"Black-Middle Class Suburbia" by Karyn Lacy

"Black-Middle Class Suburbia" by Karyn Lacy was a very interesting piece about Black suburban families who, despite this economic fortune, were still dealing with problems of racism. The underlying idea among the interviews was that: "[They] [were] concerned with preparing their children to function in predominate white settings… [despite] [the] fear that their children will endure unnecessary hardship in these kinds of intimate interactions with whites (Lacy 216)." Parents living under these circumstances were primarily concern with the wellbeing and happiness of their offspring; ultimately they wanted their children to assimilate with white society to avoid the misery that they endured when they were growing up due to racism. To achieve this, many families wanted to bridge the gap by being open-minded to their children marrying into white families and attending white colleges, despite their past experience with racial discrimination. To the residents in these neighborhoods, assimilating to white culture by pushing white values on their children, will give them an advantage if they attend white colleges, develop affluent white contacts and live in a white setting. I think this is a very admirable concept, to pass on advantages to their children and instill opportunities embedded in their upbringing, however, due to the way society is built, it is a futile effort.

Are Human Beings Free?

Human being have been stuck in a perpetual cycle of social circles. This can be best observed in social dynamic between the rich and the poor. "Poverty is an example of how society makes a big difference in what people become. Although the general public argues that poverty exists because people freely choose that directions, sociologists rarely make this claim (Charon 97)." In actuality, it is not people that decide to stay in one social class, it is those at the top that keep those beneath them in their place. Many sociologist have studied the lack of freedom within society and have all come up with similar conclusions. Max Weber "believed in free action, yet almost all of his work showed how we live in an iron cage of bureaucracy (96)." Karl Marx had his opinion about freedom, but "spent his life showing how powerful society is (96)." Another sociologist said that "leaders are protected by an embedded authority structure (96)." What is this authority structure or iron cage? And why is bureaucracy keeping us locked up? What is the importance of the top remaining on top and keeping the bottom down? What's more, is it right and can we escape?

I think that this notion of power and superiors is just another implanted thought. When someone has the ability to remove themselves from this idea of ranking and social class, one can be free. It is thoughts that are the binding ingredient to maintaining a hierarchy of illusions; if we do not believe in the social system, one cannot be bound and restricted by it. Thoughts are a very powerful thing. Charon describes the importance and power that thought has on us: "If something or someone controls the actor, then the actor does not control himself or herself (96)."

Chapter 4 - Why is There Inequality in the World?

Culture influences our acceptance of inequality. "Inequality prevails in society, then, because it is supported by culture; and culture, in turn, most reflects the ideas, values, and norms of the most powerful people in society (Charon 87)."Charon's words are all too true. It is an accepted truth, an inevitable truth, and unavoidable truth. Our society is built upon the idea that someone is always superior and thus the other must be inferior. These ideas are brought to light through experiences, school, television and history. We just learn to live with it and survive through it. Charon says inequality is accepted "because it is what they are born into and have become influenced to believe it is the way the world must be (Charon 79)." So how are we supposed to know any different? I have been the inferior in an unequal dynamic with my parents. They were the dictators and I was the subservient being who did not have a say in any matter. Though this was a prominent period of my life, I fought my way past biased and preconceived notions and learned to accept not only myself, but everyone around me. It is inevitable that we are going to meet people different from us, but no one is above anyone else. During my time spent away from my parents, I lived in Miami. For the first time I was exposed to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. It was different and I had heard of their inequality growing up. The town that I lived wasn't very diverse and those who had a different sexual preference were looked down upon. Despite these ideas, already implanted in my head, I choose not to treat them any differently than I would treat myself. After learning more about this community, I knew they weren't any different from anyone else. Charon says "some inequality is probably inevitable," which is true in every sense of the concept (90). However, it is individuals that spread new ideas of acceptance than can make a difference; to resist what society has told us to believe. "People must work hard to prevent its emergence; once it emerges, they must work even harder to control it (90)" Now, with the idea becoming very much a reality, gay rights has been on the forefront of social and political groups to make a difference, to equal the playing field, to make things right and equal between different groups. Inequality does not have to continue to be a reality, we can fight for what we believe in to make a difference.