Question

Describe an occasion in which you experienced a form of inequality. What kind of inequality was this? Was this experience uncomfortable or shocking to you? Did you feel self-conscious or out of place? Explain in detail how the experience unfolded and how you felt before, during, and after. choose the theory of inequality that you feel best explains your experience and why.

Answer 1

An occasion that I experienced a form of inequality is change in health my status depending on my income. This is a form of healthcare inequality correlated with income inequality. When I was a member of the low-income group, I couldn't afford hospital visits, wellness checks, medicines or other treatments. Many of my colleagues in the low-income group also had the same issue. My situation was even worse when I was jobless with many deficiency diseases caused due to malnourishment. When I got a well-paid job, my health status was better since I had better options. This experience was really uncomfortable and shocking and it made me out place whenever I had to pay a hospital visit without any or less money to spend. For me, this meant different treatment rendered for different income-group citizens of the same country. Before having this experience, I wasn't exposed to income-based healthcare inequality and without firsthand experience didn't have any negative feelings for this type of inequality. During this experience, I was really shocked when the demerits of being in a low-income group were unfolded. After this experience, it is something unforgettable.  In my opinion, conflict theory explains this experience because it states stratification is dysfunctional and harmful to society since it benefits only the rich and powerful. According to this theory, inequality is dysfunctional, it deprives the poor of their rights, and the poor will be forced to die without money for treatment and this is quite unfair.