Sociology Discussion

Some Conventional Wisdom about Poverty

Anyone can get a job if they try.
If you have a job, you can lift yourself out of poverty.
Poor people are poor because they are lazy.
Poor people are poor because they don’t know how to make good financial decisions.

Ehrenreich 

How do Ehrenreich’s experiences  support or refute the conventional wisdom about poverty stated above? Give 2-3 concrete examples to support your position. 
Would you be able to carry out the experiment conducted by Ehrenreich? Why/Why not? 

Newman and Lennon

How do Newman and Lennon’s findings support or refute the conventional wisdom about poverty stated above? Give 2-3 concrete examples to support your position. 

Loewan

According to Loewan’s analysis, what are the most important functions and dysfunctions of the American myth of social equality?
Define the concepts of “hidden injuries of class” and “blaming the victim.” Explain how these concepts help to shed light on the persistence of the existing social class system in U.S. society.
Explain why Loewan suggests that “social class is probably the single most important variable in society”. 
Where did you get your own ideas about poverty and social class? Give 1 or 2 concrete examples of your socialization experiences around these topics.