"FALLING FROM GRACE" (KATHERINE NEWMAN).   Term Paper ID:19628 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Reviews work on "experience of downward mobility in Amer. middle class."... More...

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Paper Abstract: Reviews work on "experience of downward mobility in Amer. middle class." Paper Introduction: A Review of Falling from Grace: the Experience of Downward Mobility in the American Middle Class by Katherine S. Newman During the last few decades, downward mobility has affected the lives of a variety of middle class Americans, by temporarily or permanently changing income levels, curtailing lifestyles, and ultimately impacting on personal goals and expectations. Falling from Grace: the Experience of Downward Mobility in the American Middle Class, by Katherine S. Newman, examines the circumstances of four different groups of the downwardly mobile: white collar managers, air traffic controllers, blue collar workers, and divorced women. The book examines how these middle class Americans attained their particular class and income standing, Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. When comparable employment cannot be quicklyfound, the manager takes this as a personal or character flaw rather thanpoor economic conditions. Singer began to diversify beginning in the 195 's; by198 the factory had stopped manufacturing consumer sewing machines. Many, however, are let go without warning. The significance of Singer history is that the closure was notunexpected; it was plain for many years that the Elizabeth factory wasoutdated and cutting production. Families with generations of Singerworkers felt unable to sell the family home, uproot themselves, and moveelsewhere. Mostdivorced men's income, on the other hand, rises (2 2). Many continuing victims of downward mobility are blue-collar workersin factory towns whose main industry has closed down. Whateverthe causes, it was obvious by the 197 's that the plant's days werenumbered. Loyalty to the cause of organized labor had made them heroes. The situation, however, remained at a deadlock, and theworkers were unable to work at any Federal Aviation Administration airport. The book examines how these middle classAmericans attained their particular class and income standing, theirinability to soon find comparable employment once fired or laid off, howother family members were affected, and how the workers adjusted to makingthe changes necessary to stabilize their lifestyles. Upuntil World War II, the company did well and the Elizabeth factory was infact one of the biggest industrial facilities in the U.S. Of all the downwardly mobile, white collar managers often have themost difficult time reconciling their fate with their own and society'sexpectations. Downwardmobility, however, is a fact of life that will continue to affect anestimated one in six managerial or professional workers (25). Limited application of their specific skills,a virtually non-existent job market outside of the nation's air trafficsystem, and the belief that the situation couldn't last indefinitely,prevented many from successfully re-entering the work force. The reality of never againattaining the heights one previously achieved is diametrically opposed tothe belief of achievement through meritocracy, and the expectation thateach generation's material success should surpass the last. Many airtraffic controllers felt that it was the only job they were suited for andused their unique talents (147). Newman During the last few decades, downward mobility has affected the livesof a variety of middle class Americans, by temporarily or permanentlychanging income levels, curtailing lifestyles, and ultimately impacting onpersonal goals and expectations. In1982, the plant closed. Falling from Grace: The Experience of Downward Mobility in the American Middle Class. The loss of thecontrollers' employment wasn't perceived as a personal failure or lack ofeffort so much as government interference in labor issues (154). The striking air trafficcontrollers had a more positive attitude toward their actions, but lack ofalternate training prohibited them from regaining their incomes. Falling from Grace: the Experience ofDownward Mobility in the American Middle Class, by Katherine S. Newman,examines the circumstances of four different groups of the downwardlymobile: white collar managers, air traffic controllers, blue collarworkers, and divorced women. After thewar, however, the main product of the company, sewing machines, faced adiminishing market. Although downward mobility can affect a wide range of the middleclass, reactions will differ depending upon social and family support,individual expectations, economic conditions, and the circumstancesregarding the loss in income. But many blue collar workers of Elizabeth were unable to planahead, despite the overwhelming signs. No-fault divorce and community propertylaws have made property division much more even, but potential earningpower has not been included as an intangible asset. Victims of downward mobilityusually suffer alone, their families becoming insular and uncommunicativewith the outside world. Founded in 1873, Singer had providedemployment for as many as four generations of workers in one family. TheSinger blue collar workers found themselves a dying breed in an economyshifting from manufacturing to the service sector; these workers felt theyhad a valuable craftsman tradition with no opportunity to demonstrate it.And divorced women without significant job skills found themselves facing areduced lifestyle commonly accompanied by partial or no payment of childsupport by the father. When a working wifesupports her husband through medical school, for example, and they divorce,the husband takes away the greater earning potential in the marriage.Children then see their father's lifestyle as being much more lavish.Because of the high cost of child care, timely payment of child support bythe father is essential. It is not an uncommon experience intoday's world, yet there exists no institutionalized or socially acceptableway of dealing with such circumstances. In a society that so highly values self-worth, theproblem becomes a uniquely American dilemma compounded by the circumstancesof a dynamic, unpredictable economy. Familyand friends were sympathetic, even in the face of significant family incomereduction. Some male breadwinners cannot even admit totheir wives that they have lost their jobs and cannot be rehired, until thetruth is no longer avoidable (51). Older workers felt incapable of learning new skills in order tobe more marketable. For white-collar managers, the spectre of downward mobility is anincreasing fear as it becomes more widespread. In many ways, thedownward mobility of these white collar workers has the potential to be themost catastrophic: some have taken on heavy debts in the form of luxurioushomes, lavish recreational lifestyles, and social obligations. Downward mobility, according to Newman,has become a "hidden dimension" in our society that has received littleattention and is rarely discussed (9). A Review of Falling from Grace: the Experience of Downward Mobility in the American Middle Class by Katherine S. Of the four groups examined, author Newman devotes the most space tothe plight of displaced middle and upper managers. Initially, many felt that thenation's airports couldn't function safely without seasoned air trafficcontrollers. (177). One cause of downward mobility is not related to overall economicconditions, but rather the earning potential of women once they divorce.It is estimated that for typical middle class divorced women, their incomedrops to twenty-nine to thirty-nine percent of its pre-divorce level. The enactment of stricter penalties fordelinquent payments would raise the living standards of many familiesheaded by women. Most analysts agree that the situation of divorced women iseconomically inequitable, but so far, legal remedies have proven to beineffective or even detrimental. The workers did not feel personally responsible, butblamed the company for failing to realize the resources blue-collar Americahas to offer. Free Press, 1988.----------------------- 8 These managers, many of whom have not looked for a job in decades, areparticularly ill-equipped to re-enter the job market. The strike by the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization(PATCO) in 1978 affected approximately 11,5 air traffic controllers bycosting them their jobs when President Reagan declared the workers fired ifthey did not return to work. Newman concludes by pointing out that the loss tosociety of these trained and motivated workers is significant, and downwardmobility is a concern that may begin to obsess even those who haven't yetlost their jobs but see signs that they someday may. Although women mayreceive a combination of alimony and child support, the fact that womenstill have less earning power per dollar than men indicates that downwardmobility after a divorce will be the rule rather than the exception. Psychologically, however, the strikers suffered less than otherdisplaced workers such as the white collar managers. Government displayed no interestor understanding of their situation. Even if the manager lost employment due to a generaldownsizing in the industry, foreign competition, or other market conditionbeyond an individuals control, managers typically believe that they haverisen through the ranks because of personal initiative, drive to succeed,and superior performance. Under some circumstances, employers may help fired or laid-off workers look for other employment with a cushion of severance pay orother temporary financial help. The author calls her book Falling from Grace as a typical reactionAmericans have of those who cannot maintain a middle class lifestyle oncethey have attained it. While analyzing the phenomenon of downward mobility, Newman alsoexplores the larger meaning that downward mobility has to American society:the stigma of losing one's social class, the secrecy with which the middleclass American guards his or her income, and an overall belief inmeritocracy and the work ethic. They also felt that PATCO had accuratelyrepresented their interests, yet the U.S. For theseemployees, age at the time of job loss is critical: those in their twentiesand thirties have a much better potential of being rehired than those closeto retirement. Newman cites theclassic example of the fate of workers in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and theclosing of the Singer Company plant. White collar managers may suffer a drasticloss in income if they have been well-paid but cannot find employment soon;these workers may blame themselves for their career slide despite adverseeconomic conditions or other outside reasons. "Old timers" who had begun to work byWorld War II date the downfall of Singer to 1949 and a shift away fromcraftsmanship and quality to production speed and quantity (185). Works CitedNewman, Katherine S. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.