| Abstrakt: |
The most significant part of their theory has been popularly believed to be the assumption that in the United States lower-class persons have largely internalized the dominant success values of society in the form of a high level of aspirations. This implies that the society is based on common values. A form of coercive manipulation is the imposition of the veiled threat on the subordinate strata of being stigmatized as lazy, worthless people unless they accept the goal of high aspirations. It is revealing to note, for example, that centers has found a surprisingly large proportion of people using such epithets as poor character, low morals, drink, crime, shiftlessness, laziness to characterize the poor lower-class person. A latent but definitely coercive character of the aspiration-raising function of the success ideology is implied. In the society inner worth as expressed in action, striving, and struggle is held eventually to result in attainment of aspirations. If one is not successful, one is viewed as worthwhile so long, and only so long, as one struggles. |
