Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSlyMoogle
I know Prof is going to have something to say about this, and I'm going to go ahead an throw out that we clearly had vastly different sociology professors.
|
Actually my Sociological Foundations of Education teacher was a open communist. He even included communism as part of his curriculum. And yes, he HATED me because I dared to challenge him. My only A- of my entire grad school experience and I only did that well because I just started to repeat his lectures back to him in my papers. Head of the department and a complete pompous ignoramous.
As for you argument, I empathize with much of it, especially the reality that the world is unfair has gotten exceedingly less fair as we've meddled with social experimentation. I am a firm believer that most of our tax code does more to maintain the status quo than help overturn it.
These failures do not erase the successes, though, and does not remove the fact that America is possibly the greatest example of a government philosophy allowing the poor/lower classes to gain wealth and success and climb up the rungs of society. Hell, my father was one of 9 children and they grew up with a communal sink and an outhouse. He and my mom currently lives in a Victorian he restored over 30 years that is now worth over $1 million. No one gave it to him. He made it happen, and there were plenty of tough times along the way. I call 1991 recession the Tuna Casserole Year...
It wasn't that long ago that the poor in the civilized world could never achieve simply because of their birth right or because they languished under a totalitarian regime. Hell, the aristocracy is still a real social structure in Britain. I could feel it in the mere two weeks I was in Scotland and Ireland (moreso Scotland). America is still one of the few places on earth where someone can achieve fame and fortune through their own merit and hard work. Just ask Oprah. But as with anything, there are no guarantees. If anyone wants guarantees they can get a welfare check at the first of every month.
But if you want to believe the American Dream is a myth, please go right ahead. I will gladly help myself to your piece of the pie.