"Social Junk" and "Social Dynamite"

"Problem populations are defined in terms if their threat and costs to capitalist relations of production." (Spitzer 503) In other words people are judged by how or what they contribute to society. "Social junk" can be defined as people that don't contribute to society but rather in take. For example senior citizens, handicapped and the mentally retarded. Spitzer defines "social junk" as a costly but relatively harmless burden to society. (504) In contrary to "social junk" there's …

…these small groups up by putting one group member against the other, and many other ways. Another way the police target these groups is by using unnecessary restraints such as pepper spray, tear gas, clubs and rubber bullets like they did in Seattle, when people were demonstrating against the WTO. Some groups that might be considered social dynamite today include unions, protestors of any sort, minorities, the lower class, homosexuals, just to name a few.