NYT Ch. 8 Fifteen Years on the Bottom Rung

After reading "Fifteen Years on the Bottom Rung", I find it very ironic to say that America is the land of opportunity. There is undoubtedly lower or working class people can work hard to move socially upwards in the class ladder but Peralta is only one of the minority cases that managed to live a little bit better off in American than he did before in Mexico.Peralta's case also brought up the fact that race is another factor that affects a person's class in the U.S. society. Without having legal status to live in U.S., Peralta is constrained to work in certain jobs that doesn't require any proof for legal status to stay in America. Moreover, the reading mentions that he lives in a poor environment where he cannot file a complaint against the unfairness because he is in U.S. illegally (123). His identity kept him to in the same class position no matter how hard he works. Therefore, the reading states that there is only progress but not success.

Peralta's experiences imply how important education is in leading a better life. Although the article "Education-Based Meritocracy: The Barriers to its Realization" points out that there is a weakening relationship between education and job outcomes, I disagree with the authors' conclusion. From Peralta's experiences, he lacks of education, therefore, he is constantly stuck in their class position. The point that I am making is that education may not definitely get you a better job but at least a chance. However, not receiving any education would definitely constrains the choices you can make in your life.

In Ch. 7 "No Degree, and No way Back to the Middle", Martinelli and his colleagues' experience in the factory also illustrates a fact which opposes my view that some people may be better off to work in the factory by leaving college like them. Nevertheless, the present society is moving forward continuously. Unlike the old days, it is impossible for teenagers to leave college and begin to work early because once they do so, they will be eliminated through competition later on. If we do not equip ourselves with sufficient knowledge and skills, how could we keep up with the pace of the society?