Rereading America 4

A way to get rid of Alger’s myths would be very hard to accomplish. You’d have to change the minds of those already made up and who have been thinking their own way for a long time. But, if something were to change, people would need to simply address the realization that our country’s era of everlasting potential is now over with. We are slowly diminishing our possibilities as a nation. As a nation we need to stop intentionally being ignorant or turning a blind eye to the notion that there is a problem here in our social classes. Even if it makes the wealthy feel uncomfortable, who cares? Would you rather keep feeling uncomfortable addressing these issues or help people take a step in the right direction so they can also have the opportunity to succeed in life. The only way that can occur is if the wealthy realize that people in poverty can’t just pick themselves up from their bootstraps. Alger’s myths make the wealthy believe that racism and poverty don’t exist, that people in poverty just need to try harder. Our working poor communities need to stop believing Alger’s myths that everyone can win. They need to stop fantasizing that if they keep working hard then they will move up in this society. They aren’t going anywhere with that mindset.