Class-ism in American Society
I would have given the same answer as these people in the streets of America did. The guy in loose fitting shirt and short pants belongs to lower class or blue collar society and the people dressed in nice and smart dressing belongs to upper middle class or upper class. It is so obvious that we pass judgment only by looking at the dress someone wears, the way they carry it and who knows the etiquettes how far or near to stand while talking. Funny thing is when they say basically it is against the American principles to belong themselves to any class, which makes it hard to talk for them about these issues. Really if one does not accept that they belong to a certain class then there is no point in saying that class system exist and there is a need to talk about it. Isn’t it true? Well it not true. People like to belong themselves; I feel it is a part of human nature.
I belong to a middle class family and I became aware of the class system when I started to feel that people around me are treated differently. As a kid when other kids can brag about their video games, as a youngster when one kid start talking about the new I phone or laptop, expensive cars or gadgets. It has affected my life to some extent but not much. i enjoy those things more which I have and that is a blessing. I was always taught by my parents o tbe thankful to God for what He has given us, look at the people who are below you in the worldly matters which I feel is opposite to what society teaches us by putting all those glittery things around. They create a desire that the life is so meaningless if you don't own our product.
Since people don’t like to talk about the issues of class doesn’t end the issue but make it a bigger challenge to deal with. So to encourage discussion on this topic first thing is to realize that people lives are suffering badly. Privileged people like the guy who graduated from Yale were not ready to accept the reality because he was never visible to the actual facts. Accept classism existence openly will open the doors to take this issue in serious consideration and will encourage the people to talk about it openly. This could be a one step further in solving the problem. May be classism cannot be eradicated totally from the society but at least the issues of working class will become more obvious.
I really like your comment about "The guy who graduated from Yale". It's hard when you can't afford the school you really want and have to settle. I agree, we have to accept that there is classism in our society and that will be the first step. Do you think people would actually take to this though? Or do you think they'd just try harder to deny it and say that it isn't a true issue?
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. My family couldn't afford a computer for a really long time when other people's families could. In fact, my grandmother actually bought us our first desktop.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was little and we had to type up some school papers, and I asked to pass them in handwritten since I didn't own a computer. The teachers would usually look at me in a weird way and ask if I really didn't have one since practically everyone did. I had to go to the computer lab at school and type them up because the teacher wouldn't change her mind. I remember always getting anxious when we had to do those type of assignments because I didn't want other kids in the class to know I was, like, the only family without a computer.
I am a middle class member as well and I think people value material things far too much. I am heavy too so I guess that the fact that I really can't wear a lot of the popular styles makes me seem as though I am in a lower class than I am. Almost all of my friends are middle class. Especially after the economy was/is so bad I agree, classism is a huge problem in America and sooner or later I feel like there will be a competition to see who can afford what.
ReplyDeleteAs a person from a working-class family, and a first-generation college student, it has been extremely difficult climbing the academic ladder. Class has been hyper-visible to me ever since I received a scholarship to go to the elite private school Phillips Exeter Academy. I think we need to keep naming "classism" and talk about our experiences with social class. For instance, it is considered "gauche" to talk about how much money you earn, but this very practice helps to preserve elitism and classism.
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