"Black Men and Public Space"

Brett Staples’ essay, “Black Men and Public Space” exemplifies the way black men are stereotyped where as they seem frightening, aggressive, and hostile. Staples first began his essay with an anecdote to illustrate to his readers his main focus in the rest of his essay. He then identifies the problem in which is at hand towards the young black men and he then express his own input on how the black man is stereotyped. His purpose was to inform readers about how black men are mistaken for muggers or rapists, and he intended to enlighten people who are afraid of black men, in order for them to not be so antsy when they come close to one. As a black male himself, Staples seems to have an audience towards everyone who stereotype black men in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. He then identifies the problem in which is at hand towards the young black men and he then express his own input on how the black man is stereotyped. His purpose was to inform readers about how black men are mistaken for muggers or rapists, and he intended to enlighten people who are afraid of black men, in order for them to not be so antsy when they come close to one. As a black male himself, Staples seems to have an audience towards everyone who stereotype black men in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.

 

Discussion Questions

Clarification- How do you think black men under the same description as Staples’ confide with the people that stereotyped them?

Application- How do stereotypes effect us as people on how we treat others?

Lie, Cheat, Flirt. What People Will Do to Keep a Job

Alise Park's article "Lie, Cheat, Flirt. What Will Do to Keep a Job" (March 12, 2009), elaborates on the scandals people would do to keep their jobs during the bad economy recession that we are in now. Park first was a survey made by Harris Interactive from Feb. 25-27 to focus on what tactics people would use to keep their jobs. She then elucidates the facts about how 1,200 American workers resulted in the survey about the scandals or lies they would continue to do in order for them to keep their jobs. Lastly, Park identifies the issue of keeping/ maintaining a job. She says, "People are very frightened of losing their job, and they become threatened". Her purpose is to show people how low others would stoop to maintain their jobs. Her audience that she conducted would have to be both workers and non-workers to enlighten them on what is really going on around them.

Questions:

1.) Park goes on about how the surveys showed people's true colors. What do you think Park was trying to get out of writing this article?

2.) What do you think you would do to keep your job while being in such a bad economy?

THE ARTICLE

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1884573,00.html

Chunk # 4 of Nickled and Dimed

Barbara Ehrenreich's self evaluation let's her realize things that she have accomplished as a low-income person. She found out that people are not paid enough for their work that they have done and that they should be paid more. She noticed how poor people are talked down on as if they were lazy, when in reality they are having one or two jobs to try and make it in this world. In the end of it all Barbara learns a lesson that you never take anyone for granted or you do not look down on them. She felt that she came through with her experiment and did exceptionally well.


Question:
Barbara felt that she was a good aspect to the low income world. Do you feel that she could have done better or could she have worked a little harder and made better descions?

Barbara made some pretty big mistakes and she didn't realize it until later. Do you think you would make those same mistakes if you were put in her shoes?

Chunk # 3 of Nickled and Dimed

Barbara then becomes an employee at Wal-mart. She is now making more mistakes. She moved into a motel that costs more than what she could afford right now since she is only making $7 an hour. The motel costs $400 and she could have instead stayed in a room for $19. She also makes another mistake by taking the Wal-mart job instead of working somewhere else for $10 an hour because she doesn't want to do any plumbing work. Barbara is making mistakes that a young person would make and not a grown woman. WHile she is working at Wal-mart she realizes that they are getting paid less than what they should be getting paid. They have to deal with customers that are rude and disrespectful and they have to deal with bosses that are snappy. Barbara starts to get a little ticked off with the customers and her boss, and she then think of a plan to start a union with her other fellow co-workers because their pay is too low for their work that they are doing. Unfortunately she leaves and does not start the union leaving all the underpaid workers still underpaid.


Question:
Barbara felt that she could change something with her co-workers but instead she decided to leave. If she would have stayed, do you think the union would have have worked? Do you think that she could have made the union successful?

Barbara makes many mistakes during this time of her researched study and she doesn't know what she is doing. Or do she? Do you think Barbara decided to make those mistakes of having a low paying job and a high priced home on purpose?

Chunk # 2 of Nickled and Dimed

In the second chapter of Nickled and Dimed Barbara becomes a dietry aid and a maid. She does well with them both and she becomes a very good dietry. All she had to do was clean up after a few elderly people and wash dishes and vacuum. Her being a maid wasn't so bad either. But then she starts to feel that she is less than what she is. She feels that the wealthy people that she clean up after looks down on her and that she is no more a wealthy person like them but an underpaid worker for them. They make her feel bad and gets her angry by doing that. Because she is feeling this way she begins to act unprofessional and acts up towards her male supervisor Ted. She do make new friends by taking up for them from Ted causing her to get a raise and respect. Then she realizes that she should move on from that job because she is not liking the treatments that come along with it. After revealing herself to the workers before she left she stirred up thoughts from them that wondered why she had been undercover and also she made someone feel modivated by her analysis.



Questions:
Because Barbara was feeling like she was worth less than what she was because she was a maid she became a little hostile an unprofessional. Do you feel she should have acted the way she acted or do you feel that she should have just quitted and left it alone?

Barbara felt that wealthy people can talk down on middle class people simply because they make more money. In reality, is this true? Or do people with wealth actually respect the middle class people?

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