Oanh Hoang

Professor Monique Williams

English 1A

22 December, 2013

Poverty Stereotypes in America

    The cultural definition for stereotype is, “A generalization, usually exaggerated or oversimplified and often offensive, that is used to describe a person or distinguish a group” and if so, then why do we conduct such behavior? Poverty is a major issue in America that effect the lives of both men and women, and those living in poverty are easily distinguish by the image and lifestyle that one obtains. The Rich and the Poor, by Tavis Smiley and Cornell West states that in today’s society, we often ignore reality and neglect the less fortunate. Instead of building compassion within our hearts to help them live a good life, we speak on the poor by negatively judging and categorizing them, and therefore; become the victimizer of those who are financially struggling everyday for warm shelter and a good meal. Poverty stereotyping is like a disease because it manifests through every human being, leaving humanity powerless to have concerns and deep sympathy for the misfortunes. In this essay, I’ll discuss how stereotyping the poor as undereducated and criminals can lead to negative effects and how it doesn’t allow the less fortunate the opportunity to gain financial success in America.

    Citizens in America have the desire to live a successful life and are given the ideal of what it should look like and how to get there. He or she are told that in order to reach that destination, one must stay away from poverty by receiving a high education, become a college graduate and work hard to obtain at least a Masters degree. “Infected by the country's historic motto, we were all duped into leveraging all in an illusory pursuit of a marketed “better and richer and fuller” life (Smiley and West 38) and it's one reason why we're unable to achieve financial success. A sufficient education is a moral standard that we're forced to pursue in order to stay away from financial difficulties in the future. American citizens perceive poverty as unacceptable so they enroll to a University because without a good education means less money. Samuel, a website designer and his wife are both college graduates and during the downfall of the economy, he lost his job and lived off his wife's paycheck that was quickly depleted. They took their kids out of private school, cars gotten repossessed and their home went in foreclosure. Americans play by the rules and while concentrating on the success that they crave, one tend to ignore those who aren't part of the team because they're the ones living in poverty. American citizens put the blame on those they see in the streets and assume that he or she is in that position because they didn't stay in school nor go to college and reason why they don't have a decent job to make money. And so if we were all to point fingers, it wouldn't allow us to have the mentality to help other people because we would be selfish, lacking the sympathy that the poor are in need of. Poverty stereotypes that exists on a daily basis doesn't create a better world. It constructs a nation that wants you to divide yourselves from people who are different, those who are undereducated and want you to think that people living in poverty isn't your responsibility so you shouldn't mind there struggle. It's important for America to recognize the damages that poverty stereotypes have caused in order for us to gain solitude and better the financial opportunities for the less fortunate.

     Criminals are another stereotype that is used to describe people living in poverty and it's why American citizens doesn't want to lend a helping hand to those who are financially struggling. Criminals are defined as bad people so we are to think that one will be in danger, putting his or her life at risk if we were to help someone who are different from us and someone who doesn't live with our moral expectations. Society puts the less fortunes at risk because to us, poverty “means there is something wrong with your character, that you've got bad habits, you've got a bad lifestyle, you've made the wrong choices” and are categorized as poor people (Smiley and West 22). Everyone is good at judging and sometimes we don't pay attention to the behavior and effects that we place upon those in poverty. We ignore who they really are and what kind of hardships they face everyday. For instance, many men and women are applying for jobs because they've recently got laid off, but have gotten no response what so ever. They are in major debt and can't afford to pay for there home and are now in streets because they have nothing left. Stereotyping those living in poverty as criminals keep us to see the poor as bad people. One calls him or her in the streets criminals because they're too poor to provide things for themselves and therefore, commit crimes and rob people in order to get money. If society keeps stereotyping the poor, one will not be able to understand that poverty is based on employment and money, not an individual's characteristic flaw. People in the streets are in that situation because the downfall of the economy have taken people's stable income away. Jobs are difficult to find and those struggling aren't getting enough assistance to achieve financial success. Americans must reconstruct the way they think about the poor in order to put an end to stereotyping because if we keep thinking to ourselves that the poor are criminals, we will be afraid, and therefore; will not be able to help one another attain equal chances for a good life.
       In brief, living in poverty doesn’t necessary mean that one is poor because he or she is undereducated, bad people, and are criminals. It’s important that America and its citizens recognize the reality of poverty and what it’s really about in order for us to approach the situation because judging and critisizing the poor will not change the lives of those who are struggling everyday to make day ends meet. Our country needs to start changing their selfish behavior and come together as one nation to help one each other out when times are hard to put food on the plate. We need to stop discriminating those that are living in poverty and end the separation between the wealthy and the poor to provide equal chances of opportunity for all. Poverty stereotypes harm many lives and it’s time for America to prove that the American dream still exists by giving the less fortunate a higher chance of opportunity for financial success and to live a sustainable life.