UL Chapter 13

Chapter 13: How Urban Ethnography Counters Myths about the Poor

Thesis:

            The difficulties of trying to survive through limitations put on the poor and treating them as unequal.

Statement:

            The poor have a certain way of living. On page 188 it explains that making ends meet involves hard work and management skills. Not only do the adults work, but the children do too. They all have low wage jobs, informal work and also receive help from the government. This situation in particular is very true because I know a lot of people who do it. Also, women who have an informal marriage sometimes still raise children without a “husband” or father figure to help out. In many cases people are irresponsible and have more children that they can’t afford to raise and rely on the government to help them. The poor has a huge female presence as the head of the household because of these reasons. Sometimes men leave to find work and aren’t present in their families lives.

            It’s upsetting that the poor are left to feel like it’s the survival of the fittest, and aren’t good enough or “fit” for jobs. Some people who are poor all don’t rely on the government and sit and wait for something to happen. Activists care about the future of their children and participate in getting resources back into their neighborhood that were taken out. Welfare also doesn’t turn to underground jobs. Some government programs also only cover women and children and if an adult male is present then they are not eligible for the program and looked at as welfare cheats.

Personal Reflection:

            This system is so unfair. It makes it extremely hard for people who want to get by the difficulties of poverty. It’s sad and so real at the same time because it’s true. The only way out is basically through education or a lottery ticket. Yes, some people who are poor are lazy, but for those trying to survive on the limited resources given to them it’s hard.

            I grew up in this type of system all my life and up until 2 years ago it all became so real to me not being able to live on my own yet because of financial problems. This chapter talks so much about the poor being violent and doing illegal things when their clearly driven to do it.