Dream of an "American Life" Shattered as Family Discovers Hard Work is Essential
In a poll conducted recently, the attitudes of respondents towards immigrants and their work ethic in the United States were assessed. The results, however, did not provide information about the countries of origin of the immigrant families mentioned by RamenNoodles620.
Michael Ungar, a family therapist and researcher at Dalhousie University, sheds light on the misconceptions surrounding immigrants' work ethic. Ungar states that immigrants, often found in jobs where they are underemployed, show a great deal of drive to succeed and are more willing to sacrifice for their children.
Ungar further suggests that the value systems of immigrant families, which distinguish any population that has had to struggle to survive, are the same characteristics that would have been found historically in the family trees of many of today's native-born Americans who are, at least for the moment, securely anchored in the middle class.
To further debunk the myths, researchers analysed millions of father-son pairs spanning over 100 years of US history. The findings revealed that children of immigrants from nearly every sending country have higher rates of upward mobility than children of the US-born. This immigrants' advantage is similar historically and today despite dramatic shifts in sending countries and US immigration policy.
Despite these findings, some respondents believed that immigrants made some effort but not enough to contribute to the US economy. A few respondents thought that immigrants were taking advantage of family support in the US. Interestingly, some respondents underestimated the effort needed by immigrants to succeed in the US, suggesting a lack of understanding of the challenges faced by these individuals.
In conclusion, the drive and determination of immigrants to succeed and contribute to their new country is a consistent trend that spans over a century in the United States. It is essential to challenge and correct misconceptions about immigrants to foster a more inclusive and understanding society.
