MUCH TO DO ABOUT NOTHING...by Jared Hill

"Deep change does not begin in the political process or with single issues; it
begins among ordinary people deciding to change their circumstances." Bill
Moyers, Inequality Matters.....
Do we honestly believe that this kind of change is even a possibility in
contemporary society considering the structure of society in regards to upward
mobility, political participation, and the general inequalities of income and
wealth? Imagine CEO'S being OK with being compensated at the same rate as
individuals in low-income families or the Bush Administration passing up tax
cuts to benefit the wealthy elites while simultaneously putting the poor at
more of a disadvantage for upward mobility. You're better off finding a needle
in a heystack! This is how the wealthy stay wealthy but more importantly it's
how inequality in America threatens democracy.
If these actions were not beneficial to us all this would certainly be a
problem. At the same token, you also have situations where individuals on
welfare will not go out and look for a full-time job with benefits because of
the benefits they do receive that they otherwise wouldn't if they were not on
welfare.
How can we expect change when we have people in this nation (from the poor to
the wealthy) who value self-interests that contribute to inequalities of income
and wealth? The link between ownership of work and inequality of reward
prohibits participation for individuals who are unable to voice their opinions
and have influence on decisions being made regarding their lives as well as
others.
With all due respect, an ideal world for middle class, working class
families is undeniably different from an ideal world for the wealthy and the
elite, not to mention those in poverty. With that in mind, how can we begin to
come to change when the master-servant relationship in this country in regards
to ownership thrives off of power rather than collaboration?