Yesterday I mentioned that the white working class has become the most pessimistic group in American society. This perspective was highlighted in a 2011 article in The Atlantic titled "The White Working Class: The Most Pessimistic Group in America."
When I recently passed NYC's HERRC (Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers), I saw many despondent-looking migrants outside the center. I thought of the white working class in America. Although these newly arrived immigrants—whether Asian, Hispanic, or African—face unimaginable poverty and hardships, according to the study, the white working class is even more pessimistic.
There are several possible explanations for this. First, many new immigrants are drawn to this country by the promise of the "American Dream." They arrive with hopes of building a better future for themselves or their children. On the other hand, the American white working class, after experiencing the loss of well-paying jobs in the once-thriving steel belt, no longer believes in the "American Dream."
This is a good Chinese saying describing the sadness over the loss of one's dream, "梦碎心殇" (mèng suì xīn shāng) meaning: "dream shattered, heart wounded," capturing the sense of profound loss that comes with the loss of a once cherished dream, reflecting the sentiments of the white working class losing American dream.
Second, the white working class shares the same beliefs as mainstream society and identify themselves as proud members of the great American middle class. Now, they find themselves marginalized, either tearing away from the mainstream or no longer belonging there. Seeing factory doors closed and jobs outsourced beyond their control, they know it is impossible to return to the glorious days of the past when they could make a good middle-class living.
This pessimistic feeling reminds me of the book The Passing of the Great Race by Madison Grant, published in 1916. Grant categorized races based on physical traits, with Nordic and Teutonic races deemed superior, followed by Alpine and Mediterranean, then Baltic and Slav, with negroes considered the lowest. Grant was pessimistic over the passing of these supposedly superior races. To me, the book is valuable only as a historical account of early American obsession with eugenics and understanding how the minds of some people worked.
The vanishing of manufacturing jobs, the erosion of community structures, and the disillusionment with the "American Dream" all contribute to the deep sense of hopelessness felt by the American white working class. There is no easy solution to bring back their lost dream and restore faith in the possibility of a better future.
Addressing the challenges faced by the white working class requires tremendous amount of wisdom, political courages and resources that includes revitalizing local economies, rebuilding community support systems, and offering realistic pathways to economic stability. Without such efforts, the sense of hopelessness and marginalization will continue to deepen, with significant implications for the social fabric and the wealth of the nation.