Prejudice and Social Inequality in American Diversity

In our modern times and perhaps a trying time in American society we are faced with many facts that keep social inequality at the fore front of why people’s behaviors are happen in ways that influence different outcomes in society. In the 21st century the American landscape has changed from what it used to be 50 years ago where many minorities had to fight for basic rights to be called a citizen of the greatest country in the world, but still so many people are not feeling what has become the major factor of being an American citizen and that is the American Dream. The American Dream is alive and well, but many do not have the access to it like others do because of the Social Inequalities that still are present today in the modern 21st century of American society. Many are facing so much racial discrimination, gender inequality, and cultural rejection to the point of question is the American Dream only given to the elite of our nation or is it given to those whom work hard and follow the rules trying to be the best model citizen of our country. Poverty in many communities is not being socially equal. Looking and judging a person because of skin tone and culture is not being equal. Paying a person on the bases of gender is not equal. In this paper, we will examine reason of why so Social Inequality in America as well how being socially unequal has an effect of behaviors that effect many and cause in generations to strive to be that more perfect union as we know is possible and what necessary things can be done to stop if not but to limited Social Inequality in American Society and the American Dream can be a reality and not just a dream to many.

Poverty has been one issue that is part of social inequality. When many live-in poverty it changes their whole outlook on life especial if children are involved. Minority group are especially hit the hardest with poverty as systematic racism influence who get help for the government and who does not. The behavior to lead one to not help minorities is one rooted in bigotry, fascism, and over distain for another person based upon their color of skin and cultural origin. America is a melting pot meaning our country flourishes because of the contributions of many cultures and races whom fought and bleed to make this country the most diverse nation in the world and it does not stop those whom have much in the terms of wealth from having negative attitudes towards others whom are not on the same level as them or look like them meaning non-white and people of color. According to article Significant racial and ethnic disparity still exist it states, “Giving the numbers black families make up 41 percent of home ownerships while Hispanic make up about 45 percent and white American makeup about 75 percent of the homeownerships as of 2014” (Martinovich,2014). These figures are very disturbing and shows how social inequality is in the housing market due to poverty of minority Americans. Unfair bank practices and discrimination against those whom are of color plays very big role in one being able to provide for their family. Minorities have always been the major target of social inequality and in the 21st century America as diverse as we have become no one should be poor and poverty should be a thing of the past the old America.

Now we are moving on to another issue in the realm of social inequality and that is the wage gender gap. In America men have been making more money than women and in the 21st era of living that fact is more alive and well than ever. Women make about 65 cent to $1-dollar lees for the same work performed as men. Woman have always been the backbone of this nation from going out in the factories and warehouses when the men were called away to fight in wars for this country. As women were often seen as inferior and in roles of servants to their husbands, but in the era of more women becoming more educated and the it in house and not being see era is over. Women are now making more and more strides and success in business, education, and even running for high political offices, but the lingering lag men in the terms of wealth not just America but the world is outrageous. According to the article Global Issue: Gender Inequality and Women’s Empowerment its states” With all the wealth in the world women only comprise only 1% of it despite being 50% of the population of the world” (Peace corps.gov). The social inequality is expanding across the world and this fact of woman not being on an equal term as a man causes society to further keep women being in an inferior state. Women must be paid as the same rate as a man to ensure that no more gender discrimination can occur in the realm of low wages and lesser respect unlike a man. Women re the backbone of America as well as their family and they deserve to be paid just the same as a man and the more we can move in that direction the fairer and more equal America will become but the world.

Social Inequality also runs deep in the world of youth employment as well. In the 21st century many young people are finding it hard to make ends meet despite having a college education many are stuck in low minimum wage jobs that pay little. Some even find themselves unemployed due to the fact of searching for jobs in the field they went to college for. In a digital society the need for the youth is very important as the need for the technology as the youth are more incline to be more tech savvy than the baby boomer generation that was two generations before them. Social Inequality plagues the youth in this area in the 21st century and creates a system of a young generation not being able to perform at a higher standard as society believes they should. According to the article Poverty and Inequality President Johnson stated “Investing in the salvaging unemployable youth can create higher incomes of $40,000 dollars or more in a lifetime” (APA, 2014) By this statement being made in 1964 many wonder today if more in being invested in the youth especially with the rising cost of higher education and mounting debt from school loans. The thinking is if I go to school put the hard work in it the rewards of a higher paying job fresh out of college is ideal, but we see too many youths are working in entry level service jobs that they can never get ahead in. This type of social inequality can cause the youth to give up on their dreams as well see the American Dream is not for them as the older generation gives up on them very quick and a social divide between the old and young is created to the point neither respect each other's contribution to the society as a whole.

This can be remedied by the older listening more and hearing out what the youth is saying, and the youth can return the same favor back to the older generation. The need to listen is very crucial to bridging the gap between the two groups. The youth as well as the older generation are very important to social change as the wisdom of both can channel in better decisions and ways of doing things to better benefit the nation. By creating a better society in the sense of better relationships between old and young the knowledge shared can be passed down through generation to generation and produce a better working society as all parts of the society are moving together without friction and more progress as it should be. According to Social Theory and Social Change its states” Society exists to superimpose some degree of order among us without the discipline maintained by the state” (Noble, 2000). The consensus is that the youth if given the chance to be themselves can offer a lot of great ideas and learning as they go about in the futures and those moral beliefs and work ethics gained from watching the older generation can be embraced and used in their lives. Erik Erikson’s theory of social influence is best applied here as the youth can see how things should be done to improve society and be a beacon for that social change learning by influence of others. If the youth stand a chance in the future one, we must invest more into their wellbeing and education. I believe the youth of this nation understand the need to eliminate Social Inequality and know it really helps to have the older generation on their side and well with them in the fight for better employment.

Working two jobs in the 21st century is not a viable thing as you cannot get ahead working for three people in an economy that only works for some and not all. Social inequality is something the youth are totally against as they are very much willing to make a difference in the nation and the world. As diversity is here in America many feel as though certain rights and benefits are only available to those whom look like themselves. Being grouped by race is leads to social inequality as people are prone to look and judge on stereotypes either negative or positive. Racial stereotypes have always plagued our American society for many years and because of the actions of a particular race those negative thoughts of that race can influence the behavior of another race towards that race. According to the article The Anatomy of Racial Inequality it states, “Scientist believe the classification of human beings takes the social cognitive role which is the basis of biological origin and genetic makeup” (Loury, 2002). It has been a long-standing agenda to keep people apart based on race, culture and creed, but in a 21st century America where diversity is the new way of living with is not going nowhere. Human race is the one race, but because of having the ability to look at each other it's hard not to see the difference colors of skin and most of the time we believe what another race says about another one because of not having much interaction with a person of a difference race as we are prone to the negative stereotype of stick to our own race , but in reality we all the same our creator did not intend for us all to you the same , but to live equally and in harmony without using color schemes to define us as human beings. We must start looking at each person not at race. Children don’t see it why should grow adults that make up our society.

Social Inequality has root causes in racism and prejudice among people who have different back grounds and those prejudices create in the minds a picture that of one continue to believe it about a race it will cause more harm to our diversity and drive a deeper wedge into the heart of America and her appeal to grow up and form that more perfect union we all desire to see within our borders. Social inequality is just a catalyst for America to stay in the racist past it had, and people have it in the heart to hate people of another race. White privilege seems to be slipping away and the only way to continue to keep it live is to produce more obstruction of progress of diversity by practice bigotry and hate (Rowsen, 2012). Our diversity among people is dying and trying to hang on and the deep divide in the nation is being fought with hate speech, police brutality, and a deep-rooted hatred from people of color. I believe we are at a point in American society where the choice to hate and the choice to love is clashing with progress in America and the showing of true colors of people as hate is a learned behavior among humans and such behavior produces those action behind their hate. Most of the time it is learned behavior similar to Erik Erikson Social Theory of Influence as when one person see a person doing an action via negative or positive the person has the choice to either following suit with the same behavior or choose to change basically ignoring the negative behavior and choose to do the right thing in the situation.

Our cognitive ability as humans' beings is very important to making the right decisions on being prejudice or not. We can more towards that more perfect union only if we truly desire society to change. Make even and level playing field if all people is key such as making opportunity possible to more and more minorities’ people as America is more diverse than it ever has been. Education is important to minorities and aids in destroying social inequality as many are becoming more educated we must fair in helping as many people have access to a quality education and some popular narratives frame the black-white academic achievement gap and racial and economic inequality as “natural” facts that result from inherent group differences, rather than viewing them as socially constructed patterns produced by generations of unequal opportunities (Carter, Reardon, 2014). More opportunity equals means that more people can have a chance at the American Dream for a lot of people in the diverse nation. Bridging the gap between the racial divide creates an environment of where our society can flourish and closer to that more perfect union will be in sight for many more to reach and grab as history would be on the side of diversity and freedom. The American Dream is the goal of all they are in America. Social inequality cannot be the hindrance to the American Dream. According to the article Is the American Dream Dead it states “In the 21st century America Dream should not be just “a dream” it should be an achievable pursuit” (Gap.gov, 2014) it is an open goal that should be available to all whom seek it and cherish it fully and willing fully without mental reservation of why it should not be right of citizens of the community of America.

American diversity is one thing that keeps this country great as it is. Many travels here to America in pursuit of the American Dream and the freedom that come along with it. Diversity is here to stay along with those whom love it and cherish it so that mean social inequality has no place in the growing 21st century America. Social inequality has caused more harm than good in our society and if we are to fix it than the work must begin with us putting aside what keeps us apart and look at what keeps us together. Major inclusion of all ethnic groups in the overall society weaves together of many cultures as well as produce multiracial group whom make the country more blended as a family (Tolnay, 2002) and moves us into move productive an inclusive society. With all the racial undertones and actions done by white supremacist it is very challenging to end social inequality totally as you going to still have people whom harbor hate and distain for people of color and whatever method to keep them as an interior is something that is ingrained in their heart. Providing more equal and true protections under the law is also a great solutions to ending some the social inequalities by protecting the American citizens more as well as providing minorities such as women better paying on the job, no more workplace sexual harassment and sexual assault more seriously and provide and close to the longtime standing wage gap between men and women (Bruins, 2019).

Education must be equally accessible through more grants for minorities and building better schools in high poverty areas throughout the nation. From rural areas to the busy inner cities and suburban communities. If these simple and reasonable steps are taking to create a fairer and equal playing field for all citizens, the racial divide can be decreased to the point of being nonexistence and dead. We know the Dr. King’s dream of equality for all people can become a reality, but we must take a good look at ourselves and make more assertive effort to ensure all are treated justly and fair as American society continues to change. These changes do not come overnight as we must redirection our emotions of how we feel about each other to a positive way of thinking, behaving, and living. In conclusion, we have come a long way from the past of slavery, segregation, and hatred of the old America. We are in the 21st century and those past behaviors they cause harm and hurt to may must be put away as they are not producing nothing but unequal actions and prejudices that harm our great nation as well as teach the youth to hate his neighbor and himself. Socially America can make it through the rough times and meet the challenges of today and the future by inclusion of all people. As Robert Kennedy said, “Some look at things and wonder why? I dream things that were never were and say Why Not?” (Kennedy Speech at University of Kansas, 1968). We cannot afford social inequality to conform us into a society filled with hate and prejudice over skin tones. We all are Americans and the future of our vast and diverse country is calling us to be better, to respect better and more important to live together better and left the nation and our American society better than the last generation of Americans. Obedience and sacrifice are more important than our petty differences. Our society and nation are growing up and we must grow up along with it.