My understanding of debt is how one owes something to another person, a bank, creditors, ect. Debt is something people try to avoid, even though sometimes it is inevitable. With the high interest rates, there can be no way of avoiding debt. I feel there is a negative view on debt. Throughout Graeber's article he touches upon the morality of debt.
"'Surely one has to pay one's debts.' The reason it's so powerful is that it's not not actually an economic statement: it's a moral statement. After all, isn't paying ones debts what morality is supposed to be about? Giving people what is due to them. Accepting one's responsibilities. Fulfilling one's obligations to others, just as one would expect them to fulfill their obligations to you." pg. 4
This is an interesting statement that Graeber made. It seems as though, the right thing to do is pay back your loans. From the article, it did not matter the cost. He referenced to Madagascar and how they had to cut funding for the mosquito eradication program which then caused ten thousand people to die. Also, Malagasy people were extremely taxed after they were colonized. With being heavily taxed, the Malagasy people also did not have a choice when the french started to build railroads, highways, bridges, etc. Graeber also stated how if the Malagasy people objected too strongly, there were slaughtered.
Is it morally right to lose the right to vote, to lose the right to live, even face jail time, etc just to pay back a loan? Why does force need to be placed? Is debt a type of power?How much is one supposed give up to pay back a loan? I think this is the underlying message in Graeber's article. How is it fair to put some in extreme measures for the sake of money.
Can there be anything done to change the way we view debt and create more ways to help people out of debt? Are there other ways then cutting necessary programs and putting people in harms way? These are the questions that came to me while reading the article.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
media magic - mantsios
The media has a big role in our society. Most of our knowledge comes from what the media feeds us. "'The news media provides meager coverage of poor people and poverty. The coverage it does provide is often distorted and misleading" (Mantsios). With Mantsios stating this, many people who use the media as an educational source can be receive false information which than can form these biases some people may have today.
Having social work as a major, has opened my eyes more to this. Even though, at one point in time I did feel the same way as people did as Mantsios explained. I used to think how people brought it upon themselves if they were poor, etc. With education, brought to my attention why we victimize the poor and why people actually become poor. There are so many factors that can contribute, family, environmental, the types or employment, societal, etc.
I read this article on my break while I was working. As I was reading all I could think about is the side comments my coworkers would make of certain customers. Working in retail they become "accustomed" to seeing people use the system. They are often disrespectful and judgemental to people who use food stamps and use the food stamps to buy junk food. Often stating comments such as, "why don't they spend their money on healthier food, I bet they are just going to sell it, I can't believe I am supporting these people with the taxes I pay, I should just go on welfare, why don't they try harder to get better jobs." It's hard to hear the comments my coworkers make because they are only seeing these people in this snapshot of a moment. We do not know where they came from or where they are going. Who are we to judge. "the media does put a face on the poor, it is not likely to be a pretty me, The media will provide us with sensational stories about welfare eats, drug addicts, and greedy panhandlers.." How the media portrays the poor does not give us a chance to think otherwise.
"When the media does cover the poor, they are often presented through the eyes of the middle class." We do not see the poor as people we could help. The media portrays the poor just as Mantsios says 'eye sores'. As we talked about in our last class about some of our experiences with the homeless how they cannot be trusted because they must be using the money for drugs..To conclude my rant, we do not try to attempt to help them, we just leave them there to fend for themselves. We do not see the poor issue and a macro issue.
Having social work as a major, has opened my eyes more to this. Even though, at one point in time I did feel the same way as people did as Mantsios explained. I used to think how people brought it upon themselves if they were poor, etc. With education, brought to my attention why we victimize the poor and why people actually become poor. There are so many factors that can contribute, family, environmental, the types or employment, societal, etc.
I read this article on my break while I was working. As I was reading all I could think about is the side comments my coworkers would make of certain customers. Working in retail they become "accustomed" to seeing people use the system. They are often disrespectful and judgemental to people who use food stamps and use the food stamps to buy junk food. Often stating comments such as, "why don't they spend their money on healthier food, I bet they are just going to sell it, I can't believe I am supporting these people with the taxes I pay, I should just go on welfare, why don't they try harder to get better jobs." It's hard to hear the comments my coworkers make because they are only seeing these people in this snapshot of a moment. We do not know where they came from or where they are going. Who are we to judge. "the media does put a face on the poor, it is not likely to be a pretty me, The media will provide us with sensational stories about welfare eats, drug addicts, and greedy panhandlers.." How the media portrays the poor does not give us a chance to think otherwise.
"When the media does cover the poor, they are often presented through the eyes of the middle class." We do not see the poor as people we could help. The media portrays the poor just as Mantsios says 'eye sores'. As we talked about in our last class about some of our experiences with the homeless how they cannot be trusted because they must be using the money for drugs..To conclude my rant, we do not try to attempt to help them, we just leave them there to fend for themselves. We do not see the poor issue and a macro issue.
Monday, February 4, 2013
about me! for class matters
I'm just a tad bit late to create my blog. I'm Jasmine. This is my last semester at RIC. I'm a social work major with a minor in women studies. I want to take this class/helps me achieve my goal of having a minor. My grammar sucks by the way, and very random. My life consists of juggling work and play. The majority of the time I spend is working. I am currently employed at CVS as a cashier and I am a bar-back/server at a bar on friday and saturday nights. The reason why I cannot always complete homework on the weekends. I end up sleeping on sundays. I'm somewhat nocturnal. Don't know why because I love sleeping. This last semester caught me by surprise and I'm trying to play catch up.
Anyway, I'm really excited to learn new things in this course!
Anyway, I'm really excited to learn new things in this course!
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