The topic I would like to talk about this week is the
misconception of the word “welfare.” When we hear this word, we automatically
assume that the people on welfare are those that are lowlifes. What people do
not know is that everyone, not just the less fortunate, is actually receiving welfare
as well. The textbook definition of welfare is “people contributing to care for
others and for themselves. The system exist for two primary reasons: (1) to
create a “safety net”… (2) to provide for services that individuals cannot
provide.” In a sense, the world revolves around welfare. Therefore, welfare can
be universality or selectivity depending on your situation. What bothers me the
most is when people say, “all people on welfare are poor and lazy.” What they
don’t know is that there are actually many requirements that the participants
need in order for them to receive these benefits. For example, they must have a
job, or work X amount of hours per week. So these people are working just as many
hours as those who are not on welfare, but the reason why they need it is
because even though they work long hours they still cannot make ends meet due
to their low wages. The people not on welfare will then use the “blaming the
victim” approach, and will try and find any reason to blame the individual rather
than the society for the inequality in the economy, after all they’re the ones
making the people poor in the first place. The problem here is that instead of
addressing the big picture--the economy, they are blaming the individuals on
welfare themselves for making the economy bad. This is a problem because with
this mindset, nothing will ever be resolved; the rich will stay rich and the
poor will stay poor. What also bothers me is when everyone believes that these
“poor and lazy” people will live on welfare their entire lives and not find a
job to improve their life. What people don’t understand are these programs and
how they work. For example, the TANF program has a five-year limit, and limited
funding. There are many loops and
regulations that need to be met, and not everyone who applies can receive it
and everyone has to understand that. It is just mind boggling that some people
are so quick to judge, not taking into consideration that everyone is brought
up differently. Nobody wants to admit that they are on welfare, but in reality
we all are.
http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/11/common-myths-people-welfare/
Thanks for your post Endy.
ReplyDeleteI would like to elaborate further on the misconceptions surrounding welfare and the reasons it is needed so desperately in the first place.
First, most Americans are unaware of the fact that middle and upper class citizens receive benefits from social welfare programs at twice the rate that those in lower socioeconomic status do. Our society blames the families in need for using cash assistance and other means-tested forms of welfare because they have been deemed undeserving. On the other hand, the usually white, upper class Americans who have been born into more fortunate circumstances feel entitled to use their social insurance because they are deserving. (Abramovitz 2001)
Like you mentioned, means-tested welfare will always be needed in our society until the economy and job market are addressed and changed drastically. There are not enough jobs in existence for everyone in America to have one. Additionally, many jobs that are available, especially the ones most accessible to those born into lower socioeconomic circumstances, do not pay a living wage. How can we blame those who were destined to need our assistance? We need to carry our fellow Americans who are not as fortunate until the playing field is leveled! (Marans 2015)
Abramovitz, M. (2001). Everyone is still on welfare: The role of redistribution in social policy. Social Work, 46(4), 297.
Marans, Daniel. "There Are Not Enough Jobs, And Austerity Is To Blame." Huffington Post. N.p., 02 Oct. 2015. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThese misconceptions are mind blowing. Many people on welfare use it as a stepping stone to get their life on track. As we learned in class many individuals on TANF are only on it for 2-3 years. So that's shows that people don't want be on welfare forever. We have to educate people about these misconceptions so they can better on understand the individuals you use these government assistant programs.
ReplyDeleteThe welfare program as we know it is a tip of the iceberg as compared to what the rich are getting from the government in different welfare packages designed for them. It is like the pot calling kettle black and even though it is more than 3 times more expensive, the welfare package for the working and below working class is always cut and has been turned to a thing of ridicule. It is quite upsetting and the general public should be adequately informed on these facts and so not be ashamed to get what they are entitled to from the government.
ReplyDeleteThe welfare program as we know it is a tip of the iceberg as compared to what the rich are getting from the government in different welfare packages designed for them. It is like the pot calling kettle black and even though it is more than 3 times more expensive, the welfare package for the working and below working class is always cut and has been turned to a thing of ridicule. It is quite upsetting and the general public should be adequately informed on these facts and so not be ashamed to get what they are entitled to from the government.
ReplyDelete