Question

A youth and his family are homeless. His mother is single and does not have a high school degree. They are constantly moving from place to place, and he must switch schools each time. He is a very smart student, which has allowed him to keep up with his work even with all of these problems. Based on meritocracy, the youth will most likely

Answer 1

The youth will most likely face challenges in achieving upward social mobility due to their low socioeconomic status and the lack of support and resources. Meritocracy does not always work in reality for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Despite the youth's intelligence, they may face difficulties in achieving academic success and future opportunities.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the information provided, the youth will most likely face challenges in achieving upward social mobility due to their low socioeconomic status and the lack of support and resources. Meritocracy, which is the belief that individuals should be rewarded based on their abilities and efforts, suggests that the youth's intelligence and academic abilities should be rewarded. However, in reality, individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds often face systemic barriers that hinder their educational and economic success.

These barriers include the lack of access to quality education, unstable living situations, financial responsibilities, and limited resources. In this case, the youth's constant switching of schools, lack of a high school degree, and limited support from their mother and family put them at a disadvantage. Even though the youth is smart and can keep up with their work, the lack of stable and supportive environments may limit their opportunities for academic achievement and future success.

In conclusion, despite the youth's intelligence and resilience, their low socioeconomic status and the challenges they face due to homelessness and lack of support from their family suggest that they may face difficulties in achieving upward social mobility based on meritocracy.

Answer 2

The options are

a. finish high school and work at a minimum wage job

b. continue the status of his family and drop out of school

c. will ultimately succeed due to hard work

d. become frustrated and turn to criminal behaviors

The answer is a. finish high school and work at a minimum wage job

He is known to be a very smart student and has been able to cope with the difficulties and challenges associated with changing schools all the time and meritocracy involves progress merited strictly on the basis of abilities and talents. He ticks the box and he is therefore most likely to finish high school and work at a minimum wage job to help support his family due to his talent and family status.