When it comes to power, I’ve observed a pattern of the persons with the least amount of power being blamed for their struggles. In many instances, powerful systems and structures encourage the nation to focus on individual shortcomings rather than on systemic barriers. In this scenario, the powerful blame those with less power, thereby decreasing public sympathy and support for the working class.
Think about the climate crisis. The United States accounts for 4% of the world’s population, but contributes to 17% of the world’s energy use. Yet discourse around the climate crisis often centers on what individuals can and should do to ameliorate the problem. Don’t get me wrong. We each have a role to play in creating a sustainable future. However, too often what is missing from the debate are the ways in which large corporations, and their powerful lobby, advocate for reduced accountability for how they contribute to the climate crisis. Instead, the lot of the blame is placed on the individual.
In another example, think about the personal finance industry. When a person experiences financial challenges, there are a host of commentators at the ready with unsolicited advice on what the person did to contribute to their struggles. Finance gurus – as do courses on how to manage one’s money, how to invest, and how to grow rich – abound. There isn’t enough conversation around what happens when you don’t make enough money to get ahead.
It doesn’t matter that in the United States it is harder than ever for persons born in poverty to get ahead. It is not uncommon to see generation after generation born and dying in a cycle of poverty. This is more than an individual failure.
If generation after generation cannot pay their bills, cannot afford to pay for their children’s education and cannot move from one social class to another, shouldn’t we consider the systems that keep people stuck? Yes, it’s important to know how to balance a checkbook, but if the ends don’t meet, the ends don’t meet. Without jobs that pay a living wage, benefits that allow individuals to keep more of their salary while meeting their family’s needs, many people will continue to struggle. However, the nation benefits when all people have resources to spur the economy, invest in their local communities and care for themselves and their families. Indeed, crime may decrease when people are gainfully employed and have hope for the future.
What’s more, we cannot talk about personal finance without also talking about the insane amounts of money spent on advertising and marketing in the U.S. Americans may well be the most marketed to consumers in the world. How does one get ahead financially when one is constantly bombarded with ads advising on what one needs to be whole.
In yet another example, think about race and racial justice. People talk about racial justice as though it is something that can be achieved in of our lifetimes. But when we see policies that undermine the very possibility of advancement, we have to question how we’ll get to a place where all people can thrive, regardless of their skin color.
Even plummeting literacy rates should not surprise us at a time when manufacturers and developers push screens from the cradle to the grave. Additionally, in an era where parents and caregivers are working harder, and for less, we shouldn’t be surprised that the love for reading and the ability to comprehend what one has read, is waning. Addiction to technology, including smart phones, and social media is literally rotting our youngest minds, but also leading to a host of mental and emotional challenges. Against this backdrop, no one should be surprised that children and young people are struggling to read and retain what they’ve read.
In conclusion, I’ll end where I began. In the United States, there is often a tendency to blame the victim rather than focus on the systems that created the problems in the first place. By blaming the individual, powerful players can escape accountability, but also keep Americans divided.
As a nation, I hope we move beyond focusing on individual challenges, and spend more time attuned to the structures that undergird societal challenges.
Jennifer R. Farmer is a crisis communications expert and founder Spotlight PR LLC. The firm helps clients build their platforms and protect their brands.