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 This weekend I was going over some of the parts of “On Beauty” that I found interesting and came across a quote that I found particularly relevant to a recent trend I have observed. In a discussion with Kiki Monty says that, “Opportunity is a right-but it is not a gift. Rights are earned. And opportunity must come through the proper channels. Otherwise the system is radically devalued.” In principle, I agree 100% with what Monty says. I don’t think opportunities should be considered a free for all and I believe people should have to work hard to gain respect and rights. But… having said this, I have come to realize that America’s middle class is growing smaller and smaller. In practice Monty’s theory on class does not work. The idea of the middle class has always been apart of the American dream but, today the middle class is really struggling. Today it is not enough to play by the rules and work hard. It is not necessarily true that I will find financial security and rise above my parent’s socio-economic class by solely relying on my work ethic. I would agree with Monty that rights are earned but, I think to a certain extent opportunities are inherited as gifts. When the top 10 % of Americans collect almost half of the total gross income in this country it seems apparent to me that something is not right.