As demonstrated by Young (2004), most young men he interviewed claimed they believed in the work ethic. The issue of work ethics can be associated with modern-day America and the American Dream. The contemporary American Dream is based on factors of hard work, education, discipline, and motivation. The young men’s belief in work ethic does not necessarily indicate that they had exercised their urgency fully. However, their belief in work ethics is logical in ethical considering that every aspect of life requires ethics be, it work or any other activity. What is more, their logic is evident in their conviction that a high school diploma cannot be considered sufficient enough to warrant the possession of exceptional working skills. Additionally, they believe indirect training can change one’s career path. Such a school of thought portrays their skepticism about the skills obtained through high school education. In any case, it is evident that they had taken time to explore the applicability of the skills gained in high school education at workplace settings.
For people with high levels of education and work experience, high school education can be considered a foundation for career training and development in higher education. As for the young men, it is encouraging to find out that they acknowledge and confront their self-induced barriers. For example, Casey and Gus are wary of the issues that demotivated them from looking for jobs by citing their struggles with substance abuse. Others such as Earl, Devin, and Lester who have been previously incarcerated explain their struggles to find jobs because of their criminal records. From that point of view, Young (2004) demonstrates the struggles of young men to find work because of their self-induced hindrances such as crime and substance abuse is self-imposed. The case demonstrates how personal mobility plays a role in difficulties in life of young people. Additionally, young men indicate that being African-Americans positions them in a somewhat lower class. Accompanied by limited opportunities and resources they cannot succeed in life.
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Question 2
In her study, Stack (1974) demonstrated the struggles of poor black women living in “The Flats.” She explains how these women managed their everyday lives by practising what she calls “swapping.” The process of “swapping” involved setting and alternating priorities among limited resources, services, and possessions. It involved swapping items such as new furniture, residence, child care, and food with kin. For instance, single mothers depended on instrumental and expressive support from their communities and family members. Through this support they would get loans, gifts, and guidance to take care of their children, pay rent, and buy food. However, this support increased deficits in their monthly income from the government. Stack (1974) explores the story of “The Flats” to illustrate her reasons to disagree with ideation of culture-of-poverty that is mostly associated with Oscar Lewis. Instead she bases her arguments on a culture developed by adaptive strategies to cope with unemployment, low income, and residential issues.
While exploring the kinship networks and single parenting in “The Flats,” Stack (1974) uses different social and economic disparities to demonstrate how people cope or manage their economic responsibilities. For instance, she compares the black kinship network with white, middle-class neighbourhoods. She neglects to cite studies that associate adaptive strategies to lower-class and working-classes. However, her analysis of the kinship network portrays the adaptive strategies used by the black communities. These strategies that involved sharing material things as well as responsibilities such as child care that weakened the parental relationships between parents and their children. From that perspective, the culture turns out to be inherent such that they became used to their economic difficulties; hence, a perennial poverty pattern continued ravaging their communities.
References
Stack, C. B. (1974). All our kin . New York: BasicBooks.
Young, A. A. (2004). Minds of Marginalized Black Men: Making Sense of Mobility, Opportunity, and Future Life Chances . Princeton: Princeton University Press.
