Introduction
The idea of gaining wealth, as well as power and social status that go with it, has been seen as the embodiment of the American Dream for several centuries, yet the recent developments in the social environment of the U.S. have shown the tendency for change.
In the current social climate, where the problems faced by marginalized communities from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have been placed at the forefront, being rich becomes nearly a source of guilt. However, the privilege that rich people have over a less fortunate part of the American society may become the lever for introducing justice into society.
In her 2019 article “I’m Part of the 0.1 Percent and I Want a Wealth Tax,” Meghan Bell explains that the lack of understanding of the nature of their privilege in wealthy circles makes it nearly impossible to challenge the status quo. A range of evidence offered by the author supports her initial statement quite well.
The willful ignorance of the upper class becomes apparent once considering rich people’s reaction to the idea of discussing their privilege. Apart from offering the examples from her family, Bell also mentions the response of her classmates to the idea of discussing the problems of lower-class social problems: “The question was hedged and the topic swiftly changed” (Bell, 2019).
Analysis Introduction
The general impression left by the article is mostly positive, although there are certain issues fto address. Bell (2019) does a stellar job at outlining the core reasons for the current status quo to remain in its place, decrying the willful ignorance of the upper echelon of American society. With minor adjustments to the delivery of the argument, the discourse in question would represent a powerful call for action.
Thesis Statement
The need to introduce social and economic awareness to the environment of the upper class is currently conflicting with the unwillingness of the target audience to accept responsibility of their privilege due to the associated negative emotions and the necessity to carry additional burden. The described situation calls for a compromise implying a change in the attitudes of the upper class so that its members could prompt the creation of better conditions and opportunities for success for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, which requires the discourse with logos and tone focused on the need for equity and more adequate wealth distribution.
Article Analysis
Logos
The use of logos in the article in question is one of its doubtless advantages. The author incorporates her personal experiences and the observations made while she explored the environment of the privileged class with quite impressive accuracy. For instance, Bell’s (2019) commentary on the lack of perspective, self-awareness, and the understanding of the dire situation in which poor people are stuck constitutes one of the primary issues: “many privileged kids assume they could have bootstrapped themselves out of poverty if they’d only had the opportunity” (Bell, 2019, para. 8).
The astute observation above points directly to the problem with the upper class and its attitude toward the poor, namely, that one of contempt. Having the advantage of being born into wealth, the 0.1% of the U.S. population fails to recognize the hardships and obstacles that poor people have to overcome in order to provide for themselves, not to mention to advance in society.
Pathos
What does not seem to work for the author of the essay is the application of pathos as one of the means of appealing to the target demographic. The specified criticism does to mean that the representatives of the upper class are devoid of sympathy; nor does it suggest that pathos should not be incorporated in the specified statement at all. Quite the contrary, the appeal to emotions is one of the strategies that will anchor the key arguments and serve as the attention-grabbing device for the upper echelons of American society to pay attention.
However, for pathos such as “they seem to embrace victim blaming” to work, its intended audience needs to develop a certain amount of awareness about the subject matter, namely, about the problem of poverty and the challenges that impoverished people face (Bell, 2019, para. 8). Without the specified context, the promotion of social justice and the attempt at introducing the upper class to the idea of charity and the focus on those in need is unlikely to work.
Therefore, granted that Bell’s (2019) argument comes from the right place, it fails to tug on the heartstrings of her readers mostly because of its straightforwardness and the uninhibited demand of remorse form the intended audience. Since privilege serves the purpose of a shield from emotion-driven criticisms such as the ones that Bell (2019) uses, the end result falls rather flat, failing to impress its readers: “When rich kids get scholarships, they talk about how good it will look” (Bell, 2019, para. 10).
Therefore, when reconsidering the use of pathos, one might suggest that a more cold-minded and less emotionally fuelled approach should be used, with the focus on the need for equity as opposed to the attempts at converting the audience to a more righteous mindset.
Ethos
Finally, the ethos-related side of the argument presented by Bell (2019) represents the spirit of the era in which the piece in question was written rather accurately. The ethos of the article represents the detail that adds the air of naiveté to it, simultaneously slightly devaluing the message for its readers: “It is incomprehensible to me that we live in a country where some people have indoor swimming pools and others do not even have clean drinking water” (Bell, 2019, para. 21).
As a result, the article may impress the audiences belonging to the generations of Millennials and Zoomers, who are vastly driven by the morals and ethics of social justice, yet it is likely to fall flat as a piece supposed to foster a more responsible attitude in older generations. Namely, the focus on seeking moral retribution and the promotion of equity in society as the main focus of the contemporary social justice movement aligns with the passionate message that Bell infused into her article.
Nevertheless, the article produces a generally positive, if slightly naïve, effect. By balancing out the elements of logos, ethos, and pathos in her essay and mostly using ethos as the key tool in convincing its target readers, Bell (2019) has created a piece that will resonate with some and encourage others to contemplate the problem of isolation of the 0.1% of the population from major social issues, including poverty. As a result, premises for social change may be created.
Conclusion
Although the application of pathos in Bell’s 2019 article could use certain improvements, the application of ethos and logos, particularly, the analysis of the impediments for the upper class to understand the needs of the lower one, serves a perfect job of conveying the need for change. Thus, Bell’s (2019) essay creates the sense of urgency and the necessity to subvert the status quo. Despite minor issues in implementation, the piece in question provides enough substance for further discussions and represents a powerful call for action.
Reference
Bell, M. (2019). I’m part of the 0.1 percent and I want a wealth tax.The Walrus. Web.