Originally Posted by
Black Warrior
Social mobility is a politically driven catch phrase that fundamentally ignores the natural factors that lead to mobility. The vast majority of the countries who are considered the leaders in "social mobility" are Western European countries with homogeneous populations. Sweden, Netherlands, etc. A country with a naturally diverse population of over 300,000,000 people will of course lag behind such countries.
Yes, we have a great deal of cultural diversity which can affect your mobility. In the US it's not skin color by-and-large that limits people, it's your cultural circumstances and values... the opportunity is there for everyone, you just have to CHOOSE to take advantage of it. If you cling to cultural values which don't emphasize health, education, and work then you've made your choice.
Yes we all know there are still dark corners of rural America where your skin color will affect your mobility, but nobody says you have to stay there, greyhound tickets are cheap, that's how I got out of my nowhere-fast town at age 18.