Lifestyles of the rich and the poor in American society

Lifestyles of the rich and the poor in American society Free Online Research Papers Three classes have been identified in American society. They are (a) Rich (elite) Class (b) Middle class and (c) Poor. The rich (elite) class comprises that section of American society wherein we may include those who have a high income level. They are rich enough to buy islands, build houses out in the middle of nowhere, or as in the case of Bill Gates, buy an entire neighborhood to secure their privacy. These are the people who have more money than they know what to do with. Sometimes, this wealth may be inherited wealth, in other cases, royalties from artistic works or commercial companies turning in handsome profits. This section of society is classes as the top upper class of American society and has gained that position by virtue of their wealth. Old family wealth and good social connections the families that send their sons and daughters to Ivy League colleges these are the people who do not worry about class distinctions, because they already know that they are superior to everyone else. On the contrary, they enjoy a sense of superiority a self confidence that comes from the enormous wealth and status that they enjoy. This is the class that reinforces that sense of superiority by making donations to charitable causes. Fat, rich corporations make the most of the tax benefits that come to them by donating them to the weaker sections of society. This section of American society is like the icing on the cake. The Middle Class comprises the majority part of America. These are the people who work hard for a living, and make just enough to enjoy a decent standard of life. Among the middle classes, further distinctions may be made into upper middle class and lower middle class. The Upper middle class would qualify as that group who have enough and much more to spare, while the lower middle classes could be categorized as those who have enough and a little more to spare or perhaps just enough. It is in this group that is the most class conscious the group that always wants to â€Å"keep up with the Joneses†. They are always anxious to do things ‘just right’ and may try to ape the lifestyles of the rich and famous. They constantly need reassurance about their status and possessions. Although two families may be at the same class level in terms of the money the family makes, yet they may feel superior or inferior depending upon their positions and possessions. There is a constant struggle to rise within this class structure. Similarly, this class may also include a rich person who has now fallen on hard times. Such a person may continue to remain a snob and perceive him or herself as being superior to the others in that class, in spite of being economically on par with them. The poor classes are the dregs of society. Relegated into this class by virtue of their economic condition, they are miserable and struggling to make a living. They are the class that is the least class conscious because they already know that they are the poorest class and that they cannot do much to change their lot in life. This is the class where despair and misery may drive many to crime. Outline the history of affirmative action. Explain how this principle is under severe attack in many parts of the United States today and why. On March 6, 1961 President John F. Kennedy started Affirmative Action by an order of anti-discrimination. This was created to ensure that employees were treated the same regardless of their race, creed, color or national origin during their employment. Later on, in the 1970s the order was revised to include discrimination because of gender or sexual orientation. Today, Affirmative Action is a topic of debate in our society. It was created for us to have a society and a future free of discrimination. However, it hasnt reached its purpose yet. Affirmative Action was originally designed by the president John F. Kennedy with the intended purpose to help people who were once discriminated against in school and in the work place, so that they get the fair treatment that they deserved. On the other hand, some people have other definitions that they have given to the Affirmative Action law. For example, affirmative action is a program that helps to prevent discrimination in the future or it helps to promote diversity. He also compares the rights with the Affirmative Action. He recognized that it is a right of every American not to be discriminated, so while nondiscrimination is a right, Affirmative Action is a policy to go along with that right but in itself does not necessarily do that. Affirmative action is a plan designed to end discrimination by guaranteeing minorities will be hired, regardless of race or gender. While our country hires such groups based upon these guarantees, the qualifications of such people are occasional ly overlooked. Many believe that affirmative action is a very effective plan; however, the population which opposes such action frequently includes people of various minorities, as well as many others who have been wronged by this plan In several cases, this plan causes minorities to be perceived as being under-qualified when hired; in addition, it also causes a new minority, the white male. Our government must acknowledge the fact that affirmative action is not putting an end to discrimination; in all actuality, this plan has succeeded in creating new minorities, and more reasons for discrimination. Affirmative action frequently causes qualified employees to be looked down upon because some believe them to be affirmative action hires. Two of my female relatives are currently on the police force; as a result, have encountered many discriminatory comments pertaining to their positions. The first remark received suggests that they were hired for their position solely based on gender. Another comment is, Well, being a woman probably didnt hurt their resume. Both of my relatives are very good at their jobs; one was even on the popular television show, Cops. Nei ther of them are wimps, yet most males look down upon them as being hired because of affirmative action. This type of criticism is received by many minorities holding good jobs, whether they are qualified or not. In many cases, affirmative action takes away from legitimate minority success. People look at the black banker downtown whom has made it on his own and say, He got his job because of affirmative action. Or, an employer hires a few talented minority people who would have succeeded anyway and says, Those are my affirmative-action hires. In this particular case, affirmative action may, or may not, have been the reason for hiring, yet that is what most perceive. People of any race or gender should be able to hold a job where their colleagues respect them as equals, not as affirmative-action hires. My cousin, Christine, has also added to my knowledge on how well affirmative action works at the hospital where she works. One of the administrators happened to be a black male who wa s very qualified for his position. Yet most of the staff accused him of being promoted because of his race. This affected his morality to such an extent that he resigned shortly after his promotion. Another black female who was hired because of her race and gender is not qualified for her position, yet is esteemed by her colleagues for her accomplishments. It seems that minorities are accepted to a certain extent, until they become someones boss. It is also a scary situation when a person has an under-qualified surgeon performing surgery on them because of affirmative action. Affirmative action insists that the employer must [a]void the kind of unnecessary escalation of criteria for selection and promotion which has sometimes been used to keep certain classes of people from entering the mainstream of our economic life. This aspect of the plan creates more openings for minorities; however, it also suggests that the standards should be maintained at a low to guarantee these openings. In my opinion, if the standards for any position are raised, the productivity and accuracy of the country will rise accordingly. 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