Parable of the Sower Project- Economic Failure by Taylor White

Wealth Spread in the United States Today

taytaywhi — 2014-05-13 18:03:23 UTC

Infographics on the distribution of wealth in America, highlighting both the inequality and the difference between our perception of inequality and the actual numbers. The reality is often not what we think it is. This shows the reality of where the economics of the United States is currently, and where it is heading in the near future if we do not stop the inequality of wealth distribution.

Bibliography

taytaywhi — 2014-05-13 18:05:05 UTC

"Wealth Inequality in America." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014.

Konczal, Mike. "Economists Agree: Raising the Minimum Wage Reduces Poverty." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 04 Jan. 2014. Web. 20 May 2014.

"'Report Card' Says US Economy Is failing - Futurity." Futurity. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2014.

Butler, Octavia E. Parable of the Sower. New York: Warner, 2000. Print.

taytaywhi — 2014-05-13 18:06:41 UTC

Economic Failure: Today and Butler's Vision

taytaywhi — 2014-05-13 18:06:53 UTC

taytaywhi — 2014-05-13 18:08:44 UTC

Solution #1

taytaywhi — 2014-05-15 21:38:43 UTC

Today, in order to keep the economy from dropping so deeply, the government could raise the minimum wage so that people are getting paid more. If people get paid more then they have more money to spend and put back into the community. If people are putting money back into the community then it helps to keep the economy up with money flowing in and out.

Economy In Parable

taytaywhi — 2014-05-15 21:54:32 UTC

The Parable of the Sower is set in a time of great tension after the riots of 1992 and the economy of the LA county collapsed. There was a sense of survival of the fittest among the people because there was such a lack of resources available to them. Because of the lack of supplies and unwillingness of the people to fix this, Butler's described a world of chaos.

Reasons for Economic Failure

taytaywhi — 2014-05-23 06:16:19 UTC

The economy was at it's lowest in 2008 since the Great Depression in the 1930's. Even today, it is not back where it should be. The biggest reason is the country's 17 trillion dollar debt. Because of how deep into debt our country is, the government feels the need to raise the taxes on small business owners. This idea is contradicting because when they raise the taxes on the owners, it causes them to want less employees and the amount of people without jobs will just increase. This is the biggest reason why many people do not have jobs and this problem contributes a large portion to the reason our economy is failing.

Solution #1

taytaywhi — 2014-05-23 06:18:45 UTC

Quotes from Parable of the Sower

taytaywhi — 2014-05-23 06:31:43 UTC

"It looked so peaceful, and yet people out there were trying to kill each other, and no doubt succeeding. Strange how normal it's become for us to lie on the ground and listen while nearby, people try to kill each other"

The economy has gotten to the point where people have to kill each other for their possessions and do what they have to, to stay alive. Just the fact that the world itself can be so peaceful, yet the rampant of human kind can corrupt it all.

"Dad says water now costs several times as much as gasoline"

This just puts things into perspective and points out that the priorities of the nation has changed. The demand for water, a necessity to survive, is to much greater than meaningless gasoline.

"You're suppose to be dirty now. If you are clean you make a target of yourself."

In Butler's world the meaning of fitting in has been manipulated to the point where instead of trying to impress people by a person's appearance, a person is trying to blend into a crowd of people just to get by.

Is Butler's world possible?

taytaywhi — 2014-05-23 07:02:28 UTC

As a group we collectively decided that the world of havoc and chaos that Butler describes can very well be possible. We believe that at the rate we are going as a nation this mad be what is to come in the future. Sadly, money is what makes the world go round, figuratively speaking. Without this, people would eventually point the finger at each other and all hell would break loose. People's mentality and priorities would have to change, just as in Parable, to survival mode and hope that they would find a way out of this mess.

taytaywhi — 2014-05-23 17:53:35 UTC

This video shows different scenarios of what the United States could be like in the near future of 2050. The fourth represents the closest to Bulters vision of the near economy and world. Different scenarios are shown in the video of ways humans may act to change the future.