THIS IS A LONG VIEW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WEBSITE CREATED IN 2017. THE PAGES ON THIS WEBSITE CONTAIN ASSIGNMENTS THAT WILL EXPLORE AND ANALYZE TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED AND/OR CHOSEN BY ME. THE FOLLOWING VIEWS ARE EXPRESSLY MY OWN AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE STAFF OR OTHER STUDENTS OF LONG HIGH SCHOOL.
Why is the wealth gap a problem?
The wealth gap is a problem because all the wealth is being lumped on one side of the spectrum. Which wouldn't be such a bad thing if the money was trickling back down to the middle and lower class, but it is staying with the rich and therefore widening the wealth gap and strangling the people on the lower rungs.
The wealth gap is a problem because all the wealth is being lumped on one side of the spectrum. Which wouldn't be such a bad thing if the money was trickling back down to the middle and lower class, but it is staying with the rich and therefore widening the wealth gap and strangling the people on the lower rungs.
Animator/Cartoonist: $45,750-82,860 per year
Graphic Novelist: $48,690 per year
How can government (the people) help people live quality lives?
Providing affordable living so that people can still be functioning adults and will be able to improve.
What makes up a quality life?
Spiritual, mental, physical, social, and existential improvement throughout life.
What makes a neighborhood good for people?
Affordable living costs, childcare services, transportation (buses, light-rail, etc.), and a safe environment.
What makes schools good for kids?
An individualistic approach that addresses the needs of each student and that helps the ones who struggle and not just the successful ones (Long View).
How easy is it to escape poverty?
It is extremely difficult to escape poverty. Most people aren't in poverty because of incompetence or because they want to be there. They are usually there because of drug addiction, little to no education, physical or mental disability, or high cost of living. These factors are not something that can be fixed in a day or even a year. In order to escape poverty, there are a lot of things that need to be done and there isn't one solution that can cure poverty because everyone is there for a different reason.
Who still believes in the American Dream?
Pessimist “To have a family, to give them a proper home, and to be able to provide them a proper education.” —Nikki, Yazoo City, Mississippi (To have what you need to live a happy life)
Pessimist “To make money, raise a family, and to be safe. I was born a mile from here in Juarez. I don’t want my child to face what I had to face. I want the best for him and my wife.” — Cesar, El Paso, Texas (To pursue dreams safely and for your children to live a better life)
Pessimist “The American dream is dead, because we don’t have any values anymore. People only care about possessions, about things, about money, not happiness. Happiness comes from caring about others, about family, and about community. I have cared for and buried most of my family, and it has cost me. But it has been worth it.” — Karen, Tallulah, Louisiana (There is no American Dream for the idealist only the materialist)
Optimist “To live a successful life on your terms, to be accepted by others on your terms, and to accept others on their terms.” — Jose Villa, La Villita, New Mexico (To be successful and for everyone to get along)
Both “I have nothing. But I am free because I have God and I can pray.” — Enrique, Albany, New York (To be free)
Optimist “I am living the American dream. I have a job, a family, and my son goes to a great school, and if he works hard enough, he can have any job he wants.” — Miguel, Bernalillo, New Mexico (To be anything you want if you work hard enough)
Both “To get an education and then a job. I have both. But Appleton is changing. We have a lot of people already here, and others coming here who don't have either.” —Marsha Brewer, Appleton, Wisconsin (The dream is alive but not for everyone)
Pessimist “The American dream is long gone. Long, long gone. Politicians have ruined it, broken our values, sold out to folks with money who only care about themselves. Nobody cares about anyone who works with their hands anymore. We got to get this country straight again, before it all keeps sliding down into hell.” —Robert McAdams, Peru, Nebraska (There is no American Dream for the ones who need it because money controls it)
Both “Freedom, safety, and a good job. I have them now. Those on the other side of the fence in my backyard, living in Mexico, don’t have that. They climb into my yard and I find them hiding under my truck. They want what we have and we should be proud others want it.” —Blanca, Socorro, Texas (The American Dream is alivefor us)
Optimist “To provide for my daughter, have a job, a home, and an education. I am studying at Ozarks Technical College so I can provide for her, and she can have more than I have.” —Cheyenne, Springfield, Missouri (For your kids to have a better life than you)
Optimist “To be able to own the things you need or want. My relatives in Mexico don’t have that. They are struggling with money and worried about safety. Here in the U.S., if you work hard enough, you can get what you need.” —Alex, Denver. Colorado (To be able to get what you want and need)
Is the American Dream still alive? And do people of color have access to opportunities and wealth?
The American Dream is still alive to me because I have seen people overcome poverty and make lives for themselves that were better than their parent's. My grandparents are of color and are now very wealthy. My parents did not get any support from anyone and still were able to work their way up to a comfortable and modest life. It is difficult but the American Dream is plausible.
How is the economy doing?
I am not entirely sure how the economy is doing right now. However, I do believe that we are in a period of transition which will determine the health of the economy in the future. This transition, I believe, is one of recovery from recent restraints and that our economy will flourish once again.
Capitalism: our economic system.
Capitalism is a system in which a country's trade, resources, and industry are privately owned for profit.
This system is particularly beneficial for individuals who want to move up in the world but limits the power of the state. It rewards traits like hard work and ingenuity and punishes traits like laziness and thievery.
Alternatives to capitalism
Socialism- a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
Communism- a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs