Paper Example on Waging a Living: Does Work Provide Enough for Working Americans?

Q.1 Issues of Poverty and Inequality Seen In 'Waging A Living' Using the Structural-Functionalist Perspective

The assumption by many people is that once employed one has enough money to sustain themselves and their families. However, the contrary may be right for many men and women who go to work every day in the hope that they will be able to provide their families with all the basic needs making it necessary to investigate whether or whether not working Americans have enough for their essential commodities for a decent life. In Waging a Living, it is evident that the workers are struggling to provide for their families with their little income even though they are employed, hence poverty.. One character is Jean Reynolds, who is a 51-year-old certified nurse working as an assistant in Keansburg, NJ. She has the responsibility of taking care of her family, which is comprised of three grandchildren and an additional two members.. She is the leader of her union at work, which is pushing for an increase in what they earn, which turns out successfully. However, she has worked the same job for more than 15 years, meaning that she is not credible for a salary increment and continues to earn a maximum of $11 per hour (Goins).

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The oldest daughter of Jean has cancer, and it is a constant struggle for Jean to pay the medical bills and at the same time, maintain the household, which requires further expenses. The situation worsens when she decides to take the custody of an additional two grandchildren making her wage too little to sustain their living (Goins). This makes it difficult for her to pay bills resulting in her eviction from their home. Jean and her family are faced by the imminent challenge of living in home shelters at which point she decides to focus on public assistance though reluctantly (Goins). The authorities keep turning her down the applications she makes for support, but eventually, they accept her application after learning of her sickly daughter who qualifies for assistance (Goins). The story of Jean shows how functionalism can be used to explain the society many Americans live in. Functionalism explains that poverty in the community can be avoided by having well-constructed systems as the failure in the system are transferred to the people. It also reveals that poverty has a function in society. In the story of Jean, for example, the authorities working to provide care for people like her and other homeless persons would not be functional. This means that the careers of these people would not be in existence, and they, in turn, would not be employed.

This is to subsequently mean that the poverty and suffering of other people is the source of employment for other people. The government also pays low wages to workers, which ensures that they have to go to work every day to provide for their necessities. Subsequently, as they can see the effects (poverty) of unemployment in society, they are forced to stay at the underpaying jobs to not suffer the risk of being unemployed. Poverty also ensures that low-quality goods have a market.

For Jean's family to eat and survive, for example, they have no alternative but to buy the cheapest groceries, some of which may be of poor quality. If she was to buy expensive items for her family, they might not be able to afford their next meal. Low-quality housing also gets a market in the face of poverty as people have the choice of living in those houses or on the streets. The house portrays this she receives from welfare. Jean's daughter, who is suffering from cancer, makes survival for her family hard as Jean has to balance between paying the medical costs and household costs. By having a well-constructed society and government, the treatment for fatal diseases like cancer should be cheap if not free. As a disease like cancer is expensive to treat, it means that most American families are just one fatal/chronic disease away from poverty. This is because, in the event of such an illness, most of the money earned by a household is directed towards the healthcare of the affected individual. The sick person is also incapacitated to work as they spend most of their time either at home or at the hospital, meaning that they become dependent on other people for their survival. Escaping poverty by these families becomes an imaginary thing as they struggle on the little they have. Davis Moore argument is relevant to the study analysis since greater functional of social significance requires rewards; stratification is related to the non-matching value of distinguished jobs in society.

Q.2 Issues of Poverty and Inequality Seen In 'Waging a Living' Using the Conflict Perspective

Hard work improves people life; it does not matter the race, color, and socio-economic stranding point. Waging a Living reveal what people are facing in society as they work hard to find a living. Many people work for long hours in the United States and other regions, but they continue being poor. To provide a solution to the problems that are noted in society, it advisable to use a real-life situation. Wage a Living gives a scenario of four individual earning a different amount of money and working hours. Some own works in states where they are no social support, houses are expenses, and other essential living expenses. These type of people tend to use their salaries for additional costs which they should not be paying for and eventually left with little amount.

People live in an inactive status of life even if they earn a tremendous amount of money. There are several problems in the society which deprive the living standards of people; Jean Reynolds makes 11 dollars per hour but has many responsibilities to take in the family. Jean is left with three children, including a child living with cancer who needs lots of care. She finds the salary not enough to cater to her needs because the local government does not provide medical care to the children. Barbara works very hard to accomplish everything, but problems in society do not let people like Barbara live a better life. On the contrary, after engaging in several tasks and responsibility like family care, their work, and classes, they still flourish in poverty.

Conflict is also a constraint to social and economic progress in society; it is varied from personal levels, family issues, and workplace conflict. Jean is a victim who reveals social problems that are evident after divorces (Goins). Despite having several responsibilities to take her husband's leaves her and continues with his life. Wife and husband conflict greatly influence poverty in society. Jean earns enough amount of money that can cater for some needs in the family but not sufficient to cover all expenses. A man saving increases after divorce but women are left with their kids and takes responsibilities. However, if men can support their children even after divorce, people like jean could not suffer many problems. Conflict t in the family limits the individual to attend to their issues and work. Another issue that is influenced by family conflict is the capacity to provide care. Jean is a nursing assistant aged 51 years old, which means that she is aging and therefore, would have difficulties in providing medical assistance to cancer-stricken daughter (FAMVIN Newsen, np). Women are affected by family conflict than men; in fact, men continue with their life leaving women to wander around seeking alternative means. Mary Venitteli, who is 41, struggles with her job as a waitress and going through a divorce (Goins). Finally, she tends to turn to the local food pantry, but she could not afford to pay her dues and expenses.

Inner conflict is another type of social problem that is evident in Waging in Living. All four individual are seen to struggle with stress and uncomfortable situation, which leads them to a dilemma. Forty-two years old Jerry Longoria, who works as a security guard his salary rated $ 12 hourly is not sufficient to cover all his expenses (Goins). He spent much his time in his job sometimes he is seen to contemplate on his career and find another job because he thinks that the situation is not well paying. Many people in society are left with dreams which are never reached because their position cannot cater to their expenses. People like jerry in the community are desperate in life and curse the life they are living; some of them devalues their self-concept. For instance, jerry wishes he can find someone who can direct him on what to do. He wonders whether other people are living the type of life security are living. People in social conflicts with their minds and perceives everything as bad luck. Jerry is a good example who reveals that people engages in other activities like activism union to mainstream the standard of living (Goins). People leave their tasks and forget their dedicated works to see their loved ones and children.

Government-Citizen conflict is a form of conflict when citizen feel that they are not provided with the social support they deserve. Karl Max once contributed to social class conflict, which is the case in society and as seen in Waging a Living, some people produce wealth and those who assist others in providing wealth; this is the problem in the society (Lee and Newby 145). Activist unions are meant to help the low earning citizens to cater to their needs through social support. However, this is not what the activist in Waging in Living asks for. Instead, they ask for changes which would increase their salaries in a bid to cater to their needs. All four individual mentioned have higher pay than people from other places; the main problem is that there are social issues that make their salaries seem inadequate (Goins).

People engage in demonstration and other activist reform groups to make local government air their issues to the federal government. However, it is miserable that local authorities discourage such individuals upon activities to address their grievances. Some of the things that the government and people disagree on are; salary increment, health benefits, and successful campaign. David Moore argument on social problems could be used to use mainstream issue in society; this is capable when better rewarding is given to employees (Lee and Newby 105).

Works Cited

FAMVIN NewsEN, 7 Oct. 2015, famvin.org/en/2005/11/21/waging-a-living-movie-about-the-working-poor. Accessed 24 July 2019.

Goins, Rachael. YouTube, YouTube, 22 Nov. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIXFyLXSBuo. Accessed 24 July 2019.LEE, DAVID. Problem of sociology. Routledge, 2016.