Hi Amy,
Reading the chapter on what Gans wrote has also given me another perspective on the "undeserving poor". Poverty and the poor has always been seen as a negative aspect of society, and it is. Under job creation, like you mentioned too, Gans makes a very valid statement that "the most important economic function of the undeserving poor today is that their mere presence creates jobs for the better-off population, including professional ones."(p304) If it wasn't for the poor, there wouldn't be jobs for people such as a social worker, police, prosecutors, judges, court officers and many more. This view point had not occurred to me because in India where most of the people are poor, this situation of creating jobs does not apply. All of society is interrelated whether you are well off or on the streets.