GOVT 2225 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Escalator, Economic Mobility
12 Jun 2016
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Document Summary
Now in economic decline, less about material possessions, more about freedom. Sometimes people achieve the american dream because their parents achieved it for them. Intra-generational success: achieve more success than how you started (i. e. rags to riches) Hochschild: 4 tenets of the american dream: all can pursue success. Flaw: in truth, advantages exist for groups & individuals others are disadvantaged (i. e. straight white male: good chance you"ll make it. Flaw: you can assume potential success, but resources aren"t equal. Resources are scarce & distributed unequally: if only you work hard. Success is sometimes dependent on external institutions; not always within your control. Not completely internal: your success demonstrates your inherent virtue. Flaw: failure is not always an indicator of idleness. The american dream is a mirage: toil & endure through horrible circumstances in hopes for the american dream only to never get it, american dream gives no coping mechanism for failures .
