Among cities in the United States, Syracuse, New York continues to be impacted by rising poverty. With socioeconomics ranging from affluence to indigence even in our County of Onondaga, the harsh side-effects of income inequality are becoming more apparent. While some families in the county make $120,000+ a month, others bring in as little as $8,000 a month.
After the development of the I-81 highway which split the city into two parts, the divide between the rich and the poor only worsened causing an increase in violence, hunger, unemployment and a decrease in education. With little access to health care, safe neighborhoods, healthy food, and education, people living in the under-resourced areas of Syracuse, like other US cities, are at a significant disadvantage. Their marked financial separation increases their individual risk for stress, low self-esteem, depression, and other physical diseases. Although many are quite resilient in their efforts to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, the constant need to worry about money and how to pay to keep food on the table can take a toll and tax one’s mental health and happiness. So, can money, to some degree, buy happiness?
Arthur Brooks, American social scientist and musician, attempts to answer this very question in his book Gross National Happiness: Why Happiness Matters for America - and How We Can Get More of It. Brooks argues that contrary to popular belief, income inequality is not the perpetrator of unhappiness in America. Instead, Brooks contends that one’s outlook on personal mobility controls one’s happiness. Brooks argues that when Americans believe that they have the opportunity to succeed, their mental state improves. But what if someone is disadvantaged with little perceived hope for success? Is his or her frustration and desperation not justified? It would seem that Brooks might subscribe to the common expression of ignorance is bliss, where one’s false hope often shields one from their surrounding, harsh realities. If, by contrast, someone is unrealistically optimistic about their potential to rise in the workplace despite the known barriers, then it makes sense that they might be happier than their counterparts who may be less hopeful. Fortunately, people are more educated on this subject and that is why approximately half of Americans find this income gap to be “a very big problem." Although positive outlook can correlate to one’s happiness, having access to essential resources is essential to increase one’s happiness because it ensures that individuals are given the same capacity and opportunity to thrive.
Even though according to the PEW Research Center, income inequality is at the highest it has been since the 20s, Brooks explains that, “Millions and millions of poor Americans climb out of the ranks of poverty every year,” demonstrating that, “Hard work and perseverance hold the key to jumping from one economic class to the next." This is very misleading evidence; not only does Brooks not fully describe how individuals are able to move up “the ranks,” but he doesn’t wholly account for those in the middle class who are slipping down the ranks. With huge numbers of people remaining poor and even falling deeper into poverty, while the top 1% of Americans holding a third of the wealth in the country, a report in The Journal of Economic Issues demonstrates that poorer individuals feel severe stress relative to their poverty, which ultimately worsens their own health. It can be argued that stiff income disparities often cause despair among those who feel they have little control over their lives due to their low salary. For example, Genea Coston, a current Syracuse resident and single mother of four, supports her family with $400 a month. Reporter, Alana Semuels, explains how, “[Coston] wants more for her kids, but is worried that they are trapped, and that after so long living in concentrated poverty, she’s ‘cused out’—slang people in the city use to describe someone who has given up on a better life."; this exemplifies that Coston’s inability to move her family out of an unsafe neighborhood not only causes her distress, but also profound despair. Additionally, one’s hard work does not always correlate to their work-related success, as portrayed in Coston’s situation. For instance, “shift-workers” have very rigorous and intense jobs that require them to work irregular and ungodly hours, yet they still make little money. Women, African-Americans and Spanish-speaking individuals are further impacted the most by income inequality, yet no less ambitious and hardworking than their white male peers. As minority groups dominate many Syracuse neighborhoods, it is not surprising that wage discrimination is so prominent throughout the local communities. As inequality increases, both nationwide and in Onondaga County, the lower class neighborhoods are suffering more than ever before.
Brooks’ main argument is that if the happiness of Americans is dependent on income inequality, the percent of happy individuals should be decreasing because income inequality is increasing. This is a bold, and yet very vague claim that cannot be backed up by a single survey conducted. One reason that this particular argument is invalid is because there are several determinants of happiness, many of which are unrelated to income, such as education, relationships, work, war, or politics. Brooks does not ensure that the individuals who partook in the survey represent all of America’s population, including those who are suffering; consequently, readers don’t know if America as a whole is truly getting happier, or just a particular group or region that was interviewed. Brooks furthers his argument that “People’s happiness rises when the average income increases relative to their own income, if they believe they have opportunities to succeed; they interpret the income average as a measure of their own potential." But as explained in The Journal of Economic Issues, “this may be a result of feelings of inadequacy as well as a lack of will power, control and self-determination." Although the number explicitly on one’s paycheck may not change one’s mental state, the interpretation and consequences of the lower wages do alter one’s mood and well-being.
Although money can improve one’s life, absurd amounts of money do not greatly increase happiness. Money that provides people with safe and secure housing, financial security, education, healthy food, and access to healthcare, however, can significantly enhance one’s quality of life and in turn, improve happiness. In these cases, the Health Reference Center describes wage disparities as a virus, where the unequal distribution of wealth causes heightened risk for physical and mental health diseases to the poorest individuals. “Research does indicate... that while well-being is to some degree individually embedded, it is also framed by a well-functioning, orderly and regulated society." In order to serve the people justice, it is essential that the government and community organizations take the income gap seriously by supporting equal access to healthcare, education and fair pay for all people.
