Income Inequality What is a social problem? A social problem is a problem that affects more than one person in a society. A social problem disrupts the daily lives and well-being of people in a society. Ryan described a social problem as one that affects human beings. If a problem affects a human being then it is a social problem. “'What human problem is not a social problem?'” (Ryan 9). Social problems affect many individuals' rights. Some examples of social problems are: sexism, racism, homophobia and income inequality. In this essay I will focus on income inequality and whether it is a social or individual problem. Many people argue that income inequality is a personal problem and that if people work hard enough they will succeed in life. However I happen to disagree with this statement. I believe that income inequality is a social problem because it doesn't just affect one person in society, it affects many. In the United States alone, millions of people live in poverty, many of them homeless. I believe that those in the bottom 20% don't have access to things like healthcare and proper education. Health care is a major issue in most American cities. While watching the movie “Poor America” there was a scene where the makers of the movie decided to film outside a center where doctors and dentists would provide free services. The queue was extremely long and people were camping outside just to be able to see a doctor. Many people who were there had serious injuries and illnesses and had not seen a doctor or dentist in a long time. One gentleman in particular was so ill that the doctors strongly advised him to go to the emergency room, because his illness could have been fatal. In the end, however, the gentlemen refused to go to the emergency room because the medical bill would have been very high