New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
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Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#2Welcome to planet Earth and the immutable human condition that's persisted in every society since the dawn of civilization.
Their findings could have big implications for how the government addresses poverty.
Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#3"...suppose you have a banker whose son decided to become a poet, surrendering a huge income in favor of a more fulfilling career.
"If you just looked at the poet and his daughter, you might think that economic mobility is alive and well in America -- she probably makes a lot more money than her father does. But actually, the daughter might be drawing on much older, preexisting family resources – such as financial resources, personal connections, or knowledge about how Wall Street works from her grandfather – that make it easier for her to become a banker than it is for the average kid."
This sort of thing sounds like a plausible explanation for what happened in America during the 60's and 70's, when there was a huge social movement that rejected the materialism and self-centeredness of earlier generations. But then starting with the 80's, most everyone seems to have gone back to trying to make as much money as possible and "looking out for #1" (themselves).
Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#4Anyone have a link to the complete study?
I would love to know how they link 3,4 And 5 generations, being an amateur genealogist.
Speaking personally, Family pressure to obtain degrees came from gggGF. But "women don't go to college." meant the females went only After their mother paid. (And could). Marrying "up" was the only obvious decision looking back on female members of our tree (from 1853-1946)
Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#5Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#6Welcome to planet Earth and the immutable human condition that's persisted in every society since the dawn of civilization. Their findings could have big implications for how the government addresses poverty. This is only of interest to anyone because it's used as ammunition for various political agendas.
I find this perspective frighteningly cynical and self-perpetuating. Government policy is one of the few mechanisms that has the possibility to address (if not fix) systemic inequality. And I think there's broad agreement across the political spectrum that inequality is a problem; rather, there are disagreements about how to best address it (social welfare and regulation vs. efficient markets). This isn't ammunition for political agendas---improving equality should be a central objective function of any democratic political system.
Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#7Is this headline not the very definition of scare-mongering? I'm all for a rational discussion of inequality; but my experience with similarly-titled articles suggests I will find just the opposite therein.
Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#8This is inequality over generations.
If you seek to remove this, you remove one of the main reasons to strive for success, the means to pass down success to your children.
I don't understand what this study is advocating. Government run orphanages that raise all children so that nobody gets an advantage?
Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#9>fewer than 10 percent of people in the bottom fifth of the wealth distribution will make it into the top fifth. Things weren't much better for the middle class: Only about 20 percent of people in the middle fifth would rise into the top fifth over the course of their lives.
Maybe I am a bit confused, but isn't 20% the exact right amount to move into the top fifth?
Re: New research suggests that social mobility in America may be more limited
#10This is inequality over generations. If you seek to remove this, you remove one of the main reasons to strive for success, the means to pass down success to your children. I don't understand what this study is advocating. Government run orphanages that raise all children so that nobody gets an advantage?
A study doesn't necessarily have to advocate a solution - it can just bring attention to a problem.