Chapter 13

Summary:

Chapter 13 touches on issues associated with maintaining both a family and work life. Work is seen as a benefit in the economic and social arenas of society; due to the economic problems that have plagued the country in recent years, many Americans now find themselves in tough financial situations. Developments such as globalization (growth/spread of trade, communication, etc. worldwide), deindustrialization (decrease in manufacturing), and offshoring (outsourcing/sending jobs abroad to lower costs), have all aided in the average Americans economic decline. As time progresses, the country's most well-to-do residents continue to gain wealth as the middle-class diminishes and the poorest people get even less than before. Those on the lower end of the financial spectrum are hit with other work-related issues that harm them further, including non-standard work hours, low-wage jobs, part-time work, and un(der)employment. In terms of defining America's poor, it is good to look through a specific 'poverty lens.' Absolute poverty concerns one's inability to provide oneself with even the most basic of necessities, while relative poverty describes someone being unable to maintain a certain standard of living (e.g. not being able to "keep up with the Joneses"). Reversing an earlier trend, children, especially those being raised by single mothers, are impoverished at higher rates than the current geriatric generation. Women (despite their increased participation in the workforce) and racial minorities are also at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to economic resources. There are two schools of thought when it comes to the question of why people are poor: some blame the destitute for their own circumstances, while others recognize the societal factors that affect people's economic situations. One severe consequence of poverty is homelessness, which affects at least one percent of the American population. The chapter also goes on to tell about those couples who are fortunate to have at least one employed member. Benokraitis writes of the two-person single career, stay-at-home dads, dual-earner/career families, trailing spouses, and commuter marriages. The author touches on gender and racial inequality in the workplace, the gender pay gap, and sexual harassment. She also writes about issues regarding pregnancy, childcare, and the workplace, family/medical leave policies, and care for dependents.

Interesting info:

I was surprised to learn that young people are more likely to be impoverished than are their older counterparts. I'm used to hearing about grandmothers hoarding Friskies and Whiskas cat food because they can't afford to be on a "human diet" due to their fixed incomes. Depending on the source used to gather information, children may not be seen as the poorer ones; perhaps it has something to do with the elderly voting bloc.

Question:

Considering the question about poverty given in the book, which school of thought do you think is correct? Are people directly responsible for their own poverty, or is society also at fault?