Growing Up In America Research Paper

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Being a high school student who is supported by her parents, I found it very challenging to attempt to recreate the lifestyle of a low wage worker with a family to support. Although, I graduated college and am working towards a PhD, I found it difficult to find work in education. Teaching jobs are becoming tougher to find. I work for BELL (building educated leaders for life), which is an after school, and summer program to help kids who are struggling with their studies. I work specifically with a middle school in the Bronx. It is over 20 miles away from where I live and my spouse uses the one car we own. I have to take the bus to and from everyday, which adds up quickly. It also makes it difficult for me to get to my son or spouse if there…show more content…
“Americans (44%) identify as being middle class… (40%) identify as lower-middle or lower class…” (Matthews, Americans Are Painfully Aware of How Broke They Are). Growing up in the United States, many Americans perceive themselves graduating from college and living “The American Dream”. Less than a quarter of people truly believe that they have reached that ultimate goal. The economy has increased since 2008 but what most people don’t realize is that most of the wealth is going back to the wealthy. Making the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. Although many Americans fall under the ill-defined middle class section, they consider themselves lower class because of what they have compared to the people around them rather than what they have standalone. Some people argue that taking government aid such as food stamps and earned income tax credit will help incomes rise throughout all classes. If the upper classes income is rising without government aid, why should lower classes have to seek support elsewhere? The trade does not seem fair to people making a significantly less amount of many than needed to live a stable and comfortable life. The “American Dream” is not just about surviving it’s about
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