His dad then went nuts. "What do you @&@&@&@& want to learn to read for? You gonna #&#&#&#&# be better than your folk!!? !@!@%!%@ "
I see your example as more of a cultural issue than just rich vs poor angle. Though Texas is a tri-culture; the Hispanics and Blacks were the minority and lumped together under the separate but equal laws. I am not certain of the Black culture in reference to the above example but the response you received from your friend's father is very similar to Hispanic culture. You are to be happy with your place and not push to better yourself. If it was good enough for your grandparents and us than it is perfectly fine for you. (And if anyone hasn't seen "Real Women have Curves" I highly recommend it. It is a great example of the 'typical' Hispanic culture and a girl of intelligence who had to battle her mother to simply go to college. Hispanic culture is all about family extension and is why many of them live with multiple families under one roof. (Not that that part was relevant but I find the culture interesting and love the idea of extended network all under one roof.)
So when reading your example I found it shocking to be from a Black family and granted I am being general in my statements to the point of stereotyping which I hate, but the Black culture has come from a great deficit and have had to literally break the chains and build from there; so having the attitude of good enough is interesting.
The Rich vs Poor argument is used to distract people from the very real power of choice that they have to make their lives better. At its root it tells people they are powerless to change things and switches the blame from themselves, their parents, their families, and their communities to others who, in reality, do not accept that they are powerless. It allows them and their community leaders to shirk responsibility for their lives. As a corollary it also places a lot of power in the hands of those who can get others to agree that they are powerless.
For kids from broken homes and poor areas, you have to target the parents and the group norms, not the kids. Once one parent or grandparent is motivated, then the rest is easy.
I don't agree and find this argument too simplified and think culture is a huge part of it, not just the Rich vs Poor. It is bred in us and isn't exactly the easiest thing to overcome. But you are correct in that the target for change has to be the grandparents and parents but it definitely will not be easy. I see it more as a pebble tossed in the pond with small ripples, not giant waves such as you suggest. Winning over a parent/grandparent would perhaps open the eyes of the family for one child but not the entire community.
