Portrayal of the Lower Class :: Sociology

Portrayal of the Lower Class When the words poverty comes up what are the first things that come to mind. Usually the first thing thought of is the perception of a man with a torn skiing cap, tattered plaid jacket, dirty gloves, no shoes and living under a bridge. This is, like most stereotypes the extremity of the problem. The homeless you see on the street does not exemplify everyone in poverty. Most live in a very small apartment or complex with some food and water. Poverty by definition is the state of having little or no money and few possessions. This definition even says that not all in poverty are without a home or food or even clothes, it simply states that it is not a substantial amount. So how is it that new and everyone that is shown in poverty is always shown in rags on the corner? One reason is for the exact reason these people are in this state, money. Relief Organization and Companies raise millions if not billions of dollars a year on the aid of the less fortunate. Is it really tangible to believe that every drop of this money is going straight to these people? No, some of the money has to be going to patrons or even the fundraisers themselves. Even no-profit organizations spend money on bettering their own facilities. These people are not taking out enough money for there to be a question, but money is lost in translation. I don't mean to sound like a pessimist, but most people in this world are looking to expedite there way into money. What better way than to pluck the strings of another ones heart and have them willingly give you money? You might ask yourself how this plays into the role of stereotyping, its falls into affect when the media and government gets involved. Media sets up a portrayal of people who are poor and misfortunate as having absolutely nothing so that generous people will want to give more. As seen in hurricane Katrina, the media only showed riots in the street, African Americans looting stores, and people will no clothes on standing in the middle of the street in knee-deep water. You might want to know how embezzlers, the government and the media both have an impact on the stereotype of poverty.