Poor People don't want to hear about the struggle

            While I appreciate the intellectual conversation that surrounds: race, socioeconomic status, sexual preference, gender roles, and other social justice topics, sometimes I feel as if people forget that they are privileged to even be able to sit back and ponder these inequalities. I'm included in that group. I'm a privileged minority student at the University of Michigan and while I do face inequality and racial stigmas on campus, I don't have to feed a family, work 12 hrs a day and forgo health care. And when I try to have candid conversation about what course of action should be taken for those who are from a low socioeconomic status, I find that most activist refuse to budge and will only accept unrealistic concessions. Activist are quick to say that the poor needs x, y and z, and they won't budge till they get it, but when you're reality is barely paying the bills, sometimes just x is enough of a victory for you. So honestly, while I don't want to shut down conversation about these issues, I think we need to recognize when we sound like complete ass hats when we talk. No one cares about the capitalist machine. No one cares about the theoretical implications of identity negotiations after a given election. No one cares about media bias. No one cares about how the American lexicon is designed to oppress minorities. Now it's a tad unfair to say no one cares. Poor people do care. They're not stupid. They know that the current system and nation isn't right. But when you're starving and rent is 3 weeks past due, sometimes all you care about is getting that extra paycheck. And if you need to appease the white patriarchal capitalist system to get it, then so be it.