Devisions in Social Class

Going over the devisions in social class this week opened up my understanding and empathy towards those living in poverty. Originally I have accepted the fact that those who live in poverty are poor simply because of unfortunate circumstances. We tend to ridicule those in poverty for choosing not to contribute to society and live off of welfare. Although this may be the case, and often exaggerated by the media, it's important to understand that the majority of American society is out of touch with the difficulties to be raised in poverty. Regardless if adults decide to decline the welfare opportunity and get a job, it's quite difficult to search for a job in poor rural areas because jobs are not always available and transportation is a huge hindrance. Moreover, those raised in poverty are not always given the opportunity to achieve an exceptional education in order to strive outside of the poor social class. I learned from the documentary that those who are in the working-poor social class may be just as dedicated to succeed as the upper middle class. I believe it's important to not discriminate against the working poor and not ridicule them as welfare-bums because if we cannot relate to their experiences, nor their social struggles.