Introduction
The American Dream pioneers the idea that hard work and resilience ultimately lead to social mobility and a higher quality of life, regardless of an individual’s visible features and background. However, for some individuals, achieving the United States’ promises is a far-fetched utopia because they barely have enough to make it through the day despite tirelessly serving others for minimum wage. Poverty is a cancer that has eaten away human dignity, obligating some people to find solace in the streets, drugs, and violent crimes because the government does not pay attention to their plight. Women and children in marginalized areas suffer the most because of their susceptibility to social and environmental factors. I believe that poverty in the US results from corruption and an immoral society that places issues such as race above human life. Therefore, by eradicating these vices, the government can improve people’s living standards and promote their well-being.
The Factors that Influenced My Selection
I come from a family with a strong religious background, which has allowed me to observe high moral standards since I was young. As a toddler, my parents taught me that sharing with others was the best possible value for humans. Notably, this concept was beneficial in our household because I have several siblings and occasionally spent time with cousins who visited during the holiday. Therefore, I grew up believing that people live in a society where they freely give out what they have to others and peacefully live to see another day. However, my transition into adulthood revealed otherwise, as individuals in some areas barely have food to eat and lack basic needs such as clothes and shelter. In contrast, others spend thousands of dollars on beauty products, luxurious cars, jewelry, and lavish lifestyles. Hence, the disparities that exist in human society are unimaginable because some people have more money and financial resources than they can spend, while others suffer from absolute poverty.
Another reason for my belief is because the evidence and implications of poverty are visible in the community. Nevertheless, society neglects the actual causes of its problems and instead targets individuals. Suburban areas and marginalized regions in America have unique but strikingly similar features. Notably, many African Americans and LatinX individuals populate disempowered communities, suggesting that poverty is strongly associated with racism. In addition, these areas exhibit high disease, crime, and drug abuse rates due to limited resources to counter contributors. As a result, their generations continue becoming disempowered as they lack the facilities to enhance their skills in particular areas and make a decent living. Although I come from a small community in a rural area, it is easy to note the social and economic differences that exist between individuals due to their racial backgrounds. Therefore, these issues warrant more attention and prompt action because neglecting them worsens the situation and risks the future of Americans by eroding the workforce and human resources.
American leaders and the media also influenced my belief that poverty in America as a rising concern because they contribute to the inequalities that aggravate the status of suffering individuals. The US political arena resembles a circus where a power struggle between the two most popular political parties is evident and is often the main agenda in presidential elections. In addition, leaders are often caught up in corruption scandals, including embezzlement, fraud, extortion, and bribery, but somehow convince people that they serve societal interests. Therefore, the politicians’ failure to focus on their obligations to the people and their self-centredness is disappointing because they are appointed by the communities they abuse. Similarly, the media contribute to the advancement of poverty in the US because they focus on broadcasting news that catches individuals’ attention and garners the most views instead of creating awareness of the need for social change. Thus, the media and political leaders are partially to blame for the economic status of marginalized communities. in the US because their habits and negligence allow perpetrators of societal vices to walk free.
My education and field of study influence my belief that poverty in the US as a problem facilitated by human errors and, thus, preventable using appropriate approaches and support mechanisms. Stakeholders at the state and federal levels in the US do not prioritize poverty eradication in communities as most people would expect because they neglect critical sectors like healthcare and education to finance projects such as space exploration. Additionally, weighing the implications of poverty, including high crime rates, the prevalence of disease, and drug abuse, it is reasonable to set up preventive strategies by addressing the factors that contribute to poverty and gradually dealing with them (Ortega 7). Several resources and professionals can lead individuals in authority in the right direction in matters of reducing poverty. Researchers have established several concepts as to why some areas experience higher rates of poverty than others despite numerous community initiatives to improve outcomes. Therefore, the government should take advantage of this information to establish short and long-term solutions to the advancement of poverty.
Evidence of Factors that Contribute to Poverty and Recommendations
Poverty in America is a multidimensional phenomenon affecting individuals in various industries, including schools, neighborhoods, and institutions. As a developed country, one would expect the US to have the lowest poverty levels. However, the poverty rates in US communities continuously rise because of factors such as limited human vitality and economic mobility (Desmond and Bruce 306). In addition, individuals experience economic constraints because of stagnant wages, rising income volatility, and increasing housing prices. As a result, some individuals hardly make ends meet and are forced to live substandard lifestyles. Nevertheless, the mechanisms contributing to poverty are deeply rooted in American history and the European culture of suppressing minorities (Desmond and Bruce 309). In the past, colonialists sought to justify their atrocities against African Americans by disregarding their humanity. Thus, discrimination and inequalities exasperated by public policies facilitate intense poverty as wealthy individuals benefit from the marginalized while white people have the upper hand against the non-white. Therefore, dealing with financial constraints requires addressing their root causes and facilitators.
Racism, ethnicity, and socioeconomic determinants such as individuals’ health and income levels are strong indicators of poverty because they affect access to resources and opportunities to enhance their livelihoods. A study by Ortega suggests that minorities exhibit higher poverty levels than white people, with a higher prevalence among African Americans and American Indians (Ortega 7). The study suggests that minority races have limited access to education, employment, and social opportunities to address their issues compared to regions dominated by white neighborhoods. Similarly, disabled individuals and those with poor health are more likely to be poor than healthy people. Moreover, women in the US are marginalized and often limited from accessing development opportunities, as in the case of men, thus increasing the number of mothers living under the poverty lines (Ortega 22). These factors indicate high levels of unfairness and injustice in American society, which plunges more people into poverty.
The media is scrutinized for its role in advancing poverty levels among marginalized groups because it reinforces narratives that misguide their audiences and diminish the severity of poverty in the US. Media institutions often blame poverty on a lack of efforts to excel by people affected and personal weaknesses that have nothing to do with the system (Miller et al. 8). Although the media is responsible for shedding light on critical issues that affect human life, they prioritize issues such as politics, sports, and entertainment (Desmond and Bruce 309). For example, the media does not always pay attention to individuals’ suffering in our community but is quick to report crimes like homicide and other issues that attract the attention of individuals for a short time. Social media has become an important tool in shedding light on human rights violations and issues such as income inequalities (Miller 43). However, more than 57% of individuals who receive news through social media rarely believe in their sources and prefer obtaining information from television stations. Some channels propagate the notion that poverty is the result of minority cultures, more specifically in the case of black individuals, because they contribute to their situations by engaging in crimes and misdemeanors. Similarly, some individuals purport that poverty is a natural occurrence with a cause in society (Miller et al. 18). As a result, these ideologies turn people’s attention away from the actual issues and prevent them from taking action against vices that facilitate poverty.
Poverty has significant implications for the community and the US as a nation because it limits continuous advancements and risks the prosperity of future generations. Financial constraints reduce life expectancy because they expose individuals to environmental risks such as disease, low-quality education, and poor living standards (Khullar and Dave 5). In addition, constantly struggling to make ends meet is associated with mental conditions like depression, stress, and anxiety. Moreover, high levels of poverty drive individuals into crimes such as robbery and assault, thus resulting in increased insecurity and incarceration of marginalized individuals(Khullar and Dave 11). In effect, poverty disproportionately affects minorities as it exposes them to social constraints that prevent their development. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt reliable solutions to counter the causes and effects of poverty before the situation gets out of hand.
Social workers play a significant role in championing the fight against social issues like poverty because of their professional oaths and duty to the people. Some solutions that human service practitioners can adopt include collaboration, activism, and advocacy against societal vices that promote poverty. That said, social workers should create awareness of the adversities that poverty imposes on the community and inform individuals of strategies to tackle vices such as corruption and racially instigated discrimination (Wilfong and Angeline 72). Working together to support policies that call for change and continuously advocating for the acknowledgment of marginalized groups can open up opportunities for improvement. Moreover, social work education should involve strategies to eradicate poverty, as this knowledge goes a long way in guiding policy formulation and supporting positive professional development (Wilfong and Angeline 75). Nevertheless, these initiatives must be rigorous to warrant the attention of authorities and positive changes.
Conclusion
Poverty in the US is slowly eating away populations and introducing several setbacks to national development. In addition, poverty erodes the advancements the US has made over the past centuries to ensure democracy because it causes suffering and discomfort. Contrary to the misleading news displayed by the media, poverty is a result of social vices such as racism, discrimination, gender inequality, and injustice. Therefore, it is critical to address these issues to pave the way for significant advancements in poverty eradication. Although leaders are responsible for individuals’ well-being, they neglect their duties and instead focus on propaganda. Nevertheless, social workers are in the best position to champion notable changes due to their oath and access to resources. Social workers should create awareness, collaborate in advocacy, and champion progressive policies to reduce unfairness and marginalization. Otherwise, it will be easier to eradicate these vices if society changes its perspectives on the value of human life.
Works Cited
Desmond, Matthew, and Bruce Western. “Poverty in America: New Directions And Debates.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 44, no.1, 2018, pp. 305–18. Web.
Khullar, Dhruv, and Dave A. Chokshi. “Health, Income, & Poverty: Where We Are & What Could Help.” Health Affairs, vol. 10, 2018. Web.
Miller, Theresa L., et al. “Talking about poverty: Narratives, counter-narratives, and telling effective stories.” Washington, DC: FrameWorks Institute, 2021. Web.
Ortega, Lesley. “The Effect of Race/Ethnicity, Health Status and Socioeconomic Variables on Poverty in the US.” The Park Place Economist, vol. 29, no.1, 2022, pp. 7. Web.
Wilfong, Jordan, and Angeline Cirino. “How Social Workers Can Address Poverty in America.” Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, vol. 27, no.2, 2021, pp. 71–77. Web.