Kristof

U.S.A., Land of Limitations?
Nicholas Kristof

Argument

In his article, Nicholas Kristof argues that where you are born and how you live will affect you all your life. 

While reading his article you will notice how Kristof reflects on this argument throughout the entire thing. He talks about how people who come from higher income families will have high income later on and be more successful due to their wealthier background. But in comparison those who come from a low come family will have low come later on in life and have less success due to their background. 

He talks about Rick Goff who was born into a low income family with multiple issues. His mother had passed when he was young and his father was an alcoholic and absent from the family, and went to a school that did not recognize the attention deficit disorder and did nothing to stop him from dropping out. This man grew up poor and worked as hard as he could to make a living and be as successful as he could be. 

The way people are brought up to live will be what they carry their entire life. If someone is born into a wealthier family they will only know the customs to that and not what those who are from poorer families. He states “That’s a poverty that is far harder to escape.” to show that when people are in poverty they will always be looked at like that there is no escaping that view. 

Questions/Comments/Point To Share:

What really gets me is that this article is only a year old and it still accurate today. The claims Nicholas Kristof was making I agree with. People who come from low income families are still looked at as being unsuccessful and won’t get a good education or job and will struggle all their life. His friend Rick Goff is a perfect example of this because Goff  struggled his life to be successful like society portrays success to be. He was a single dad trying to manage everyday life, and his low income background stood out here.