Young Whites More Pessimistic About Future Than Minorities: Study

White youths are more pessimistic about their economic future than young minorities, though black and Hispanic youth are more likely to be in a worse financial position right now.

Just 12 percent of whites between the ages of 18 and 34 believe that they will be better off economically than their parents, in contrast to 31 percent of young blacks and 36 percent of young Hispanics, according to a study by Demos, a progressive advocacy organization, and Young Invincibles released on Wednesday. Fifty-five percent of young whites believe that they will be worse off than their parents, compared to 40 percent of young blacks and 36 percent of young Hispanics.

Whites may be more pessimistic about their future because they have more potential for downward mobility. The wealth gap between whites and minorities grew to its highest level in a quarter-century in 2009: whites have 20 times more wealth than blacks and 18 times more wealth than Hispanics.

Exacerbating that income gap is the high unemployment rates among minorities. At all ages and levels of educational attainment, ,ore whites have jobs than blacks, according to the Center for American Progress. Young blacks had an unemployment rate of 41.3 percent in the second quarter of 2011, compared to a 22.3 percent unemployment rate for young whites, CAP finds. The unemployment rate for blacks between the ages of 35 and 44 was similarly twice as high as the unemployment rate for whites of the same age.

But young people of all races may have reason to be pessimistic about their immediate future. Youth employment this past summer was at its lowest level since 1948, and the number of young job seekers around the world has expanded by 4.6 million since the start of the recession.

Young people who graduate into the job market during a recession are likely to suffer lower wages for at least a decade, compared to youths who graduate in a better economy, according to studies cited by the Wall Street Journal. The housing crash has pushed young people to grow increasingly pessimistic about their ability to increase their wealth through homeownership.

In spite of the pessimism of young whites, the economic downturn seems to have most hurt black and Hispanic youth, according to the Demos study. Significantly more young blacks and Hispanics have delayed decisions to live on their own, get married, and start a family, and more said it has become harder for them to pay their bills in the past four years.

Comments

[Nereci]

05:00 PM on 11/11/2011

Whites are such spoiled entitled brats. I've lived in California for decades. I didnt see any of those young white computer billionaires crying when THEY were making big bucks in racist Silicon Valley and blacks were walking around homeless.

Hey you reap what you sow.

[Cher Armstrong]

11:20 AM on 11/10/2011

Speaking as a young white, I'm one of the few who will be better off than my parents- though considering that one has a lifelong illness and disability and the other one was, to be blunt, a drug addict and a criminal, that's hardly an accomplishment. I'm already better off than both simply by being in school, and sadly enough disability aid is so scant that even working a full time minimum wage job would pay more.

I definitely discern where the larger potential for downward mobility is coming from, though.

Towards minorities- Do the statistics show racial inequality? Yes. Have my ancestors wronged you? Yes. I will never deny that. However , please remember that I am not my ancestors, and I beg you to not blame you for the foul-ups of my predecessors. The foul-ups are on their heads.

If you assume everyone white hates minorities, you're falling into the same exact trap the oppressors did. Be better than them. Don't assume we're all the same. I know you're not. There are plenty of minorities who are exceptions to the trend. We have exceptions, too.

We can only make things better by standing together, and not letting differences divide us as we work to make a better society for ourselves/

[MissIndependentLady]

09:26 AM on 11/04/2011

Yet another study that enables people to stereotype and direct their focus away from the real issues.

[Peanut Santiago]

12:46 AM on 11/04/2011

"Young Whites More Pessimistic About Future Than Minorities: Study"

Why does that surprise anybody?

Young whites think the world is theirs for the taking.
At the same time most young minorities realize that getting ahead is an uphill battle and many won't make it no matter how hard they try.

Young whites are usually optimists while young minorities have a more balanced view between optimism and pessimism.

Real life is harder on minority youth from an early age.

{shrugs}

[ringo3khan]

12:57 PM on 11/03/2011

Actually, buried in there somewhere is good news for minorities; it means that the prospects of white youth are worsening significantly such that in 10 years the wealth gap between minorities and whites will have narrowed considerably as more and more whites fall into poverty.

[emphatico]

11:13 AM on 11/03/2011

Here we go again. Affirmative Action this, Affirmative Action that......

Do many of you even know some of the reason Affirmative Action came about? In the not-so-distant-past, most intellectual minority members, especially blacks, were kiIIed by whites. That's why blacks are where they are today -- still struggling economically.

Affirmative Action, while I am not a fan of it, is a way to level the playing ground for everyone else. It's also needed because many schools (run by whites) and employers (many of whom are white) would neglect the qualifications and experience and hire a person of his own race before considering anyone else.

American whites have always had their own Affirmative Action. It is built in the system and doesn't need to be "enforced" by some sort of resolution or law. It's amazing how many whites don't talk about that. Their problems always come from minorities.

[greyhound2]

12:51 PM on 11/03/2011

It has been 45 years of legislated discrimination. If 45 years isn't enough for a head start, 450 years won't be either. Decisions should be made on qualifications, not quotas.

[emphatico]

01:40 PM on 11/03/2011

The US Constitution is the Affirmative Action made to benefit whites over "others".

And talking about "qualifications", have you heard about minority members being turned down for jobs, even though they are far more qualified than the white person who ended up getting the job?

Hear this:

A few years ago, a position was advertised and the ideal candidates needed to have at least an M. Ed. Most of the minorities who applied had that. Some even had Ed.D. Guess who got the job? A white person with a B.Ed. Now can you explain how that came about since the minority members who applied were obviously more qualified.

The difference is that minorities still need to have that across-the-board minimum before they could have any chance of benefitting from Affirmative Action WHILE whites don't even have to beat the minimum to be considered.

[greyhound2]

10:43 AM on 11/03/2011

White males have been the target of Affirmative Action quotas for 45 years. They have been legislated to the back of the line due to some goofy social engineering idea.

[emphatico]

01:42 PM on 11/03/2011

Yeah, white males, who are oppre,ssing others are truly the victims here. Do you know how you sound? You sound like a mediocre, whiny person who is la,zy to compete.

[greyhound2]

08:01 PM on 11/03/2011

What rubbish.

[kimhoulian]

07:07 PM on 11/03/2011

and before then what was the status quo?

[Bluebird88]

08:24 AM on 11/03/2011

When I was growing up we lived in a very modest neighborhood. But it was safe and friendly. We had a great time and didn't think much about money. It was possible to have a good life with just a regular job. That's all gone now. In every city in the US, unless you live in a high-priced exclusive enclave, you feel the danger of crime constantly. Schools are a mess. Of course, as Ovid said, "The people are the city." Overall, expect standards of living to continue the decline. It's about behaviour much more than it is about who's giving you a hand out today.

[JAT3]

06:45 AM on 11/03/2011

SUMMARY:We all know that not everyone can be on top, there has to be someone below! Whites with power decided who would be below by slavery, kicking the Indians off the land, winning wars and cheap purchases from the Mexicans. Moderns times have turn power into the Mighty Dollar! Majority of whites or heritage of looking white have it! Any minority that had any money/success was given a pass but this notion hasn't always been guaranteed because in the end your still "dark skinned" or look different!
SO as the economy is hurting everyone and trickle down never has worked. Whites that weren't able to achieve the success due jobs sent overseas, businesses closing down. Are clearly part of those below! TPbaggers, REP/GOP supports are part of the below but somehow believe their skin is going to save them. Reality is you don't have enough GREEN to be saved from being "Below". Furthermore, even if a REP was to when the WH, there isnt enough policies that would pass to ensure that all Whites are kept higher then minorities because again NOT EVERYONE of any color CAN BE ON TOP!!
Minorities already know the feeling of being "Below" and when little gains are made I can see why its much easier to feel optimistic.

[emphatico]

01:29 AM on 11/03/2011

If you are white in America and you still can't make it big, despite all the built-in, institutionalized advantages you have over minorities, then you are either lazy or born a Ioser. The founders of the United States of America made the system in such a way that the less melanin you have on your skin, the more privileges you have to get ahead.

So I am a bit tired of listening to whites complain about how things are hard for them.

About minorities, they are a group of people who have endured white opp,ression for centuries (and counting). So a hard life is not a new thing for them. The only way they've made it to this day is because of their optimism.......and that can't be taken away from them.

[Bluebird88]

07:39 AM on 11/03/2011

Can you provide an example of an institutionalized advantage for whites?

[echurley]

01:27 PM on 11/03/2011

I am a non white female who makes 2/3 the salary of the white males. Education and experience have not helped. The white male hiring pays the white male more.

[jpatrickbad]

01:23 AM on 11/03/2011

The hatred for the white male and whites in general is horrific. a Zimbabwe like situation of hate toward whites bubbling and fermenting. Once unleashed those whites that voted for Obama will not be saved from the mobs of illegals, brainwashed minorities blaming whites for everything to stubbing thier toe, because some whithe guy put that wall there. What a scary time, people gleeful that whites are in fear, people happy and smiling that whites are pessimistic. A real showing of how much hatred people have for whites. I see it everyday here in SF, minorities laughing when whites cant find work, giggling at homeless whites, cheering when whites are arrested for nothing, I see what is coming the same mentality that is here on the board.

[FactsvsFear]

01:10 AM on 11/03/2011

A majority of minorities are born into less of the have than white folks. When you grew up like me into a upper middle class family in that I had a nice big house and a car at 16 a T.V and video games and toys out the yahoo and dad would break out $50 bucks like nothing to take a girl out to the movies and on and on then when you look and see struggles ahead or the real chance to not do better or the same as your parents you tend to see more gloom than light. When you had little and grew up with little you feel things will get better and your standard of better is different. Your also more equipped to weather struggles ahead. Me I am white I am not a youth anymore I am 32 but I am a crazy eternal optimist so I say after the storm things will be better than before. I think some really really tough fights are ahead in the next decade but we will prevail. Just start by ending trickle down economics seeing as how is has done ZERO but make us weaker and crushed the American dream. 81% of Americans now favor ending supply side voodoo economics. It's about dang time.

[rubberneckduck]

01:05 AM on 11/03/2011

Here in Riverside Co. California the homeless white population easily outnumbers any other demographic group. The numbers of Mexican and latino immigrants is burgeoning along with their family birthrate of those already here. There are huge numbers of Asians who are the only group not to see an increase in poverty over the past ten years. They all seem to be doing very well. These groups regularly help family and discriminate in who they spend their money with and who they help find work. And then of course affirmative action for 25 years has had its effect.

So the tides have changed and whites are in decline and those who hate whites gloat. Hypocrisy knows no racial barrier. I have seen many white people suffer and go down in the past 20 years. But what can they do? the other groups are more aggressive, more motivated and having more children.
Personally I feel the negative images of whites in the mainstream media over the past 25 years has something to do with this too. As for whites having 20 times more than the others, if they removed the wealthiest top 2 percent or so, you'd see the averages drop considerably. Most whites I know are impossibly in debt and really have only a couple months between their paychecks and the streets.

[jpatrickbad]

01:28 AM on 11/03/2011

Very well said, anytime a white has pride the governemnt is there to beat them down and put them in jail. and here in SF whites need not apply. Almost all the homeless are whites, and they are laughed at by the asian kids in hondas racing as close to them as possible I see racism agaisnt whites daily. I see the hatred by these mobs of minorities and I knwo what is next.

[emphatico]

01:35 AM on 11/03/2011

Isn't it funny when the opp,ressor turns around and blames the opp,ressed? That's what many whites do these days. Minorities are always to blame, even though they are having it way worse.

[emphatico]

01:04 AM on 11/03/2011

Because they've never really had life as rough as the minorities? Even with a bad economic situation as this, whites still have it far better than minorities on so many levels as a result of their institutionalized advantages over the latter. So I don't know what their gloom is about.

[rubberneckduck]

01:09 AM on 11/03/2011

So much better...both my uncles died of mesothelioma for working with asbestos manufacturers. My grandfather died on the streets of New York penniless save for the New Deal. My father had to flee Hell's Kitchen in Brooklyn to the Army to avoid getting gutted by the mob (where he grew up abandoned by both his parents during the Great Depression put in the New York City foster care system. Yeah, we had it great.

[GFMNC]

07:59 PM on 11/04/2011

Ever visited a coal mining town? Son you don't know jack.

[jayes]

12:58 AM on 11/03/2011

"Whites may be more pessimistic about their future because they have more potential for downward mobility."

So is the article really about class or heritage? Especially Democratic-leaners should know the issue is class. Class - Class - Class - Class - Class,

This is just a race-bait.

[FactsvsFear]

01:12 AM on 11/03/2011

I was just making that point. My parents did pretty good so going up a peg is harder than it was for them and their parents. Going down a peg is much more easy. Particularly in these bad times.

[rubberneckduck]

01:12 AM on 11/03/2011

Agreed. Cornell West has much to say on this topic. He's a good man.