Generational Progress

[SCPL]

Most parents would argue that they want their children to have a better life than they did in all respects – upbringing, education, opportunities, career, happiness, etc.

Vance discusses the story of his grandparents, Mamaw and Papaw, and how they moved from Jackson, Kentucky to Middletown, Ohio to have more job opportunities. Papaw worked for Armco, a steel company. They went from working class to middle class Americans. They expected their 3 children would all succeed and continue this forward progression. However, each of the children struggled: Jimmy moved out at 18, Lori dropped out of high school at 16 and married an abusive husband, and Bev (Vance’s Mom) became a single mother at 18 (page 45). Eventually, Jimmy and Lori would each have successful careers but Bev’s future doesn’t look as bright.

Vance looks at Middletown currently, with the collapse of Armco Kawasaki Steel and the deterioration of the downtown. He states that laziness is a factor, which he argues by pointing out that working class whites work fewer hours than college-educated whites (page 57). He softens that statement by also pointing out that part-time work is often the only work available.

What do you think? Is it reasonable to expect that each generation will continue to steadily progress and be more successful than the previous generation? Or, is it more of a pendulum where the successes and failures of each generation swing back and forth?

~Nicole~