Individual Society: Thoughts on Income Inequality and Social Mobility

This article discusses income inequality, social mobility, and the documentary 'The One Percent'. It explores the issues arising from income inequality, justifications for unequal accumulation of wealth, and the possibility of poor children getting rich in the US. The article also includes a reference to a video clip on social mobility.

Running head: INDIVIDUAL SOCIETY 1
Individual Society
Name
Institution

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Individual Society
Q1. Thoughts and Connection to the documentary
The issue of income inequality is quite fundamental and needs to be addressed in a more
robust manner. However, Jamie Johnson conducts his interviews but he is obstructed by his own
thoughts rather than listening to the response given by those he interviews (Johnson, 2006). As a
result, the documentary does not authentically address income inequality in the United States. I
believe that wealth is created and in a free society, anyone has a chance to create wealth. Those
who are considered to be rich solve people’s problems by creating opportunities for them either
in terms of businesses or employment. Money in the hands of an individual can consistently be
used in the society to generate more wealth ( Lucas, et al., 2018).
Q2. Issues arising from income inequality.
In the film, Karl Muth says that the rich have taken over the buildings that were meant for
public housing. As a result, the investors force the original dwellers out of their homes. At the
same time, the new structures lead to the people being deprived of social amenities including
sporting courts, public social amenities such as mail boxes among others. Income inequality also
leads to widening of racial discrimination. According to one colored person, when the rich set up
the structures, the “niggas” are accused of being drug dealers (Johnson, 2006).
Q3. Justification for unequal accumulation of wealth in society.
Although most politicians make deals that benefit them at the expense of other people,
Milton Friedman argues that these politicians and rich people only play a role in the political
system. Adnan Khashoggi agrees to have financed the CIA in support of the Iranian rebels to
supply them with weapons. The rich also justify their wealth accumulation as results of business

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in a free system. On the other hand, the developer believes that social stratification also leads to
people becoming better than they originally were. Some residents think that it is good to see new
developments.
Q4. Possibility of the poor children getting rich in the country.
A. The father is hopeless as a result of what the developers has done. Although he may want
the child to be successful, on the other hand, he is scared at the pace at which the rich
accumulate wealth and believes that his son may not find an opportunity to get rich.
B. The father also considers the fact that it is difficult for a black child who is born in a poor
family to be among the top earners. According to data, a black American born in a poor
family has a 50% chance of remaining in the poor status and a 3% chance of being in the
upper income earners category (Reeves, 2014).
Q5. This video is thought provoking. First, the video is made by an heir to a family that falls in
the top one percent group. Moreover, Jamie Johnson’s father also featured in a movie that talked
about income inequality and the social classes. However, the father is not willing to participate in
the interview for fear that the son would face trouble from the family members, and he has no
solution to the problem. It is not quite clear whether the rich are concerned with the problem of
income inequality or it is a mockery to the poor.
Extra
Video clip: “Is America Dreaming?: Understanding Social Mobility.”
This clip provides a lot of data on social status. However, it also outlines the fact that
America has a dream of achieving equality and shows that it is possible for each member of the
United States of America to have the same opportunity as any other (Reeves, 2014).

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References
Lucas, S. R., Swidler, A., Voss, K., Fischer, C. S., Hout, M., & Jankowski, M. S. (2018).
Inequality by design. In The Inequality Reader. Routledge.
Johnson, J. (Director). (2006). The One Percent - Documentary [Motion Picture]. Retrieved
August 15, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK35cxb3rkA&t=377s
Reeves, R. (Director). (2014). Is America Dreaming?: Understanding Social Mobility [Motion
Picture]. Retrieved August 15, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=t2XFh_tD2RA&feature=youtu.be