Downward Mobility Families
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Downwardly Mobile Family
Financial instability is merely one of the negative repercussions of downward mobility. These men and women once held a secure position, lead a comfortable living and had strong faith in a promising bright future for their family. The middle class are victims to this downward slide and slowly but surely watch their resources slip from their fingers as their future plans are shadowed by distress and depression. Contrary to general belief, these Americans do not comprise of the poverty population, but those worked in blue collar positions, possessed educational backgrounds, and were secure homeowners that were financially stable parents.
Social norms measure success by monetary means, owning a home and providing sufficiently for the family monetarily or through opportunities ensuring upward mobility such as education. Americans personify these expectations through the father, announcing him as head provider and breadwinner. In turn this secures power in the familial unit. Many times we are so quick to criticize this resource dynamic that we overlook the pressures and consequences when father figures financially fail.
Not only do the pressures affect dad, but leak into the marriage and creates unbalance in the family. Occupational dislocation, a very result of downward mobility, happens instantaneously; however the repercussions are many times felt years after unsteady unemployment...