Social class and homelessness Essays

Social class and homelessness Essays Social class and homelessness Essay Social class and homelessness Essay Essay Topic: Sociology Social class is a large category of people who are similar in income level, educational attainment, and occupational prestige. There are six different social classes, the first class, capitalist class includes the wealthiest one percent of Americans second class, and the upper middle class is composed of managers or professionals and is about fifteen percent of the United States population. Third class, the lower middle class is made up of lower level managers and semi professionals, fourth class the working class is composed of clerical and sales workers and make up thirty-two percent of the population. The fifth class, the working poor includes laborers and service workers which make up ten percent and the sixth class the underclass is composed of the unemployed and underemployed which is nine to ten percent of the population. Your position in society tends to be determined by that of your ancestors. What class youre born into usually means what you will achieve. You learn your values, ambitions, drive, and determination to succeed, and set your goals from what you learn from your family members. A third of the homeless men that Mitchell Duneier spoke to ended on the streets after not being able to find work, which then led to their use of drugs and alcohol (sidewalk 52). Because they were situated in the fifth social class, the working poor, they found no other choice but to become homeless, living on the streets. Many after faced with unemployment end up with the Fuck it mentality, which enables a person to give up an apartment and sleep on the street, cutting all ties with friends and families (61). The homeless, it seems have little to no chance of becoming housed. The police take advantage of the uneducated homeless individuals, at times ignoring the law (277). Also, the homeless are not allowed use of public bathrooms. If the homeless are not allowed to use a bathroom, the only other option is to relieve oneself on the street, a concept which many refuse to accept or acknowledge. Any society with high levels of economic inequality, racism, illiteracy, and drug dependency, and with inadequate transitions from mental hospitals and prisons to work and home, will have vast numbers of people who cannot conform to the requirements of its formal institutions (317). The men that lose employment and end up turning to drugs and alcohol eventually end up spending a period in prison and then being released to the streets (52). Without any other option they turn to living on the streets, panhandling to make a living. Family, a group which is united by ties of marriage, ancestry, or adoption and who comprise a single household and raise children, plays an important aspect in the lives of those that choose to become homeless. In Rons case, both his parents were alcoholics and when he lost his job he also turned to alcohol (47-48). Without solid family support the unemployed become drug addicts living on the streets. In Rons case his elderly aunt became that support and excuse to work towards getting off the streets. For Mudrick the birth of his granddaughter gave him a reason to work hard and survive (75). In Sidewalk the aspects of what the homeless and the working poor go through is brought to light. The street vendors try to make an honest living by selling books and magazines, which is allowed by New York City ordinances. The problems they encounter make it hard for them to succeed in any form. Their presence on the sidewalks has been a source of controversy; many store vendors protest their right to sell books on the same street as their business, many times not allowing the vendors the right to use their public bathrooms. The vendors are public characters, an institution for the village with many regular customers and residents that donate reading material. Several times throughout the book the vendors give directions to lost tourists, watch over deliveries, and help to discourage crime in the village. Even though the vendors have become apart of New York, the local government is still working to discourage street vending by passing new ordinances, which cuts down on vending space. The vendors, even though trying to make an honest living are met with un-satisfaction and rudeness from all they encounter, with the police, at times, taking advantage of their power.