America's Forgotten Working Class by J.D. Vance
Every day, children grow up in low income households knowing that they might not get that far in life. J.D. Vance speaks about how he lived in a steel town of southern Ohio where the economy was failing. He also talks about how he was one of those children who were able to get out of his town and make a good life for himself by becoming a lawyer. Vance goes further into the lives of low income kids, their challenges, and their journey to the American dream.
He briefly speaks on upward mobility, which is a popular American value, and he how he was able to be an example of it. He was able to move up the social ladder by going from living in a poor southern town in Ohio, to becoming a lawyer in California. A writer, Steve Tobak says that things like this are possible because of hard work and intelligence, and this is exactly what J.D. Vance did (The American Dream Is Alive and Well). He used his skills to get into a great college and managed obtain a well-paying job. This is something that many people are unsuccessful are doing because their communities tells them that they are not able to.
Vance explores on the topic of “brain drain” where talented people living in poor communities move to a financially stable area to promote their talents there and have better opportunities. President Obama mentions how his own father also participated in “brain drain” by coming to America from Kenya to make a better life, to achieve the American dream (Keynote Address). His community even failed at teaching him about making up his bed, waking up early, and doing laundry. He wasn’t able to learn those things until he joined the Marines.
Even though Vance was a poor child, he was able to achieve the American dream by persevering and using his talents in a way that help him move up the social ladder and become more than just another poor southern Ohioan kid.
He briefly speaks on upward mobility, which is a popular American value, and he how he was able to be an example of it. He was able to move up the social ladder by going from living in a poor southern town in Ohio, to becoming a lawyer in California. A writer, Steve Tobak says that things like this are possible because of hard work and intelligence, and this is exactly what J.D. Vance did (The American Dream Is Alive and Well). He used his skills to get into a great college and managed obtain a well-paying job. This is something that many people are unsuccessful are doing because their communities tells them that they are not able to.
Vance explores on the topic of “brain drain” where talented people living in poor communities move to a financially stable area to promote their talents there and have better opportunities. President Obama mentions how his own father also participated in “brain drain” by coming to America from Kenya to make a better life, to achieve the American dream (Keynote Address). His community even failed at teaching him about making up his bed, waking up early, and doing laundry. He wasn’t able to learn those things until he joined the Marines.
Even though Vance was a poor child, he was able to achieve the American dream by persevering and using his talents in a way that help him move up the social ladder and become more than just another poor southern Ohioan kid.
I enjoyed this Ted Talk because it really gave people a look into the life of someone who was able to defeat the odds and actually achieve the American dream when people told him it was never going to happen. form this speech I learned that the American dream can be achieve by anyone, and I also learn more about affirmative action. I have never heard the term before and this speech opened me up to it.