Is America Dreaming?: Understanding Social Mobility

Brookings Fellow Richard Reeves explores inequality and opportunity in America with Legos, using them to explain the chances for economic success of Americans born at the bottom of the economic ladder. Reeves shows the chances that the poorest fifth of Americans have to rise to the top, based on their race, the marital status of their mothers, and their level of education.

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[Jedi]

Who's here because you have a Sociology discussion post.. Lol

[Mary-iwfy]

I have been going back on this video for 4 years ago since I graduated high school. This video has easily been one of the reasons I never dropped out of college and why I will be graduating in December of 2020. Thank you again!

[Artesqcinema]

Just an excuse to play with your Legos. I'm with you.

[stebbinss]

I very much enjoyed the presentation but it would have been helpful to include a brief explanation of where these data are coming from.

[mediasocial]

does anybody find the block sound awkwardly soothing?

[laman]

The worst part is that you have people in the top 20% (media outlets, politicians, celebrities, etc) telling those in the bottom 20% that a college degree is useless, despite it being the #1 tool for social mobility.

[secretlycyanide]

I think the visual made it better to understand. I'm a visual learner, so seeing it along with the percentiles really gives you a clear picture of the world.

[hollywisconsin]

I had to look up "Horatio Alger style" ..American author who wrote young adult novels during the Gilded Age...about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through good works. His writings were characterized by the "rags-to-riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on the United States during this time.

[Fabler]

This is based off of the assumption that everyone wants to and is effectively trying to get to the highest point. Some people like myself are happy being comfortable and gather satisfaction in other places.

[IronPriest]

I'm curious to see what the stats are for the Top moving down to the Bottom percentile.

[windokeluanda]

Congratulations! Real well explained! Thank you!

[stmarksgovpolitics]

Wow. Love this video. Teach some of this stuff and also try to share it with others but so much more powerful with the 'lego-graphics'. Thank you.

[jmilligandesign]

i'd like to see the "born in the top quintile" video and how those numbers play out

[ThethRonin]

So many negative and ignorant comments. Its no wonder why America has so many problems from the inside and out. Many needs to get their heads out of their asses and stop with the hatred (and those who take offense to this will out themselves by attacking because they know its true about themselves and go on the offense). Change your mind for the positive and you can help change the world around you.

[neilr]

Based on your wonderful demonstration, it seems that policies reenforcing marriage would be the most optimal solution to create the odds for a perfectly mobile society.

[graymccanse]

I think all of us already knew and believed this, but you helped us to visualize its severity.

[chrisbodenmiller]

You show that going to college normalizes your chance for upward mobility. Does the Brookings Institute advocate extending free public education to include college and higher learning?

[rcncgms]

So should I start selling drugs or what's the message?

[deadeaded]

Breaking this into fifths doesn't seem like the right way to go. The income variation the top fifth is high.

[joshuarestrepo]

I try to explain this to my hispanic parents/relatives and it just seems way too over their head... their immediate response is " "y porque no consigas una beca?"