Summary and Reflection on Park Avenue: Money, Power, & the American Dream

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Summary and Reflection
Park Avenue is described as one of the richest neighborhoods in Manhattan, where the most influential people in America live. Compared to South Bronx across the river, where a majority of the population live in abject poverty, it shows a steep contrast to Park Avenue (The Why). Such differences show the level of disparities and inequalities in America, with very few people ultimately surviving and growing to be successful and living in influential areas. Therefore, despite the perception that every individual has an equal opportunity to succeed and be prosperous, life is rigged, with some people having better opportunities.
Extreme poverty poses a grave danger to a significant portion of the population, who are forced to struggle to maintain themselves. America is often viewed as the land of opportunities that can empower people to live the American dream. However, from 1980, a significant wage gap started to develop, with the wealthy earning significantly higher than the bottom poor (The Why). More so, upward mobility in America continues to lag when compared to other developed countries across the globe. This shows the difficulties for average citizens to grow to become millionaires and billionaires in the country ultimately.
Economic inequality, thus, shows the dangers of the accumulation of wealth by a few people at the top. The ultra-rich can lobby policies that favor them, such as lower taxes or satisfactory business environments, that allow them to make more money. With their connections ...