The Value of Education

My mom has always told me that college was not a choice. She even said that graduate school was also not a choice, but a must. She even had the nerve to tell the parent's of a friend of mine who didn't go to college, that they were doing her a 'disservice.' I remember being shocked at the time at how strongly my mother felt about going to college. What was the big deal? I completely didn't appreciate that a) going to college is not something that everyone does (but the numbers are increasing). And b) going to college is more than a time in life to find yourself and have a good experience. It is furthering your education, making you more knowledgeable, which makes your more socially valuable. It is putting yourself in a different class of people. Which is definitely something I did not appreciate until now.
My mother has also said the importance of one's career. I had originally wanted to be a dentist going into SLU; however, I took one look at the curriculum and noticed a lot of chemistry...Chemistry and I aren't friends. So my plan changed, and I found myself in marketing. At the end of my sophomore year, my mom told me she thought I should change my major, to something that required more "skill." After biting my tongue and trying not to take offense at the comment, I realized what she meant. She continued by saying that if I wanted to have a life I had always talked about, I was going to have to make good money. People who make good money, have careers which other people can't do, because it requires more skill. That being said, she suggested I change my major to accounting or finance. These majors are seen as more valuable because they require a mathematical mindset, which is something not everyone can do easily; therefore, they are paid more. It is true that accountants make more money than a McDonald's employee, because handling the bank accounts for multi-million dollar companies takes a little more finesse than flipping a burger.
I realized my mother was saying jobs that less people are able to do or WANT to do- pay more. This is why jobs like being a maid or waitress pay so little in relation to other occupations. Because they do not require as much "skill." This is a reflection of functionalism. The idea Davis & Moore proposed that jobs that are seen as more functionally important to society pay more. For example, a Wal-Mart associate can be easily replace and disposed of. In society we reward people for hard work and more functionally important jobs.
What my mother has been really trying to get across is the value in education and how that will affect me for the rest of my life. I can have a hugely successful career in marketing, but it may not be as profitable as a successful career as an accountant or doctor. Because if you are in an occupation that is socially valuable, you will be paid more. Well hopefully, marketers will start being in high demand...because as a graduating senior, it seems a little late in the game to become an accountant now. My fingers are crossed.
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Colleen Dreger
dregercm@slu.edu
847.682.4614

Turns Out Minorities Aren't the Only Ones

I previously blogged about how interesting I thought it was that a friend of mine does not embrace his Mexican side. I thought about how this happens sometimes with minorities. Then, I began to reflect. I began to realize I do this exact thing very frequently!
I am over 75% Irish, the other 25% being mostly German, with a hint of French. I have a very traditional Irish first name, and my middle name is even more Irish: Màire (pronounce Maura – it is Gaelic, which is very old Irish). As anyone of my close friends could tell you, I have an immensely strong Irish pride. However, to my “dismay”, my last name is completely German. I can not even recall the amount of times I have said something along the lines of, “Yes, my last name is German, but I’m over 75% Irish! It’s not even FAIR!” Or when people ask me what nationality I am; I usually only respond with Irish and rarely mention my other 25%.
I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why?” Why did I make such a big deal about it? And all I can say is that I am more proud of my Irish background than my German, which is not even a sound answer. I think it is because my family heavily emphasizes my Irish side (my Mom being 100% Irish). My Dad is the one who I get my German from, and he is simply indifferent about it.
I had never really thought about how it does not have to necessarily be in relation to a minority for someone to want to cover up or hide where they come from.
The pride one has in their nationality, race, or heritage, largely comes from outside factors. In my friend’s case, his Dad cut ties because of the social stigma, for me it was a family factor. However, in the end we can never really escape who we are and what our last name is… I guess being a woman I could change that…Just marry Irish. Ah Ha! The answer to all my problems.

Fighting the Heritage

We have been talking in class a lot recently about the significance race plays in society, but also on an individual level. One way to categorize race is by language. One language that we have identified as having a stigma is Spanish. It is seen as “non-white”, therefore making it different. Certain assumptions come from outsiders, along with speaking this language. Sometimes people of Spanish decent try to cut ties with their Spanish heritage in order to get away from these assumptions.

A very dear friend of mine is 50% Mexican (from his Dad) and 50% Puerto Rican (from his Mother). However, they only truly embrace their Puerto Rican side. For the longest time, I could not understand why. I found that it was because of the heavy influence from their father.

Their father did not have any pride in his heritage. When I asked him (the Dad) once on occasion about if he had ever been to Mexico, he responded “Absolutely not. And I plan on never going.” He clearly has a problem with this. As sociology minor, I was very intrigued by this. So I dug a little deeper. It turns out that the Dad does not like to embrace his full Mexican heritage. (I say “full” because, he does make a mean homemade salsa and some of the best tamales I have ever had. Cooking is where he embraces his heritage most.)

My friend has a very "American" name; however, his younger brother’s name is very clearly of Spanish decent. I found out that the Mother wanted to name my friend “Junior”, a typical name for the first born in a Spanish household. However, the Father put his foot down. “No way, was my boy being name something like that,” he said as he was recalling the story. (The Father lost the battle of naming his younger son.) He said that his Dad did give him such a blatantly Hispanic name.

I still did not quite understand why there was such a resistance to his heritage. I found that it all started with his childhood. He was the only Mexican in a predominantly black and Irish neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. I imagine he had tried to fit in his whole life, and being Mexican he had always felt he was challenged. So in turn, he cut ties with some of his heritage in order to make sure he was not associated with this group.

I found out later, that it had been something his father had done as well. He wanted to make sure that he was not necessarily fighting the stigma, but taking himself out of it completely. He believed he was at some sort of disadvantage by playing up his Mexican side. So in order to oblige with rules and norms society had developed, he cut himself away from his heritage.

Rich means Longevity

The theory explained in the article "Life at the Top in America…" had never completely occurred to me before. Richer people of society, like Mr. Miele, are at a greater advantage in the world of medical attention, than those of Ewa Gora of lower class status. Although Miele and Gora both had the same medical problem, they received completely different treatment; which resulted in vastly different permanent health problems. Because Miele had several connections at better hospitals, he was given much better treatment, because it was available to him. Whereas Gora, after neglecting care because she was afraid of the costs, did not even have a choice in which hospital she wanted to go. Gora was sent to the
So let’s say Miele represents one part of society (rich) and Gora another (poor). One group of society was able to maximize the resources at hand better; therefore they were able given the advantage of better health. This sounds a lot like Marx’s conflict theory. Resources are made more available to those of the upper class. Similarly in the example of education, because wealthier families spend much more money on their children’s school preparation when compared with their poorer counterparts, children from lower income families whose knowledge and skills are far behind those of their classmates from wealthier families enter school at a disadvantage. The same can be said about medical attention. Because wealthier people are able to spend money on surgeries and medications, their conditions are better. Compared to poorer people who can’t take time off of work when they are injured or ill, so that only makes their medical condition worse, with faint hope of improvement. I think this is a sad aspect to the stratification of society. I think it’s different when speaking about how, “wealthy are at an advantage because they can afford to go to college”, versus “wealthy people are at an advantage because they can afford their heart medication.” This is something that I hope really changes. Because it’s true that everyone has the right to go further an education or get that great job, but at some point we have to look at the basics: everyone has the right to live a long and healthy life regardless of their social status.

America: Melting Pot or Not?

After the article 15 Years on the Bottom Rung about Mr. Peralta and Mr. Zannikos, I began to wonder about the diversity of this country and how it is accepted and/or how it is not. America is viewed as a melting pot. "America has traditionally been referred to as a "melting pot," welcoming people from many different countries, races, and religions, all hoping to find freedom, new opportunities, and a better way of life." – Joyce Millet

The key difference I see from Millet’s quote is the word welcoming. America may welcome other types of life, but do we ever really accept them? Not really. How many times have you heard someone (in America) get frustrated talking to someone who doesn’t speak English, and finally they cry out “This is AMERICA! Learn the language! We speak English!!!” This is a true testimony for how Americans really feel about the melting pot theory. We are not accepting of other’s cultures, including language. And wouldn’t a melting pot mean that we accept the traditions or cultures of others?

Also, Americans try to force traditions or ways upon immigrants or minorities, just as the example above shows. In that same sense, Americans commonly do not have much tolerance for other culture’s traditions. In my hometown of Elgin, Illinois, there is a large Mexican population. On Cinco de Mayo, there are a lot of celebrations: block parties (or fiestas, if you will), Mexicans driving around with the Mexican flag on their car honking and yelling. The non-Hispanic people of Elgin do not try and embrace Mexican culture. This is not to say that they have to embrace, but they should at least tolerate it, but they don’t. People are usually very annoyed and I have heard comments made frequently regarding their celebratory actions. “Better stay at home today [Cinco de Mayo], Mexicans are running around like buffoons,” is how an elderly neighbor once described this day to me. Not so tolerant or accepting.

And by the same token, do immigrants living here ever feel the need to divulge into American culture. In 15 Years on the Bottom Rung, Mr. Peralta attempts to learn English (being a Spanish-speaking native), but then stops because it is too difficult. It is not completely imperative that he learns English, because he lives in a Spanish neighborhood and his jobs don’t require him to speak English. So in some sense, there are just separate sections of culture and nothing really ever has to mesh together. If people don’t have to learn English or more importantly, accept the American culture, how can we say we are a melting pot?

It if far more common nowadays to claim that America is a “Salad Bowl” or a “Mosaic”. The Immigrant populations of America are not “melting” with society, they merely exist. Wikipedia says a melting pot “is an analogy for the way in which heterogeneous societies become more homogeneous…” Clearly by the way American society is as separated as it is, America is not a melting pot. We are a society that consists of many different other societies- like a puzzle, salad, or mosaic, but not a melting pot. Maybe this will change in my lifetime, but for now I can’t help but wonder: how can America be a melting pot if none of the ingredients ever melt together to become one cohesive entity?

College Preps

I had a few insights after our discussions in class about the article by Eagan about obtaining a college degree.
One's outlook on college is largely affected by their environment, namely their high school environment. Anyone will tell you there is a large difference between private versus public high school. It was discussed in class the difference between the prep that is given at each type of schooling. Public schools are just trying to push their students down the aisle at graduation and calling that a success, whereas private school go to many lengths to prep students for college. I have a brother who is a sophomore at a very competitive private high school. There, it is not a question about if you will go to college, rather where you will go, and how many ivy leagues schools are you applying to? The curriculum at this high school is centered around a good education that will prepare a student for furthering their knowledge at college. They make it very clear to the students that this is the school's mission. Before my brother takes the ACT, he will have taken approximately 10 practice ACT tests proctored by the school during school hours. The message is clear - these kids are going to college, no buts about it.
I couldn't help but wonder, "What if public schools responded to their students the same way?" Challenging their students to continue their education versus settling for high school diploma as enough. What would happen if public schools just raised the standard for their students? The gamble is that there would be those students who reject the harder curriculum, but would having a few less students walk down the aisle of graduation be worth having 10 more students apply to college? Its a hard thing to justify; however, I really think that students need to be encouraged to go to college.
In this day and age, it is imperative that a person gets the highest level of education possible. And students in situations where they might not believe that is possible for them, need to be shown possibilities that will lead to opportunities. I think these possibilities need to be fostered by the high schools which they attend. If they are told they can do it, maybe they will believe they can.

Pie for Table #12?

After reading Nickel and Dimed, I could not stop thinking about how people slave away to a week’s pay that may amount to a shopping trip for Paris Hilton. I began to think about if I have ever seen that happen or been like that? Have I ever just blatantly taken advantage of money in this manner? I am embarrassed to say, “Guilty as charged.”

Gee’N’Jays – I was 14 and it was my summer job. A small Mom/Pop ice cream fast food place. Frying chicken fingers and making banana splits was how I spent those summer months. I didn’t particularly like my job; my tasks weren’t challenging, my manager was disorganized, and my friends were usually at the pool while I was asking a 7-year-old, “Want one scoop or two?”

One other major reason was this I was doing this job to earn a spending money for the summer. To be honest, my disinterest in my job (and subconsciously knowing I didn’t desperately need the money) led me to not care about my performance. There were other girls who had been there for years, who loved it (or seemed to) and this was their life. I would show up late, and they would be thirty minutes early. I would be watching the clock and they would be watching the door. Needless to say my work ethic was severely lacking; but it stemmed from a lack of need. There was not animosity between us, but it was an understood difference of work ethic from different forces pushing us there. They were the oldest of the families, and they were expected to pay for everything on their own, whereas I was more fortunate and had a majority of my expenses paid for by my parents. This was one of the first times I realized how people value money differently. More so, how people who are more fortunate take their benefits for granted; I was guilty of this.

At the time I felt like I didn’t need to work as hard as those girls. Why? Because I did not value the work I was doing, because the money meant something else to me. It did not mean I wasn’t going to have gas in my car or clothes on my back. When I got a measly paycheck I was not expecting it just meant my social life was shattered by not going to the movies that Friday night…inretrospect, not that earth shattering.

But when people are living only because of the job they have, it would seem like they would perform better. However, after reading Nickel and Dimed I found that was not the case. In one of the waitressing jobs Ehrenreich had, she did a little extra work making the desserts look presentable, and quickly was scolded by a co-worker “Don’t do that!! Now he (the manager) is going to make us ALL do that!” Clearly, this woman wanted her minimum wage with minimal work. But is that such a crime?

Maybe there were other circumstances, maybe this woman had another source of income, so she didn’t have to worry about the money as much? But still, she realized that the least amount of work still gets her the same pay check of someone who does more. It may have gotten Ehrenreich a pat on the back from the boss…but that’s about it.

I think this chronic laziness occurs because people realize their potential at these minimum wage jobs. They are not really going anywhere fast. So their self-image is completely destroyed. These people are getting paid dirt for dealing with people who treat them like dirt. They come to realize after a while, that if table #12 doesn’t get his apple pie exactly 5 minutes after he orders it, the world is not going to end. So then what’s a few more minutes? Take a smoke break. Joke around with the cooks. Complain with the other waitresses. And so on. Praise from a job can only do so much. In big coroporate jobs, praise from a boss can be interpreted into something else, maybe a wage increase or a promotion. But praise from a manager of a diner, doesn’t get you any closer to anything. And that is why people who work in minimum wage jobs don’t care to get the praise, which leads them into a severe downward spiral of half-ass work.

By the way, table #12 is still waiting for his pie…

Debutante Balls: A Family Affair

After watching the documentary "Invitation Only", I was reminded of my recent journey to Mobile, Alabama for my first debutante ball. A dear friend of mine was a "deb" (debutante...obviously) herself, just as her sister was 4 years earlier. I had known about the great day almost a year in advance, and was told to clear my schedule.
The amount of work that had to be put into this affair was amazing: finding the perfect dress (which my friend didn't, so she simply had one made to her specifications of perfect), choosing a crown, developing a guest list, having invitations made, hair done, manicure and pedicure (even though she was wearing closed toe shoes, but that is simply besides the point)... and the list goes on. The weirdest part is how I understood all of it, and never passed any sort of judgment, unlike many of my "yankee northern" friends who thought that this event was preposterous.
Many of my friends did not understand what the point of this ball was. I tried to explain that it was a tradition and a good excuse for a party. After returning from the ball I had a new perspective on why the ball takes place. I think what goes unnoticed at these debutante balls is the emphasis on family. Much of the actual ceremony at the deb ball involves the father and daughter. And not in a "he's auctioning her off to society" kind of way, but it was truly endearing. There were several father/daughter dances, which was the very traditional part of the ceremony, however, after those dance numbers, it was a time for my friend to celebrate with family.
In the video, Rebecca Snedeker interviews many people who believe Deb balls are a family tradition, and I have to say after attending one, that is how I see it too. I understand that exclusivity of the event is controversial, however I see it simply as a tradition.
More so, it is not always just about power and money. The women who are chosen to be a part of the deb ball my friend participated in were chosen as women who "...showed good character, and were outstanding citizens in their community, participating in local community service..." And the money that is raised goes to a different organization each year.
I think from the video deb balls are not given all the credit they deserve, because they are not all like that: about money and exclusivity. I think it is important to know that there are more to deb balls than glittery tiarras, white long gloves, and grandmother's pearls.

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