No one even read MY PROJECT! ;(
1124 words by QueenAfrika
Everyone in the world could use some love, but materialistically, in order to survive; humans need food, water, shelter and clothing. Given the structure of capitalism, employment is also an necessity for humans to survive in modern society. In antiquity property and wealth had always created a division between the wealthy upper class and the lower class. I noticed the pattern of poor breeding poor, there were individuals who rose from the peasant class, however most families could not afford the luxury. Humans seem to have an innate need to be territorial. Supposedly as nomads, we used to work together and provide for one another in groups, however collectivism in our world has been tagged a synonym with communism, and I don’t want to seem to be supporting it. In my opinion collectivism is NOT the same thing as communism. No one can deny, there is a surplus of just about every resource needed for humans to survive. More than 90% of the earth’s land is not inhabited. There are acres of land that are privately or government owned yet unused. I’m not implying that anyone should have to give up their own “huge backyard for the kids”, however as long as humans reproduce we will also expand. Maybe in antiquity wealthy people HAD to be greedy in order to fund the excursions which have led to our current capabilities, but it isn’t really necessary now. Right now, when the human race is capable of so much. The technology we have created is astounding, for some, life is as effortless as breathing. In other words, wealthy people don’t have to worry about how they will acquire the necessities, they already have a home, car, food, money blah. Whatever they need, they already have, they don’t even NEED to worry about providing it for themselves. The majority of Americans do not live like that and it is both unnecessary and simple minded. Ultimately, every occupation depends on other occupations to allow them to complete their job conveniently. Im my opinion it is ignorant and stubborn of humans to say that the gap between a NBA player or an actor and a garbage man is MILLIONS of dollars. What if the garbage man decided not to pick up the trash? Who has time to drive all the way to a landfill or recycle center? I don’t. However, if the basket ball game didn’t come on tonight, would I be bothered? Would I lose sleep or a meal, would I even think about it? NO! As a matter of fact, that would give me more time, about two hours, to do something else constructive like read for Dr. Homan’s class. Our society has allowed it’s citizens to prioritize bullshit. Honestly, most of the kids in this country really are desensitized to most human expressions of relationships. For example, it is not a BIG thing for a young man to see a woman bare anymore, any two year old can see tits in almost any video! Anyway, that was a tangent, well I know that if the government and just a few American citizens would follow my plan, then this country might become an example of a new society based on collectivism, without the force or ‘unfree-like’ feel of communism.
America is depicted as a place where everyone can pursue wealth, everyone can live selfishly or in a sense easily. In America, you can try to secure a home and a career that will allow you to buy everything you want and need. Most times it doesn’t happen like that, especially if you are not born into the right family. Members of the lower class are usually people who have to support themselves with employment. SUPPORT is just what they do, either themselves, their habits, their families, their religious leaders and churches, their animals…whatever! My point is, the wage gap has created a dreary life, much like the medieval peasant, for the working lower class of America. Money makes the American dream a reality, there is no doubt about that, the working lower class of America lack the money needed to buy land or build a home, instead they are busy paying for the things they need and most of those things are consumable products like food. In addition to that, they have to pay for water, in order to bathe and the modern convenience of electricity isn’t free. For the working lower class of America, saving money is not an option.
What is the best way to increase the amount of income someone makes? Get a better job, right? Well you need high education to get the best paying jobs. Education has to be paid for, right? Well who has the better chance of attaining an education? The young woman who’s parent s can afford it, a young man who has maintained good grades or played sports through a fundamental learning system (like the public school system) are a shoe in of course. A young man who works through high school, does not eat healthy or regularly, is daily forced to choose between acceptance in his community and academic success, and who no one ever asks if he actual understands the lesson, is not as likely. The odds are stacking up against the impoverished and it is effecting our whole society.
*For my project, I will try to find professionals or students who agree with me, write letters addressing most of the local representatives of New Orleans about our concerns, and perhaps try to create a newsletter to circulate on a college campuses about these issues. Second, I will enlist the help of and volunteer my own help at Habitat for Humanity, a feed the homeless location, and write to the office of Louisiana water works to request more water fountains on the streets. Since I need a job, I will also try to gain employment at a second hand store, then later I will try to get my employer to host give away events. Maybe I could get students from Xavier to iron and repair some of the designer clothes, we could deliver them to the children in the Gert town area. Maybe we could even give events to raise money to buy some new uniforms for the kids next fall. I know the plans will shift as time goes on, bear with me.
I’ve always had ideas like these, I’ve never had the energy or enthusiasm to get supporters. I am really going to have to think this whole thing through.
February 1st, 2005 at 12:45 pm
Hi Nicole!
Your Blog makes a lot of sense. I didn’t see any big problems with grammar and mechanics. The only small thing I saw was one word that wasn’t spelled right (actual should be actually) unless that’s how you intended it to be. and yes, today’s society has allowed us to prioritize bullshit. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
February 6th, 2005 at 12:00 am
I never really thought of any of that(as in the social status affecting people early on in life, basically at child birth) until I read your blog. It makes perfect sense that most of the fortunate kids achieve higher goals since they have a better chance due to social status. However, there are tons of people out there that are making it big and starting from scratch. Our government has help tremendously throught financial aid and awards, etc. Your plans sounds good, but I am doubtful if the ad/employement aid in the newspaper would help. Alot of people do not like to read as a leisure thing unless forced to. People who are in dire need of a job would most likely go around the area and ask first-hand for a job opening. Therefore, I think it is a better idea to have the job come to them. I dont know how this is going to be possible, but it is easier on the people. Career/Job fairs can be a possibility. I also like your idea on water and uniform, and I think that this can be achieved.
February 6th, 2005 at 4:22 pm
I agree that the wealthy tend to stay wealthy and the poor tend to stay poor and it is a very big problem. You have obviously given this a lot of thought and come up with some good plans to help the problem. But I believe that in order to truly make a difference, you would have to change society. The people who have the wealth and power are not going to want to give it up to others. The people with wealth and power make rules and regulations o keep themselves and their families in power. I think you have good ideas, but you will need a huge backing, tons of followers and money, to fix this problem.
February 8th, 2005 at 10:46 pm
Poverty is one of the biggest issues nowadays. People do not care for each other, but just use other people for their own means. Relationships do not matter anymore. Youre very much right about one thing. Poor people cant afford education, which is needed to live a luxurious life. I did some research on poverty for my blog and found out that 50% of US population is in poverty. That is half of our future generation. Circulating newsletters across the campus would be helpful in a way that people can recognize how our city men are suffering to get food everyday. Good luck on your project.
February 12th, 2005 at 3:30 am
Provety is one of the biggest issue in this world. That is probably the reason why people want to obtain as much material as they can. They fight each other for land, oil or other natural resources. This all ties up because by fighting each other for resources we are supporting the person who supply us with these items. Which mean we are making them rich for a bad cause. In addition, we are spending our tax money on saving right stock firms, we could probably use that money to benefit those who are really in need of money.
February 14th, 2005 at 11:34 am
Hey Nicole!!! You did an outstanding job on being real about what is happening in America today. As far as your plan, I would like to suggest that you expound on it a little more. Other than that, your blog was great and keep being real. There isnt that many of us out there.
February 14th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
Ezeb, listen, good job on your research. The bridge between the gap in soical status must be closed. What do think is the deciding factor that can combine the rich and poor? If I had to answer it, I would say that it would be the love that a person is supposed to have for another. Tell you what, I had it hard growing up, probably not as hard as most folks, but enough to realize that life is not going to be handed to you on a silve,gold, or copper plate. I feel that if you want results, get off of you butt and go to work for it. I heard a statement that says, nothing is worth having if you don’t work hard for it. Also, people are basically thrown into their situations without justifiable causes and get stuck but never trapped. I think that we all are responsible for our own actions and the course we take in life. For those of us who do excel higher in life, we should respect all working class as our own because it takes everybody to make society work. If we all do what we are supposed to do than it will work better. God Bless!!
February 14th, 2005 at 10:13 pm
Great arguerment, but what would you do if people decide not to side with you on placing up water fountains? The water in New ORleans is very bad, am I right?
March 4th, 2005 at 2:27 pm
Couldn’t agree more on much of this. I hope you can implement these ideas over the course of the semester. I drink the water inNew Orleans by the way. Take that any way you want.
April 2nd, 2005 at 5:54 pm
Nicol Ezeb, as I have read, it seems that your project is along the lines of mine. I am very interested in helping the homeless too. My idea was to build a high tech homeless shelter, then I figured out that I’m not really gonna have enough time, so now I’m pretty much doing the same thing as you; that is informing people and right now I’m in the process of trying to volunteer at a homeless shelter. Let me know if there is anything that I can do. I don’t know if you’ve commented on his blog or not, but Brian Winn is doing a project similar to ours as well. Good luck!
April 17th, 2005 at 3:18 pm
oh, I am so sorry that I did not comment on you when I had the chance, but I always knew from your comments in class that you had a very good head on your shoulders. And it is evident from your blog that you have a love for people in society. I think that Amercia has the personality of overrating people of higher employment, like the stars and rappers. They are people too, just like the garbage truck man. The only difference is that they both have different occupations. In this world today people should take themselves from the position that they hold, and think about how they can help others who are people with emotions and feelings just like any other person. Good idea, and keep up the good blog.
April 23rd, 2005 at 8:04 pm
I encourage you to continue working on your project, because I believe that it has great potential. I feel the same way when it comes to putting something together. I have all of these ideas, but it is so hard to put them into action that I just blow them off. It is reality that if you are born into a wealthy family, you are probably not going to have to suffer financially. I like the idea of getting people to volunteers to give up buying designer clothes to help children buy uniforms to go to school. Good luck with your project and I hope that you develop some type of enthusiasm to put your project into action.