A review by vforvanessa
The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler

5.0

If a single cause were identified, a remedy might be readily designed. It would fit neatly into a liberal or conservative prescription. If either the system's exploitation or the victims' irresponsibility were to blame, one or the other side of the debate would be satisfied. If the reasons were merely corporate greed or government indifference or impoverished schools, then liberal solutions would suffice. If the causes were only the personal failures of parents and children, then conservative views would hold. But "repression is a seamless garment," as Salman Rushdie wrote. This is repression of a kind, and it lacks clear boundaries that would define the beginning and end of accountability.

This book reinforces what, I hope, is already known by the educated audience reading this review: "working harder" is seldom the solution to poverty, and those of us who are succeeding in middle or upper class lives have reached this point not just because of our own gumption but also because of some fortuitous combination of birth, wealth, positive role models, education, stable upbringing, and good luck.

Do the poor sometimes make bad choices? Of course, and we're introduced to many throughout the book. We also see how many of those cases are simply people who've never been taught any better, who've never had the education or good role models to learn parenting skills or workplace etiquette from, who lack the services accessible to those with even a little extra money (therapy, tutoring, babysitting, etc.). Yet others are doing everything right, but due to bad fortune - car problems, a sudden illness, etc. - find themselves struggling to make any progress.

Overall, an eye-opening read, even if you already acknowledge that the solutions to poverty are more complex than political talking points boil them down to. One single, easily-applied solution will never untangle the complex web of problems and disadvantages faced by people trying to pull themselves up into prosperity. Let's acknowledge that and hold our leaders to it next budget or election.