Notes from the Video on Wealth Inequality in America

Author’s Debatable Claim – an opinion that is a matter of personal experience and values that must be backed up with evidence. Others can disagree with this claim. Also known as an opinion.

*We need to wake up and realize that the reality about the wealth distribution in America is not at all what we think it is.*
Author’s Evidence- personal experience, confirmed facts, reasons, expert research, and statistics that directly relate to and support a debatable claim.

• Study done by a Harvard business prof./economist surveyed 5,000 Americans and most (92%) were pretty far off about wealth distribution
• Wealth in America was 54 trillion dollars in 2009
• Reality: 15% are below poverty line, middle-class “barely distinguishable” from the poor
• Poorest “don’t even register” on the chart while the wealthiest 2-5% are off the chart
• 1% of pop. has 40% of the nation’s wealth, this has tripled in last 30 yrs.
• Bottom 80% has 7% of nation’s wealth
• Top 1%  own 50% of stocks, bonds, mutual funds
• Bottom 50%, owns 0.5% of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds
• CEO makes 380x more than average worker
• It takes the average worker 1 month to earn what he earns in an hour

Elements of Persuasion used by the author (appeals):

By using a study by a Harvard professor it presents someone who is a reliable source

Used lots of statistics (must cite these)

Tries to give you information that would surprise you, make you angry, bad

Appeals to your sense of patriotism “American Dream”

Analysis/Conclusion:

This author/presenter makes people upset about the wealth distribution in America and wants you to “wake up” and realize what is going on here