Money and Class in America

In American culture, money has been directly related to success. We idolize those we see on television or hear on the radio. We respect those who have nice belongings. Power is given to those we see with money. Those that have little to no money are not respected in the scheme of things, no matter how cultured their mind is. This money mindset is both a blessing and a curse, we always aim for prosperity but in that goal we don’t watch out for those around us. In our pursuit of money we will often treat others wrong.
Specifically it’s not money that Americans are after, it’s the things they can do with it. You can judge someone’s character best by paying attention to how they spend their money. Often, a good person will lend it out, donate it, or invest for the future. However, there are those that will continuously buy items that have no significance, they will throw their money away when there are people that only hope for that much. Many rappers throw money to the crowd at performances, this is to show they have it. With this gesture, they expect to be respected. But it cannot be called a donation in this manner. They throw away their money wastefully, to people they don’t know. They have no idea what this person is going to do with the money thrown at them. This is irresponsibility.
Until someone gains money, they will never be fully respected in America. As Lapham says “…if an American success is to count for anything in the world it must be clothed in the raiment of property.” Unless you have a lot of things with a lot of value, you won’t be valuable in many people’s eyes. This is different in other cultures. Native Americans appropriate family and togetherness as valuable. Some other countries describe skill in a craft as valuable. They have gotten over the feeling that money may give people, so why is it that we cannot? Money has become something of a religion in America, and the want of it is growing rapidly. I feel we need to rethink our values.

Death Penalty

I believe the death penalty shouldn’t be allowed in today’s society. It makes no sense in my opinion to take a life to prove that killing is wrong. Another form of punishment needs to be found, one that won’t leave everyone disappointed. Religiously, I believe we are not supposed to kill one another, we leave that to the higher power. Instead, when someone commits a murder, we punish them to the best of our ability. They do deserve their second chances. However, if they go beyond this second chance is a story we will not go into. I firmly believe that when a murderer dies, for natural reasons, they will have a God to answer to, and if they haven’t changed their ways they will receive their just punishment then. However, we must give them a chance to change their ways. They don’t have the ability to fully realize what they have done if we kill them.
This issue is highly controversial however, but I am glad that not too many people are supporters of the death penalty. If they were, I wouldn’t have a chance to meet my cousin. When I was very young, my cousin and his friends beat someone up to the point where they were killed. Fortunately he was only given a prison term, but this prison term was very long. No, what he did was far from correct, but I would truly love to meet this cousin one day. Though it would be sometime after I graduate from college, I know that I have family that has a chance to change and I can help them. I know nothing about him I’ll admit, but I would like to.
If he were dead right now, I wouldn’t have the chance to help him change, or even meet him. I would be losing someone in my life that may have been important. Yes, he did this to someone else, but does that really make it right to do the same thing? I’m fortunate that he didn’t get the equivalent of his crime, and I believe he is too. Hopefully he realizes the blessing he has been given and changes. That is my hope for all of those who get a second chance.