Chiefy Ugbaja
English 104.23
11/11/14
Mr. Douglas
Essay 2: Instructor Draft
Myth of Individual Benefit Revealed
In society today, can the people around the world assert with confidence that they have an
equal chance of being successful, based solely on their skill levels, education, and productivity in
the workforce? After reading the different excerpts, and writing pieces such as, The Lesson by
Toni Cade Bambara, The New American Divide by Charles Murray, and Studs Terkel by
Stephen Cruz on the topic of individual opportunity, it is seen that all three authors for the most
part share the same viewpoints on the subject. On how people of today share the same
misconception on what it means to live a successful, and opportunistic life based solely on the
fact they work hard. Because they are too busy trying to reach standards often called “The Goal
of Life”, or the more generally used term “American Dream”. Which would be trying to live in a
mansion, with many cars, and the ability to buy luxurious items. The authors all agree that there
is nothing wrong with these ideals; the problem is that these goals are not attainable by everyone
because most people will not have the opportunity to make such money to obtain a big house, or
fancy car. Because we all defend different beliefs, and are not the same race, or gender. The
ignorant people of society might never see people of a certain background fit for certain titles, or
position. Individual opportunity is being able to have the same opportunity to succeed based only
on ones talents, and effort in work. I agree with the authors opinions on how people in the world
are treated unfairly, and are not able to gain financially giving them no chance at obtaining what
society calls the “American Dream”.
The myth of individual opportunity, already assumes that each individual is treated
equally, but unfortunately in reality today treating individuals as equals is not a common morale
upheld by most. Racism and discrimination have been a part of the world’s history for many
years now. Even though times have changed, and we are now seeing steady improvement on this
problem, there are still many cases today where individuals work the same job but one gets paid
less, because the worker had a different color. In “Studs Terkel”,by Stephen Cruz, and “The
Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, the reader see examples of this where African American
groups, or people of color can only afford to buy the bare necessities, but as they traveled to
highly populated white area the difference in how the two races were living was highly
noticeable. The white people possessed the ability to buy toys, and luxurious items, that an
African American person would have to work many years to be able to afford just one of those
items. Individual benefit seems more like a dream than reality, when factors like the color of
one’s skin come into play. Bambara states that “Equal chance to pursue happiness means an
equal chance at the dough ...” (Bambara p.256) The people need to stand by these ideals so that
trivial obstacles such as race will not harm the ability to make money.
The myth of individual benefit gives the people the right to enjoy similar living terms,
where they can at least be able to provide for themselves, and another. In “The New American
Divide”, author Charles Murray points out facts stating, in the 1960s, the upper-middle class, and
the working class shared similar lives in terms of family habits, and how they spent their free
time, based on the kind of work they do. This was the "American Dream" ironically back then
people had a better idea of what individually opportunity was, even though for this time period it
probably was not accessible for everyone. I believe that the way people in society lived back
then was what each of the authors thought, as general definition of how the “American Dream”
should be seen, being able to live comfortably with ones family. But, the people in society have
been brainwashed into thinking that the only way one was truly benefiting finically, was if they
could afford big expensive items. The world is becoming more divided because of such thinking.
Making the gap between the upper, and lower class that much wider, where now the upper class
is benefiting on the struggles of the middle class,and lower class. Based on what class one is
brought into the chances of success are much higher, compared to those who started off in a
lower class. Which is very unfair due to the fact that lower class person might be more
competent then the higher ranked one. Unfortunately the lower class does not have the resources
needed to attempt a chance a better life, so they keep working only to find they are stuck in the
same situation. Given no chance to gain a better life because the higher ranked get hired for the
best paying jobs while the lower class only can find jobs paying them have enough to scrape by.
The final reason individual opportunity is hard to obtain is because of gender it is proven
that today in the world men get paid more then women, we also tend to see men have higher
ranking positions in the work force. The reason we see this was because in the past women were
identified as the person who stays home, cleans, and cooks. So now society stereotypically thinks
that men are better at doing all jobs compared to a women. This is wrong in all ways because
women are just as capable in performing certain jobs. The outcome of a person pay should be
based on facts, and how they perform alone.
In conclusion the myth of individual opportunity has so many different meanings that
most people do not feel they are making a good enough profit to live comfortably in life based on
the fact that they cannot afford a ton of luxurious items. The person who’s goal, or dream is to
live in a big house, or own fancy cars is fine, it is also okay to just want to be able to provide,
and live comfortably with ones family. We as a people need to make it so that not only the
higher class, are the only ones capable achieve these dreams, and goals, but that everyone one
has a fighting chance at it. Leading to the reason why I agree with each author, and their
viewpoints on individual opportunity, that only way for a person achieve individual benefit is
when they are judged solely on their skill levels, education and effort in work. Regardless of
race, gender, and beliefs.
Work Cited
Bambara Cade, Toni. The Lesson. New York: Random House 1972.Print
Petttinger Tejvn. “Economics” www.economicshelp.org
Wortham Anne. “Equal Opportunity versus Individual Opportunity” The Freeman.
01 July 1975. Web. 11, Nov 2014.
http://fee.org/the_freeman/detail/equal-opportunity-versus-individual-opportunity
Murray, Charles. The New American Divide. Washington D.C.: Washington Informer 2010.
Print
Stiglitz E, Joseph. “ Equal Opportunity, Our National Myth” Opinionator. 16, Feb 2013. Web.
11, Nov 2014.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/equal-opportunity-our-national-myth/?_r=0
Ugbaja 1