Blog #1, Post F: Shipler Intro

Posts F, G, and H are my responses to questions our Professor assigned based on our readings from the book "The Working Poor" written by David K. Shipler.

 

The question to answer on this Post (F) is to discuss the components necessary to keep someone from ending up in poverty according to Shipler.

First, let's look at what Mr. Shipler has to say. On page 4 of the introduction section, Shipler states that "A set of skills, a good starting wage, and a job with the likelihood of promotion are prerequisites. But so are clarity of purpose, courageous self-esteem, a lack of substantial debt, the freedom from illness or addiction, a functional family, a network of upstanding friends, and the right help from private or governmental agencies."  

Shipler continues by stating that "Any gap in that array is an entry point for trouble, because being poor means being unprotected."  "With no cushion of money, no training in the ways of the wider world, and too little defense against the threats and temptations of decaying communities,a poor man or woman gets sacked again and again."  And then he caps it off by saying that "When an exception breaks this cycle of failure, it is called the fulfillment of the American Dream."

 I can't exactly count how many articles regarding poverty I have poured over in the last weeks, they all paint a fairly accurate description of what life is like for the poor.  The average American can't be blinded by our surroundings out in the real world;  poverty is everywhere, especially in a big city like Chicago.  What many articles fail to suggest is ideas or thoughts as to combat the problem.  Seems to me, we think that the problem is out of our hands and too big to conquer.  We are told that we can do something about it, donate, volunteer, write a stern letter to your local officials, etc, etc.  Is this enough? No. Personally, these are band-aid solutions, and I agree, it's better than doing nothing at all.  But like a sickness that plagues us, we have to understand why it is that this happens.  What is the root of the problem, what are some preventive measures.  We can suggest and suggest solutions till we turn blue, the problem is most of the time, our suggestions like Shipler's fall unto deaf ears.  If people are unwilling, too lazy to change and not better themselves, then all this hard work is for nothing.

Back to Shipler's components,  are they realistic?  I think so, and looking back through my own life when I was dirt poor, I can see how it would have helped my situation way back when.  First, people do need a good set of skills, at the very least basic skills to get a decent job.  A good set of skills would be better though, because then you aren't limited to just a decent job, you'd have more options.  With that better job, you'd expect to make a better starting wage.  A good wage makes a world of a difference than the meager minimum-wage Illinois has to offer.  Though from my readings, Illinois has the highest level of minimum wage in the mid-western states, but the cost of living in Chicago is higher than our neighbors.  Now that we have a decent better paying job, it would help to be able to have something to look forward to, like a promotion or advancement opportunities within the company or applying those newly learned skills to find a better job.  This all makes sense.  The reality is those decent jobs are a handful, because they require some sort of higher education degree or certificate.

What I like about Shipler, is that he goes a little further, he's trying to expose the root of the problem.  You can have all those blessings, as I like to call them, but if you don't have your mind right, if you don't want better for yourself,  and lack a "clarity of purpose", than you'll fall back into the trap.  What I mean about 'getting your mind right' is this, one has to acknowledge the predicament they are in, be willing to do something about it, and restructuring their priorities to get to that fabled 'American Dream'.  It is ultimately the choices that we make that get us to where we are at.  Obviously no one chooses to be poor, cause if they did, their mind isn't right, right? 

In a perfect world, we all would have minimal debt, be super healthy with no addictions, a functional family and a network of upstanding friends who want the best for us.  I'm not saying these goals are not attainable, but are there people who live like this?  If so, I would like to meet them and live a day in their world.

Shipler, D. (2005). The Working Poor: Invisible in America. New York: Vintage Books.