Under the affluence
Subtitle: shaming the poor, praising the rich and sacrificing the future of America
By: Tim Wise
Series: City lights open media
Published: 2015
Language: eng
Number of pages: 360
ISBN-13: 9780872866935
Subjects: Equality; Wealth; Discrimination; Racism; Social classes; Poverty; Social conditions; Economic conditions
Description: ""One of the most brilliant, articulate, and courageous critics of white privilege in the nation."--Michael Eric DysonTim Wise is one of America's most prolific public intellectuals. His critically acclaimed books, high-profile media interviews, and year-round speaking schedule have established him as a leading voice for racial equity. In Under the Affluence, Wise builds on his fierce critique of racial privilege to discuss a related issue: class disparity and a culture of cruelty that demonizes those in need.As Wise demonstrates, there was a time when the hardship of fellow Americans stirred feelings of sympathy, civic responsibility, and direct support for policies meant to alleviate poverty. But today, mainstream discourse increasingly blames low-income folks for their own situation, and the notion of an intractable "culture of poverty" has pushed our country in an especially ugly direction. Wise shows how the wealthy elite have commandeered discussions about class, moving the nation toward scorn and disengagement from the marginalized.With clarity and precision, Wise not only documents growing contempt for the nation's have-nots, but also explores the underlying forces that perpetuate it. In doing so, he demonstrates how classism, racism, and sexism are inextricably linked, and how popular culture contributes to a deepening indifference to those who are struggling. Finally, Wise shows that far from a culture of poverty, it is the culture of affluence and power that deserves the blame for America's simmering economic and social crises.Tim Wise is the author of many books, including Dear White America and Colorblind"--

"In this provocative critique of class and power in America, renowned anti-racist Tim Wise expands his well-developed analysis of privilege rooted in whiteness to include social domination wielded by the wealthy few. Tracing how sympathy for the underlcass, abundant during the Depression, has been erased, Wise counters the contemporary portrayal of the poor as riff-raff and the rich as celebrities"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 314-360).
Table of contents: title: I. Pulling apart: the state of disunited America. Joblessness and underemployment in post-recession America ; Poverty, wage stagnation and deprivation amid "recovery" ; Income and wealth inequality: long-term trends and current realities ; But what about mobility? Aren't the poor just temporarily embarrassed millionaires? ; Whodunit? Exploring causes of growing American inequality ; Some final words about race and the economic crisis; title: II. Resurrecting Scrooge: rhetoric and policy in a culture of cruelty. Past as prologue: the origins of class and cruelty in America ; The reformation: from social gospel to the New Deal and beyond ; The restoration: backlash, Reaganism and the liberal capitulation ; Bashing the war on poverty: the presumption of failure, the reality of success ; Victim blaming, poverty shaming and culture defaming in modern America ; The real reasons for unemployment, poverty and welfare ; Loving the one percent: the valorization of the rich and powerful ; With justice for none: the implications of a culture of cruelty; title: III. Redeeming Scrooge: fostering a culture of compassion. How did we get here? The importance of seeing the roadblocks clearly ; Beyond facts: the importance of storytelling ; Some things are not negotiable: developing a vision of a culture of compassion ; Moving to self-determination: empowering communities to control their destiny.