Summary Four

How Urban Ethnography Counters Myths about the Poor” by Judith Goode

The title of an article usually alludes to what the piece of writing will be about. However, Judith Goode’s title tells a reader what the article is about. In the article, “How Urban Ethnography Counters Myths about the Poor” by Judith Goode, she addresses exactly what the title says. The tone of the article itself can be described as defensive, Goode stands up for the poor, and seeks to disapprove what tarnishes their reputation. In this article Goode addresses the harsh decision the poor must make to survive.

                Goode starts off the article by stating “Myths that justify an unequal social order by blaming hose at the bottom for their own lowly position have been widespread throughout human history.” [185] It seems it has become a trend for the poor to be blamed for their own misfortune. They are poor because their lazy, horrible people, and so forth. The thought of the poor being immoral usually develops within an industrial capitalistic society.  In such society’s the poor are dehumanized and thrown into the cultural of poverty.

                As the article progresses, Goode makes it her goal to refute the negative myths about the poor. She believes that many ethnographers such as Lewis and those who built their work on his have failed to note that the poor’s social behaviors are really survival skills. As the study of the poor advanced, many other ethnographers began to see the light and held a different perception of the poor. In order to survive they must work hard, develop strategies, and make harsh decision to survive.

“Even in the absence of formal marriage, a woman, by having a child, often extends her sharing network to include her nonformal ‘in-laws’” [Goode, 190] Many would believe that a woman that simply has a child out of wedlock is immature and immoral. That is not true, some cannot afford marriage and if the marriage doesn’t work out, they cannot afford divorce. By having a child with someone, they have a family and safety. A single woman with no in-laws or boyfriend is in grave danger. This is just one way that a poor woman can insure her survival.

I found this article very interesting. Not many people would take the time consider most of the things that are written in the article. Rather than thinking of how the poor must survive, they focus on the negative stereotypes. I assume that a lot of people still assume the worst about the poor.

“Office Work and the Crack Alternative among Puerto Rican Drug Dealers in East Harlem” by Philippe Bourgios

In the article, “Office Work and the Crack Alternative among Puerto Rican Drug Dealers in East Harlem” by Philippe Bourgios, the harsh life of poor Puerto Ricans are addressed. Once again the limited choices of the poor are addressed. The poor must make a living whether it be legal or illegal, they need money. To survive, humans need an income, and they will do what they must to get it. In this article, Bourgios explains why some of the poor turn to selling drugs.

 “All the creak dealers and addicts I interviewed had worked at one or more legal jobs in their early youth.”  [204] It seems that Bourgios wanted to banish the myth of drug dealers waking up one day and deciding that dealing drugs was their best course of action. Many of the drug dealers had started off with honest work, but were racially discriminated. They were humiliated on a daily basis because of their race or illiteracy. They worked hard, hardly made any money, and to top it off they were humiliated. All most all of the Puerto Rican males were prideful and just couldn’t handle the embarrassment. That is the reason why they turned to drugs. They can support themselves and they don’t have to deal with the disrespect.

I was a little disgusted by the article because the way women were addressed. I understand the unwillingness to conform because of the disrespect. But addressing a woman as a bitch just because they have to work underneath her is disgusting. They demand respect, but they can’t respect or wrap their minds around a superior woman, which is sad.

“Gangs, Poverty, and the Future” by James Diego Vigil

There is an occurring trend within the articles, the titles that address the majority of the article. In the article, “Gangs, Poverty, and the Future” by James Diego Vigil, the correlation between gangs and poverty are addressed. The poor live a very hard life and must make certain decision to insure their survival. There are a limited amount of choices and to some they might seem irresponsible. Many refuse to acknowledge the hardships of the poor and just view them as reckless. In this article the reason why the poor turn to gangs is addressed.

In the beginning of the article and throughout Vigil stresses these aspects, “Especially damaging are the social structural breakdowns that occur when family resources are strained, school systems overwhelmed, and law enforcement agencies overburdened in their attempts o solve the problems of troubled youth.” These are just some reasons why gangs develop in a poverty stricken neighborhood, but seem to be the most important reasons according to Vigil. The earliest explanation to why the poor and immigrant population turned to gangs was because of economic inequality. The “strain theory” was created to further explain the reasoning. The strain theory states, “The mismatch between the status goals established by the dominant society and the inadequate means available for low income people to reach their goals.” [Vigil, 233]

Most gangs are made up of males who grew up together in a low income neighborhood. The poor are forced into isolation; they are rejected and alienated simply because they are poor. They begin to consider themselves outsiders. Even though they are outsiders to those of the higher class, when in gangs they find a place where they belong. People of higher class fail to notice that they are also the cause of young males turning to gangs. The way they treat the lower class has its consequences and they should be aware of that.

The poor are mistreated and then people wonder why they turn to gangs. Not every one that is poor turns to gangs, but a lot do. Some of them are willing to work their hardest and ignore the humiliation. Others just can’t swallow their pride and do that. I would never want to become because I don’t think I could survive. The hardships that they face are unbelievable. Maybe if they were respected in schools and at their jobs, things wouldn’t have turned out to be so sour.