Kristof Post - Argument

In Nicholas Kristof's article, "U.S.A., Land of Limitations?" Kristof argues that in recent years this country has allowed social class to hinder the opportunities and growth of children and adults. Kristof opens his article by saying, "I fear that by 2015 we've become the socially rigid society our forebears fled, replicating the barriers and class gaps that drove them away." Kristof is bringing to light the fact that what our country originally prided itself on (opportunity) is now falling into a societal pattern which other countries in the past have fallen victim to. The United States is allowing those who are already in poverty, to remain in poverty, and those who are rich, to remain rich.

Kristof says, "talent is universal, but opportunity is not". Meaning that everyone in the world has talents, but not everyone has the same chances to display those talents and use them. In my own experience, two aspiring dancers may both be equally talented, however only one of them can afford the fancy dance studio where all of the opportunities lie to make it in the dance world. The dancer who could not afford the studio falls victim to the social class gap that we have in our society and is forced to find a different path.

Kristof acknowledges that some people who are in the lower classes slip through the cracks and overcome amazing obstacles and become very successful people; this is not usually the case however. Children who grow up in a low income household, may be forced to drop out of school to be able to work and help support the family. However, because of their little education they cannot get a job that pays more than minimum wage, and now that they have dropped out of school they are stuck in this low income environment for the rest of their lives.

Here is a video that focuses on two students, one from a rich community high school, and the other from a poorer district. It outlines the differences in their learning environment that make it obvious why a student is more likely to succeed later in life coming from a wealthier area. Two things that stuck out to me are how the students get to school and what the school is able to spend its money on. In the wealthier school district, most kids drive to school which allows them to get there early and have more study time. In the poorer district most students have to take all sorts of public transportation (which they must pay for) and barely make it to school on time. In the wealthier community, the school is able to spend money on more tools to enhance student's learning, as opposed to the poorer school which has to spend its money on security measures to keep the students safe. It is a prime example of the class gap Kristof is arguing in his article.