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In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

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Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#41

Post by twoodfin »

wf wrote: post #35
twoodfin wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does that theory jibe with some of the best mobility results being concentrated in places like Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and North Texas?

I'm not an economist but I do wonder if the reasons some of those places have higher mobility is because the previous generation in those areas have relatively low income jobs (i.e. mostly agriculture) and many of the current generation have a "gotta get out of here" mentality leading them to better paying opportunities elsewhere. I know I felt that way living in the mid-west in early high school. I'd like to see a m…

The mobility those regions demonstrate is better than average for all income classes, and those income classes are defined nationally, not locally.

Of course, that "gotta get out of here" feeling isn't limited to lower income kids, so it could be a factor. Certainly it's typically good for your earnings if you're willing to move where you can make more money. But then why isn't upstate New York dark blue? (Sorry, upstate New York!)

Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#43

Post by tjr »

minimax wrote: post #16
tokenadult wrote: post #4

I think the article's headline point is true for me in one odd way. I grew up in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota, and by chance the school district where I grew up had mandatory foreign language instruction (German) for all elementary school pupils in grades four, five, and six. (One member of the district staff was a German refugee who came over to the United States after World War II. She set up German classes deli…

few Americans begin study of a second language before secondary school Are you sure about that? I grew up in Texas and I remember taking Spanish in elementary school.

We had Spanish in elementary school in St. Louis, but (in my school anyway) it was more of an occasional special topic bonus class rather than a semester/year long study.

Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#44

Post by pnathan »

jurassic wrote: post #21

In the white trash southern town where I grew up being a teacher at $35k/yr is considered one of the better jobs available. Military service is the best option for young men who want to provide a living wage to their families, especially since no education is required. A few dozen doctors and dentists and veterinarians make bank and live like kings (not really joking... think giant sailboats docked at their beach man…

I don't suppose you can comment on the state/locale this was in? I have some personal connections to more rural/"redneck" areas, and I try to understand what makes those areas what they are.

Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#45

Post by epmatsw »

I'm not sure if the lack upward mobility in the South is a result of our economic landscape. It plausible that it's due to the lingering effects of segregation and the fact that the vast majority of our bottom 20% are African Americans while the majority of the top 20% are Caucasian. This map and a map of the distribution of the African American population in the South correspond so well it's a little disheartening.

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/moneybox/2013/0...

http://prisca.me/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Percent_Black-20...

http://prisca.me/political-plankton-the-left-behind/

Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#46

Post by jurassic »

zwieback wrote: post #32
jurassic wrote: post #21

In the white trash southern town where I grew up being a teacher at $35k/yr is considered one of the better jobs available. Military service is the best option for young men who want to provide a living wage to their families, especially since no education is required. A few dozen doctors and dentists and veterinarians make bank and live like kings (not really joking... think giant sailboats docked at their beach man…

Do you go back to your home town and, if so, what reaction do you get from smart kids that decided to stay?

I do go back to see my family and one teacher who had a big impact on me, but I'm not really good friends with anyone who stayed anymore. I came out to one of my oldest friends at Christmas, and they told me if I didn't leave my partner of 4 years and give up the gay lifestyle that I would burn in hell for eternity. This lecture was delivered in a crowded restaurant, with about a dozen people looking on.

At one point in college I wrote an editorial for my hometown paper and the minibio was something along the lines of "ABC High School Valedictorian, Class of 200X, and current MIT student"; as a result the comments were all incredibly nasty and irrelevant to the content of the article, along the lines of "Who does this liberal/atheist bitch think she is?" The only positive comments were from old people saying "Wow, I've never seen anybody under 30 submit a piece to the paper."

Truthfully, in person people are usually a lot more gentle (southern hospitality and all), but there's definitely an undercurrent of resentment after initial pleasantries. Sometimes it can be really awkward when I reciprocate their "It's so good to see you, and how are you doing?" and get a really depressing story back. (Got knocked up, laid off, foreclosed, etc.)

Even people in my own family can be hostile. It feels like I can never give anybody any advice, ever, because "they can't all live perfect lives" like me. It sucks.

Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#48

Post by untog »

jurassic wrote: post #21

In the white trash southern town where I grew up being a teacher at $35k/yr is considered one of the better jobs available. Military service is the best option for young men who want to provide a living wage to their families, especially since no education is required. A few dozen doctors and dentists and veterinarians make bank and live like kings (not really joking... think giant sailboats docked at their beach man…

I knew people who turned down full tuition scholarships to the flagship state university because they wanted to follow God and marry a nice boy from their church, or needed to stay home to help care and provide for members of their family.

Thing is, my success is not your success is not their success. If they lead happy and fulfilled lives in that way, is it wrong?

Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#49

Post by pc86 »

jurassic wrote: post #21

In the white trash southern town where I grew up being a teacher at $35k/yr is considered one of the better jobs available. Military service is the best option for young men who want to provide a living wage to their families, especially since no education is required. A few dozen doctors and dentists and veterinarians make bank and live like kings (not really joking... think giant sailboats docked at their beach man…

In a "white trash southern town" isn't $35,000 a year likely to be solidly middle class? Just because there aren't a lot of $60-90,000 jobs doesn't mean that there is no middle class in a given area.

I'm sure it broke a lot of teachers' hearts to see intelligent, gifted pupils throw away a better life to stay in a small town and get by on a HS diploma.

Re: In America, Where You're Born Is Correlated With How Far You'll Go In Life

#50

Post by jurassic »

pnathan wrote: post #44
jurassic wrote: post #21

In the white trash southern town where I grew up being a teacher at $35k/yr is considered one of the better jobs available. Military service is the best option for young men who want to provide a living wage to their families, especially since no education is required. A few dozen doctors and dentists and veterinarians make bank and live like kings (not really joking... think giant sailboats docked at their beach man…

I don't suppose you can comment on the state/locale this was in? I have some personal connections to more rural/"redneck" areas, and I try to understand what makes those areas what they are.

Northwest Florida.
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