middle class is the most valuable group of people in the entire society. That’s why is important that middle class remains strong and reduces the chasm between them and the rich.

Krugman uses many examples how the high inequality in society influences the middle class and puts the children from low-income families at a disadvantage, by not having insurance they are in higher risk of health issues, weak nutrition and no social support leads to the same effects. They also experience unequal opportunity when it comes to education. Krugman brings statistic from 1988, where eighth graders’ chances of finishing a college were measured based on a mathematic tests, apparent talent and their parents socioeconomic status with the results that “rich dumb kids” had a much higher chances to finish college than smart and talented kids, whose parents ended up on a bottom fourth. It seems to be a nonsense, because who wants to hire a person without a proper knowledge? Unfortunately it happens and the best examples we find in the movie “Born Rich” by Jamie Johnson, where he interviews teenagers born in a wealthy families. Some of them are told, by their parents, that really doesn’t matter what would they do with their lifes as long as they do anything and that is a guarantee for them to have a set and without worries future. That’s how unfair the system is, while the middle class goes to financial struggle to be a college student, the rich don’t care much about education and in the same time spend the fortune of their ancestors.