From: http://akhilak.com/blog/2011/07/07/classism-at-its-best-myths-about-poverty-and-inequality/

Stereotypes about poor people are unfortunately prevalent amongst the upper class in the U.S. The top 1% feel they’ve got to where they are with hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. They think that everyone can pull themselves up by their “bootstraps” if they really set their mind to it. They believe that people who remain poor simply haven’t tried hard enough to better their circumstances.

Recently, in my conversations with those who lean conservative (I won’t name names!), I’ve heard these stereotypes about poor people, poverty, and inequality:

Poor people are lazy. They should work and make a living rather than be dependent on welfare.
Poor people just keep having more and more children so they can collect more welfare – they don’t want to work so they stay in that situation.
When countries provide so much welfare and public benefits, they are slowing their rate of economic growth. We need economic growth to stay competitive, rather than welfare. Look at European countries: they provide so many services but their economies are failing.
Hearing these types of arguments makes me angry; I feel like it’s a direct attack on my own deeply held beliefs, and certainly an attack on my lifestyle. I choose to work for non-profits because I want to play a role in combating injustice, inequality, and poverty. I see that poverty is not a lifestyle of choice: no one wants to be poor. And yet, the arguments above state just that: people enjoy living off the state and they choose to keep staying on welfare. I couldn’t disagree more.

In all my work experiences where I’ve worked with or spoken with poor people, I’ve seen that the vast majority are in fact hard working, kind, humble, and pretty darn smart. When I worked as a student advocate for LIFT, I met so many poor people who were living paycheck to paycheck, but were working hard to find a job and put their kids in good schools. They were struggling despite working multiple part-time minimum wage jobs to the point of exhaustion. In my current job too, I speak to so many who are disadvantaged by health, disability, and mental illness issues — that keep them poor despite hard work to change their circumstances. Yes, there might be some who are ‘lazy’ and take advantage of the welfare/social service system. But I’ve also met many “trust fund babies” – children of the upper class – who are extremely ‘lazy’ and take advantage of their family’s wealth. I’ve met people in every economic class who have used drugs. There are people in every economic class who abuse the system and do not work ‘hard’ or contribute positively to the economy. It’s a gross overgeneralization to say that all poor people are like that!




although I dont agree with this author or any author stereotyping or broadly brushing everyone in a group with the same brush, I do believe they are right on about how off-reality the stereotypes are

I guess it's the same everywhere, it's done to lots of different types of people, different cultures the rich the poor, politician's .

I think it's just that their is more focus on the one's in each group that stand out, so with a politician it's the dishonest, with, the poor its the lazy or people on drugs, the rich its that they dont care or stereotype others.

Where in reality there are all of those out there, but in every group of people everyone is different, So any of these writing to a point will be correct but also wrong..

Just ignore what everyone else thinks and dont let it worry you.

The only difference you will ever be able to make is what you do and you treat others,

Proud to be white trash!

:)

Hmmmm my ex;s girlfriend called me white trash, she was American, still dont know exactly what she was calling me but didnt figure she liked me much.

so I guess i am white trash like you krupa, glad I'm not the only one

Some folks just like to look down their noses at other folks.
It makes their insignificant lives somehow seem significant.

yea i have seen rich lazy people as well as poor lazy people. the rich lazy ones rely on they're parents well being while the poor lazy ones rely on the government.

I'm pretty smack dab in the middle of the stack through gritty, tough work - including the pulling myself up by my bootstraps. I'm LUCKY and BLESSED but I've also put the sweat equity into it.

I once heard an expression that said "Pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you." (Whatever your spiritual beliefs, there's a message there...)

I think "classism" runs two ways, frankly. From my place in the middle and having been closer to the bottom than the top for most of my life, I feel I can speak with some knowledge about that.

Lazy, arrogant people exist everywhere and in EVERY class. Hard workers and humble people do, too. That this is even real enough to be a topic is just a sad and pathetic statement about humanity.

Perhaps, poor people do not have their hands in other people's pockets. Just maybe folks spend more time to make a dollar, than the shysters spend trying to steal it. Most of the rich people i know, either inherited it, or stepped all over people to get it. For those who did earn it honestly, kudos.. most of the people in this country are struggling to survive.

Anybody who draws a paycheck, no matter how large or small, has somebody's hand in their pocket - including yours. Those who are trying...they can even pinch my butt. Those who don't try...that's another story. (And by the way, I have both in my family.)

Most of the rich people I know worked hard to get to where they are at and still do. So there you have it...classism on Mingle.

I worked very hard to pay my way through school. I worked very hard to be good at my profession. I built my business up from nothing. I can now afford to mingle whenever I please. I have never had a dime of help from the government or anyone else.

Throughout my life, I have seen people pull themselves up by their bootstraps and others who are always taking the easiest road. There are all kinds of people in the world... some good, some bad, some lazy, and some hard working.

Unfortunately, there is a group of people who are takers, not givers.