| In respect to hunger & poverty in America, the | | | | actual wealth, but rather with credit-lines. Their |
| U.S. people believe in a myth. The real myth is | | | | houses, cars, and clothes are all financed with |
| NOT that hunger and poverty don't exist within | | | | borrowed money. The majority of non-poor |
| America. Albeit, the prevalence of poverty hunger | | | | working-class Americans are literally on the brink |
| in America is largely downplayed and ignored by | | | | of poverty. Generally, their apparent wealth is just |
| the collective American opinion. Regardless, no one | | | | an illusion.To understand the prevalence of the |
| can deny the staggering statistics. In the United | | | | myth of meritocracy, one must understand the |
| States, 38.2 million people - including 14 million | | | | socioeconomic structure of the United States. The |
| children - live in households that experience hunger | | | | true wealth in the United States is in the hands of |
| or the risk of hunger. 3.9 percent of U.S. | | | | a few. The top 1% in the United States have |
| households experience hunger. 8.0 percent of U.S. | | | | more wealth than the lower 95%. Generally |
| households are at risk of hunger. Though often | | | | speaking, the upper-class doesn't work or |
| ignored, the facts are blatant.The real myth in | | | | produce. Generally speaking, this upper-class is |
| America is the myth of meritocracy - the myth | | | | unproductive and uncreative. Instead of being |
| that the poor are just lazy and stupid. Most | | | | workers or managers, the upper-class make |
| Americans seem to believe that the poor in | | | | money by share-holding and banking. Money |
| America deserve poverty. These people believe | | | | controls everything, so the richest of the rich |
| the United States is a meritocracy, in which | | | | don't need to work. Indeed, the |
| wealth and status is determined by merit. These | | | | government-sponsored dollar is mightier than the |
| people believe that the wealthy in the United | | | | sword.It's not in the interest of the richest and |
| States have earned their wealth through | | | | most powerful, the true owners of America, to |
| intelligence and hard work. And accordingly, these | | | | have a rebellious working-class. The powers that |
| people believe that laziness and stupidity cause | | | | be all have a stake in the continuance of the |
| poverty.The prevalence of this myth shocks | | | | non-meritocratic oligarchy. So, right from the start |
| some people, who wonder how over 14 million | | | | in the government-run schools, students are |
| U.S. children could deserve poverty. Children. The | | | | taught to believe in the myth of meritocracy. The |
| non-meritocratic reality is obvious to most anyone | | | | schools literally teach students blind nationalist |
| who has worked or knows someone who has | | | | patriotism. The entire social system, namely |
| worked two or even three jobs and barely earns | | | | schools, indoctrinate the people to believe that |
| enough to survive. Indeed, many intelligent | | | | America is completely fair and meritocratic. Any |
| hard-working American families struggle to feed, | | | | evidence that contradicts the myth of |
| house, and clothe themselves.It seems that the | | | | meritocracy is omitted from the courses, |
| belief in the myth of meritocracy isn't based on | | | | whether historical or contemporary. Indeed, even |
| logic or empirical evidence. Rather, it seems the | | | | women-oppressing Indian-killing slave-owners are |
| belief in meritocracy is based on desire and | | | | made out to be American heroes.A very small |
| cognitive dissonance. Not to say that the majority | | | | minority of non-working unproductive people truly |
| of non-poor Americans directly want to believe | | | | run America, and indeed most of the world. A |
| that 38.2 million American people are lazy and | | | | very small minority of people have all the wealth |
| stupid. Rather, the majority of non-poor | | | | and power. Simple Machiavellian philosophy says |
| Americans want to believe that they, the | | | | that those who benefit from the current social |
| non-poor, have earned their wealth and status. | | | | order will do whatever they can to keep that |
| The majority of non-poor Americans choose to | | | | order in place. Simple Machiavellian philosophy says |
| reject the notion that poverty is unfairly | | | | that those whom change would adversely affect |
| determined by non-meritocratic forces, because | | | | will furiously try to stop change. It is no surprise |
| they don't want to accept that their own wealth | | | | that the very small minority of wealthy and |
| is equally unfair. The majority of non-poor | | | | powerful leaders want to keep the current social |
| Americans don't want to admit that the majority | | | | order; they're living the good life. Wealth without |
| of the poor Americans are unlucky, because that | | | | work.The main way to keep the masses of |
| would entail that the majority of non-poor | | | | people from uprising is by tricking the masses |
| Americans are just lucky. Understandably, | | | | with the myth of meritocracy. Convince the lower |
| Americans want to feel like they are deserving, | | | | and working classes that classism is based on |
| decent citizens living in a fair meritocracy. They | | | | merit, and they'll keep going to their jobs. Even as |
| don't want to feel guilty, lucky or responsible to | | | | more children starve and middle-class debts |
| the poor.Unfortunately, this pretentiousness and | | | | increase, they'll keep going to their jobs. So long |
| arrogance alone cannot explain the prevalence of | | | | as the working-classes and lower-classes have an |
| the myth of meritocracy, because not only do | | | | inferiority complex, they'll keep working. They'll be |
| non-poor Americans believe in the myth of | | | | depressed, stressed, and hungry, but they'll keep |
| meritocracy, but also poor Americans believe in it! | | | | working. Nothing changes, and those few people |
| While arrogance and a desire to feel proud could | | | | with a stake in the oligarchy prevail. The |
| explained the non-poor Americans belief in the | | | | prevalence of the myth of meritocracy |
| myth of meritocracy, it can't explain why poor | | | | guarantees the prevalence of the oligarchy.And, |
| Americans believe in this myth. Just like non-poor | | | | as long as the oligarchy prevails and nothing |
| Americans, poor Americans believe that they are | | | | changes, 14 million American children go to bed |
| inferior and deserve to be poor. Poor Americans | | | | hungry every night. And, 16,000 children die |
| literally have - both collectively and individually - an | | | | everyday.Scott Hughes has a blog about hunger |
| inferiority complex. Additionally, working-class and | | | | & poverty at Also, Scott Hughes sells advertising |
| middle-class Americans never question their own | | | | on the home page of to raise funds to feed the |
| status in relation to the upper-class. Indeed, | | | | hungry. The goal is to raise over 1 million pounds |
| working-class Americans don't avoid poverty with | | | | in a year. |