Social class in countries like England historically has been clear-cut or firm. However, this is not the case with the United States. There are no clear-cut variances in the social class in the country. Social class affects everyday lives even though they are not always notable, and we might want to discharge their implication. It affects the foods we eat, the beverages we drink, and the types of restoration we enjoy. However, observing different resources will emphasize the lens of class as will bring to the surface variances that we already recognize as necessary (Swartz, 66).
CLASS
MENU
The Restaurant
Upper Middle Class
Grandma’s Kitchen
Lower Class
Newt
Upper Class
Prescott
Working Class
Victoria
Social capital is the common systems, casual configurations, and customs that acquaint personalities to a cooperative act. It tends to bend to what a person knows, whom he knows, which will be useful in defining the product of the society. Cultural capital is a form of resource that conceptualizes things like oral capability, general cultural awareness, artistic likings, information about conservatory structures, and educational credentials. It emerges when investors exchange currencies, strive for profits, and, in the case of educational credentials in recent years. Economic capital is in the form of power an individual possesses that results from the profession and esteem of an individual (Swartz, 80). Therefore, a person can use economic capital in classifying the above menu.
.It is easy to identify those cultural variances; however, we may not recognize how substantial they can be in people’s lives. For example, one person could love putting on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt while at work, and the other person must be in a suit, which means that the changes in them are entangled to culture and material resources and can serve as means of segregation. In economic differences, it is essential to know the status and honor of the person in the society as earned from the respective occupation. A working-class will opt for the Prescott because of his high esteem and his status. The restaurant tends to offer a menu that matches his status and esteem. The economic capital difference does not become distinct. This is where a person is financially well off as compared to others in society. This leads the person to have higher preferences in life than people with low-income earners. For example, a working-class will believe that where it is expensive, there is quality service, which is, in this case, the Prescott’s. At this place, he can comfortably afford services on the menu without any strain because he has the power (Swartz, 75).
A low-income earner, on the other hand, can afford the menu from the grandma’s kitchen without any financial constraint. Firstly, this low has low prestige in the society. His status can only allow him to use the grandma’s menu. This has led to his low self-esteem. However, the esteem is not all-time low grandma’s dinner has a good menu, only that it is not to the quality of a working-class (Swartz, 76).
In conclusion, social class affects us on a daily basis. Social class tends to pre-determine the foods we eat, how we behave, and even how we rate ourselves. We can have high esteem, but not in the same honor level with the same level of another person with the same esteem.
Work cited
Swartz, David. Culture & Power: The Sociology of Pierre Bourdieu. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. Print.
The American education system is among the most reliable programs worldwide. However, the education sector has faced many problems over the years without permanent solutions. Social class and socioeconomic status are the main factors that are currently affecting education in the nation. Aspects such as the American social class and socioeconomic status have significantly affected the efficiency and reliability of the education system.
In the United States of America, determining the definition of social class can be a complex undertaking. Social class is associated with the division in society based on economic and social status. The definition of a social class will depend on the type of society a sociologist researches. In the United States, there are numerous forms of society that have coexisted for centuries. For instance, referring to Marx’s definition of social class, the two classes, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, would be easily misinterpreted and miss-associated when grouping people in society. Marx’s definition is likely to group self-employed business owners who manage and operate their occupations as bourgeoisie because they can hire employees and own the means of production.
Max Weber’s theories provide a different aspect for a rational definition. His theory was traditional, emphasizing that classes were better categorized depending on the opportunities they presented to their members (Crashcourse, 2017). Using Weber’s theory, defining and answering questions concerning a social class in America was made easy. Socioeconomic status is the position of an individual or a group on the socioeconomic scale based on social and economic factors. The examination of socioeconomic status often reveals inequality to access of resources, privilege, power, and control. The socioeconomic status description is associated with low, medium and high social and economic factors.
Stories of American communities can be easily narrated through observing schools districts that serve children. Other than facilitating education, these school districts are geographic boundaries that amplify racial and financial division in the United States. This segregation influences the extent to which pupils can be integrated in different schools. These borders provide better insight when implementing measures to improve the value of life and education (Sibilia, 2020). However, the society often decide to disregard it responsibility to these communities allowing them to isolate themselves within inherent disparities which only allow a few to enjoy the privileges in these social classes.
These geographic disparities created by school districts have continued to increase the estrangement of the American society robing children of fundamental freedoms and opportunities. Schools within the struggling working class category provide limited knowledge to their students (Finn, 1999). The value of work is not emphasized, teachers focus on results rather than the procedure followed to generate outcomes. Education materials are unevenly distributed in these institutions. While schools for the rich have the best studying materials, institutions within the working class have limited book editions.
In the United States, educational facilities can be categorized based on their affordability and the socioeconomic status groups with these privileges. An observation can be made stating that within these geographies, students are educated and prepared for careers and employment befitting their socioeconomic status (Politizane, 2012). For instance schools for the elite produce quality executive officers, affluent professional schools generate top social employees like doctors, middle class schools develop regular but skilled social laborers, and schools for the working class generates the semiskilled labor position. Teachers in these schools form part of the final products generated within these system hence they form and continue the circles within these categories.
The American government recently witnessed a billion dollar gap in funds for schools. Astonishingly, schools for the white received more educational funding than those for predominantly nonwhite regardless of serving equal numbers of students (Finn, 1999). White communities are wealthier hence generate more money towards education. It would be true to argue that education is influenced both directly and indirectly by social class. Individuals from higher classes receive better education.
Concert cultivation is a parenting strategy that is characterized by heavy parental involvement in their child’s academics, development, and growth. Through the system, children develop a robust sense of entitlement which is essential in the institutional setting where middle class children learn to question adults and address them as equals (Lareau, 2003). Furthermore, parents mentor their children’s skills and attributes that make them reliable. Unlike naturally raising children, concert cultivation helps develop efficient youths who are productive and organized.
As mentioned earlier, schools in the United States continue to influence the division in the socioeconomic sector. The geographic boundaries associated with school districts should server as guides for required amendments to improve education but instead, they are have been disregarded and allowed to exist within inherent disparities that promote inequality. The continued ignorance has undermined economic growth and exposure of the struggling education districts. Few members in these communities are lucky to have any privileges; semiskilled members continue to struggle with poverty.
Education is a component of the social class, whether directly or indirectly. In American the education system continues to deteriorate. Social class plays a significant role on society’s influence towards settling inequality. Parental influence, financially and socioeconomically, determine the education level and employment opportunities of their children. Educational achievements and financial stability determine socioeconomically status, parenting, and education. Conclusively, education in the United States is immensely influenced by social class and socioeconomic status.
There are many ways in how human society could be understood and examined, and the application of a sociological theory is one of the available options. This approach allows analyzing social processes, explaining behaviors, and discussing social order and change within a particular context. Different concepts and ideas can be applied to social reality. It is not enough to give one particular definition to social theory and make sure it meets all its criteria and characteristics. The sociological theory promotes the implementation of various theories and paradigms that show how social relationships are organized.
In this paper, the analysis of Evicted:Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond will be developed through the prism of sociological theory and its paradigms. The chosen book is not about poverty only but about people who contribute to and suffer from this social condition. Therefore, the evaluation of social class differences seems to be an appropriate concept to enhance the discussion. The eviction crisis has already challenged the United States, and the examples introduced by Desmond in Evicted prove the role sociological theory and social class play in its understanding.
The Worth of Evicted in Modern American Society
In 2016, Desmond introduced his book Evicted with a provocative plot about poverty in American society and its relation to housing policies and economic changes. The results of the author’s ethnographic research help to discover the essence of low-income housing. Desmond uses his observations in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and introduces eight different families with similar housing problems. The point is that there are no positive or negative characters in this fiction story because all of them are related to specific social events in the United States. It
is not necessary to blame a particular group of people for promoting eviction but the system that has already been established. According to Desmond, “eviction is a cause, not just a condition, of poverty”, and poverty is inherent to Americans not because of lack of resources (299). The interconnection between all these concepts is impressive, and different sociological theories should be identified to understand these ties.
Inequality and Structural Functionalism
What makes Evicted an interesting source of information is the author’s possibility not to follow the already accepted standards and canons. For example, when people say about poverty and the inability to pay rents, many Americans think about black citizens and their racial diversities in society instead of identifying their social statuses and classes. Desmond underlines that eviction is a problem that could touch white and black populations the same way as it is an outcome of social inequality. However, there are also several governmental decisions that discuss the theme of inequality in terms of racial and social differences (e.g., the 1968 Civil Rights Act).
To avoid the promotion of racial biases and understand the worth of social class inequalities, structural functionalism as one of the sociological theories may be applied. According to Babbie, this paradigm explains that any social entity is an organism that can be successful only when it functions well. It means that, on the one hand, society is a social system that meets certain standards and norms to exist and develop.
On the other hand, regarding the basics of structural functionalism, any system consists of parts that make a contribution to their overall progress. Therefore, the main assumption of sociological theory is that “all elements of society serve some function for operation of the whole, even negative elements” (Babbie 38). Desmond proves this position by saying that “equal treatment in an unequal society could still foster inequality” (252). Despite the intentions of ordinary people to behave fairly and well, there are many outside factors that influence and determine the results of their actions. Eviction is not the question of skin color, origin, or ethnicity. It is a problem of social class inequality and dependence on society.
Importance of Home
Another important theme that is raised by Desmond in his book is the importance of home as a place of living. The author compares it with hope because it is “the center of life” where people can be themselves and remove their masks (Desmond 293). For many people, home is a means to earn money, satisfy their needs, either financial or personal, and do whatever they want. For Desmond, it is “the wellspring of personhood” that motivates and supports every individual, regardless of their past or present (293).
If there is no such place in the life of a person, there are usually fewer opportunities to succeed in education, employment, or family relationships. The conflict paradigm developed by Marx can be a strong element in the analysis of the theme of home in the book. Its idea is the intention to avoid control and gain domination over other people (Babbie 35). If no conflict is observed within a family, there are more chances to resist domination in society. Therefore, it is crucial to find the way and have home, not just a shelter, but a womb.
Single Families and Housing Obligations
The problems of housing are also deeply rooted in family types’ differences and their social classes. According to Desmond, women from low-income families turn out to be the main victims of eviction, including 1 in 5 black women, 1 in 12 Hispanic women, and 1 in 15 white women (299). The feminist paradigm, as a part of sociological theory, reveals unfair treatment to women, especially if their incomes are low (Babbie 38). Single parenting is another factor of encountering poverty, and the government does not demonstrate its economic and political attempts to provide enough opportunities for such risk groups (Rank 19).
In the book, there are several examples of how single mothers are challenged by the existing system. They cannot earn good money because they may do the similar to men’s job but be paid less anyway. In addition to their working obligations, they have to take care of their children, keep house, and deal with other unexpected burdens. Although it is expected that the government supports single mothers and creates affordable living conditions, the situations of Arleen and Doreen prove the contrary – no help usually comes.
Voucher Program for Social Classes
In his intention to find out a solution for the problem of housing poverty in the United States, Desmond analyzes current theories and available options, like voucher programs for low-income families. Not to be gender-biased in his discussion, the author introduces several families where fathers with low incomes have to take care of their children and deal with housing burdens. In addition to social class differences, men could have chronic diseases (the case of Lamar) or lose their certificates with an inability to earn more (the case of Scott). Due to their problems, they are not able to solve their financial problems and act rationally as it is supposed to be according to the positivist social scientists (Babbie 40).
The government develops a universal voucher program to change the face of poverty, but does not oblige landowners to accept families on this basis (Desmond 310). The book shows that the government does not have a clear plan of how to eradicate poverty in the country. As a result, eviction does not disappear but continues influencing American society and its low-income social classes.
Conclusion
In general, the book written by Desmond in 2016 perfectly explains the current situation in the country. Poverty has always been a serious problem for Americans, and not many effective and working solutions have been recently offered. People understand that social class differences determine the quality of life. However, even the most famous sociological theories cannot create stable and favorable standards.
Eviction cannot be ignored any longer because home is the only place where a person can feel safety and protection. While Americans are searching for affordable housing and dealing with their landowners, many other countries continue their development and growth. The internal problems of the state could result in the external weakness of the nation, and the work by Desmond is a serious call to action. America is a rich land from a variety of perspectives, but the existing amount of pain because of eviction, poverty, and social instability questions the worthiness of the system and visions millions of Americans are ready to share.
Works Cited
Babbie, Earl R. The Basics of Social Research. Cengage Learning, 2013.
Desmond, Matthew. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. Penguin Random House, 2017.
Rank, Mark R. “Rethinking American Poverty.” Contexts, vol. 10, no. 2, 2011, pp. 16-21.
Social class is how a society is divided along distinctive similar features sharing same bargaining power (Patzer, 1985). They are three classes-upper class levels; members of a society having considerable power over the economy of a country.
Middle class are the members of a society with white collar jobs and a post degree education and lastly the lower class level; the semi skilled manual. According to (Thompson & Hickey, 2005) class levels have a very strong influence on how we decorate our houses, dressing and what type of TV shows we watch.
Objective
The objective of this paper is to know if physical traits can assess a person’s social class. Individual understanding and perception of our physical traits determine the class you belong to but it’s not usually the case. When you look at someone ,the first thing you see “old fashioned clothes” or “old shoes” and you judge solemnly on appearances that he belongs to a lower class, but chances are, he could be from upper class without a sense of style
Physical traits are features you recognize immediately you look at someone, the physical traits I would look for based solely on his or her appearance; are weight, which is the body mass- well built, fat, slim or over weight. Skin tone, is she fairly tanned, or silky? Facial features like the nose, the eyes.
I will consider her personal effects and clothing, the jewelry she’s wearing, cosmetics, clothes and shoes. The height is he tall or short? The texture of her hair; fair, long, silky or rough and lastly modification of his body: plastic surgery, tooth braces and body piercing
The question I would ask if am able to meet her is; “How important is physical appearance in her life?” I will ask this question because the society and media at large has placed so much emphasis on physical appearance, forgetting other important aspects of life.
Our society is spending over billions of shillings on plastic surgery, beauty parlors, very expensive herbal treatments, buying expensive designers clothes and shoes just to improve their appearances which most of the time, they have serious negative effects in their bodies.
They are many features that can be used to identify someone’s class in the society (Thompson & Hickey, 2005). Individual appearance can be an evidence of the social class one belongs, though it’s not necessarily the case. We can argue that personal effects and clothes can help us identify the social class one is, for instance upper class persons, most of the time are well, immaculately dressed and presentable, matching the occasion.
They have fair and smooth skin, well tanned due to the fact that they have a disposable income that they can use in buying expensive beauty products, and can afford plastic surgery and quality skin treatment. The upper class mannerism might be different due to the fact that they don’t attend public schooling though not in all cases, they may be well behaved mannered and courteous
Conclusion
We all sometimes categorize persons according to which social class they belong to, on the basis of physical appearance, where they go for lunch, the places they frequent and we make a conclusion that they belong to a certain class. All in all ones physical appearance should not form the basis of identifying a person’s social standing.
References
Patzer, G. L. (1985). The physical attractiveness phenomena. New York, NY: Plenum.
Thompson, W. & Hickey, J. (2005). Society in focus. Boston: Ally & Bacon Inc.
Social class is the status of the society in which individuals are classified on basis of political, economic and cultural perspectives. Wealth, income and occupation are the major aspects of economic social classification.
Political social class is characterized by Status and power, while the cultural group is determined by peoples’ lifestyle, education, values and beliefs (Bernstein 126). The economic, political and social classes can further be categorized in to subcategories of upper, middle, working and lower classes depending on one’s position in society.
It is quite essential for each individual in the society to understand the social position in which one belongs to (Bronfenbrenner 412). This will not only help in addressing the different issues that arise in life but also help in building a strong understanding of the societal needs.
Proper understanding of one’s class helps individuals to get fully prepared in facing challenges that come along in tackling daily activities. People who discern their social environment at an early stage in life constantly keep rising from one class to another.
It’s quite clear that social classes bring about inequalities in resources and life expectations. For instance, individuals with power have direct access to material resources compared to their followers.
Such differences cause economic gap between the different groups and may lead to the low group engaging in unethical means such as theft and corruption in order to bridge the gap (Bernstein 127). On the other hand, individuals endorsed with power may also look for alternatives of fighting in order to remain in power as a means of maintaining their status quo.
In understanding the social classes’ one should be keen in noting that; people in the lower social classes are involved in risky, lowly paid jobs which do not have any form of security unlike their counterparts in upper classes who enjoy better paid, secured jobs with access to medical cover (Bronfenbrenne 411).
In most instances, people in the lower class categories provide labor to the upper class; they do so by working as gardeners’ cleaners or any other odd jobs.
Low class individuals in the society lack adequate opportunities to exploit their talents. However, highly motivated individuals can rise to the other classes although they do so with a lot of difficulties (Davis 60).
Education is one way of shifting from one social class to another; children from upper classes have access to good schools and education and as result are able to maintain their class later in life. An educated individual is able to secure a well paying job, accumulate wealth and use the resources he has to gain political power.
The social class also determines the society’s demographics. Many low income earners are likely to stay in proximity to industries (Marshal 30). They reside in poorly constructed houses within noisy environment since they cannot afford better lifestyles (Bronfenbrenne 412).
On the other hand, upper social class individuals prefer to live in private, cool and sparsely populated areas. In addition, people from the low class are more prone to high crime related risks as a result of lack of opportunities and over population. This happens because many of them are unemployed hence hopelessly engage into alcohol and drugs.
Social class also has a very big impact on health status of an individual. Good medical care is only accessed by those who are willing to spend big. The lower class people suffer most because of their inability to access good medical care because of inadequate funds (Krieger 79).
Poor health contributes to low productivity of workers hence poor employment. However, the wealthy and rich are likely to suffer from conditions like obesity and cancer because of the kind of lifestyles they lead. Stress due to low pays, divorce and or conflicts may lead to death.
Differences in cultures, education levels, wealth, income and other aspects of social class in most instances cause discrimination (Marshall 30). For instance, one may be denied an opportunity as a result of being associated to a certain social class. This has given rise to massive corruption in the society and consequent moral degradation.
In social classes, informal and formal groups arise. The groups are mostly created to cultivate value in their groups and work in cooperation to maintain their status (Dahrendorf 12).
The groups also educate members on the opportunities and threats in the environment in addition to providing financial support to each other. Examples of these groups include Sacco’s which arise in the economic class, political parties and cultural groups.
In conclusion, social class differences create competition among different members in the society. Individuals within the lowest social class always work hard to maneuver their way to the next level. Individuals within the highest social classes have a feeling of having made it in life.
It would be crucial for anyone teaching on social classes to keenly study the economic, political and cultural backgrounds of the learners (Bronfenbrenner 420). This is a very sensitive area which needs serious research in order to avoid creating differences among the learners.
Works Cited
Bernstein, Benim. “A sociolinguistic approach to socialization: With some reference to educability.” Directions in sociolinguistics: The ethnography of communication. 12.6(1972):125-126.
Bronfenbrenner, Uenice. “Socialization and social class through time and space.” Readings in 12.5(1958):400-425. Print
Dahrendorf, Real. Class and class conflict in industrial society.Stanford: Stanford University Press Stanford, 1959. Print.
Davis, Alvis. “Social-class influences upon learning.” social psychology 15.8(1948):56 89. Print.
Krieger, Rowley. “Racism, sexism, and social class: implications for studies of health, disease, and well-being.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine78.7(1993):67-90. Print.
Marshall, Timao. “Citizenship and social class.” Cambridge 12.2(1950):28-29. Print.
A social class influences identity and values of every person. At the structural level, a social class encompasses not only productive relations but also the sphere of circulation and market positions; and at the levels of consciousness and action, it encompasses ethnicity, religion, status, etc., and the spheres of consumption and distribution as well as work and politics (Eitzen & Johnston, 2007). Thesis A social class position determines the social identity of a person and influenced his/her values, traditions, education opportunities, and life expectations.
A social class provides the child with a sense of identity, a set of values, and the motivational base for his later actions, while the school provides him with the knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish the goals he seeks. To see the contributions of these two agencies as purely additive, however, would be an oversimplification, because family and school interact. The values and motives the child acquires within the social class provide a basis for his identity. The degree to which he wants and sees the importance of what the school has to offer depends largely on what he has learned in the family (Eitzen & Johnston, 2007). The child’s response to the class and identity is thus very clearly influenced by his experience in the family (Pigeon, 2001).
The social context in which a child is reared is a potent influence on the kinds of experience he will have, he becomes increasingly able to select from within that context those experiences which he finds rewarding. Outcomes thus influence contexts and expectations as well as the reverse. Critics question the degree to which identity is associated with the position in the stratification system. There is a strong tendency for the child to adopt the view of his class (middle or working-class) that is dominant in the larger society. It is apparent that most working-class children do not like this position, and evidence of low self-esteem and even a hostile rejection of self is widely reported (Eitzen & Johnston, 2007). Because such a view of the low-class location and oneself as a low-class person is developed very early, it is not learned from the society at large. It is the result of his experience in his family and his immediate (usually wholly working-class) neighborhood.
The view of the role of social class in socialization suggests that there is an interplay between the formative experiences of the child, what others expect of him, and what he becomes. The latter not only is an outcome but is an active element in the process from the beginning. What the child becomes is not a simple function of what people expect him to be (Birdsall and Graham, 2000). Although expectations are important influences on the self-other experiences of the child, and although those expectations are influenced by his social class position, his behavior at one point in time will also influence what is expected of him at a future point. For instance, lower-class parents tend to respond differently from middle-class parents to their children’s misbehavior (Woodward 2004). People behave differently toward people according to their social class level and expect different kinds of behavior from them, according to class. Thus, teachers, counselors, peers – even parents – are likely to respond to a child not simply as a child, but as a child in a specific social position. Teachers may expect that lower-class students will do poorly and thus fail to take any corrective action if they do (Birdsall and Graham, 200). A social class seems to be an important variable throughout the socialization process. As just suggested, people in different positions in the social structure may behave differently when placed in the same situation and have a different identity (Woodward, 2004). Based on social class values, the behavior of people varies according to their social characteristics which determine their identity.
In sum, the identity is based on and influenced by class differences associated with this dominant fact of the self-image. In working-class children, the sense of inadequacy, together with the awareness of being disadvantaged, seem to lead to a withdrawn and often fearful reaction to other people. Some have pointed out that the black person’s position in society generates anger in him but also requires that he repress such feelings, and this repression lowers his “potential for affectivity”. This is consistent with the finding that working-class children are often more passive, withdrawn, and fearful than upper-class children and that when they are aggressive it is likely to be in a covert manner.
Bibliography
Birdsall, N., Graham, C. 2000, New Markets, New Opportunities?Economic and Social Mobility in a Changing World. Brookings Institutuion.
Eitzen,D.S., Johnston, J.E. 2007, Inequality: Social Class and Its Consequences. Paradigm Publishers.
Pigeon. M.A. 2001, Class War in America: How Economic and Political Conservatives Are Exploiting Low-And Middle-Income Americans. Journal of Economic Issues, vol. 35, p. 2.
Woodward, K. 2004, Questioning Identity: gender, class, ethnicity. Routledge
An individual’s social class or status is that position that they hold in the society. This position is certainly earned by two ways, which are the achievements one gets during their lifetime defined by the achieved status or by chance whereby one finds himself or herself in certain social class at birth hence the ascribed status.
For instance if one is born in a wealthy family, they will have a wide range of expectations during their growth unlike one born in a poor family. Therefore the social class that one belongs to is a key determinant of the ability of an individual to attain most of the valued ‘things’ of the society as Max Weber described. Such include;
Good Health care – People from the lower social class have difficulty accessing good health care. The main reason being that good health care comes in hand with huge amounts of money to be paid for the service, something that the lower class people can hardly afford. On the contrary, those from the higher social class have access to the best medical facilities just because they can afford to pay for their services.
Longevity – Those coming from the lower social classes have their longevity lowered while those in the middle class have lesser effects on longevity. The people from higher social class enjoy maximum longevity duet to the fact that they have access to good health care, good diet and a lot of leisure time (Marmout, 2004, p. 156). Despite this, birth contributes less to one’s longevity but rather dependent on factors after birth.
Security – Just like the other factors, people from the higher social class have adequate security since they can afford to pay for such services or they are provided for by the government. The lower social class individuals have no one apart from the Almighty to take care of them.
Status – If you are born of a high class family your social status will also be high and vice versa.
Wealth – Most people will inherit the wealth of their parents and such if you come from a wealthy family you will also be wealthy while if you are from a low class poor family there are high chances of you being on the same social class unless one works hard.
Prestige and Power– These go hand in hand as those from high social class hold prestige and have power over the low class people who become their servants.
How life chances may affect an individual’s life goals (positive or negative)
The home where you find yourself after birth plays a great role in determining your future either positively or negatively (Gould, 2002, p. 1152). For instance, an individual may be deprived off some essentials such as education due to their background making them suffer the rest of their lives. On the other hand, a lazy person may continue living a happy high class life just because they come from wealthy families. Therefore life chances have great impacts on the life of an individual.
Ways in which life chances be irrelevant
Life chances may be irrelevant in several cases depending on the achievements one is ready to achieve. A factor such as education and hard work could make one shift from the low social class to the high social class. At the same time those individual who are lazy and of low intelligence may end up being in the low class despite being brought up in high social class families. Other factors that may shape life chances include gender, race, and nationality just to mention but a few.
How the concept of life chances operates in the following systems:
A caste system – In this system, the social class of an individual is determined by heredity such that the children become what their parents were or are. This therefore means that a son or daughter of the King or president will definitely have access to security, wealth, good education and health as well as prestige just because of their parent’s class.
A class system – It is definite that the class that one belongs predicts their life chances greatly. Those in high social class will be subjected to good education, health care, security among others while those from the low social classes will not be in a position to access such services (Gilbert, 1998, p. 94).
A one-party, Communist system (such as China) – In the one-party, communist system, the wealth is shared by all in the community thus those who might have been disadvantaged get a chance of getting facilities and services they would not have got as a result of their background.
Reference List
Gilbert, D. (1998). The American Class Structure. New York: Wadsworth Publishing.
Gould, R. (2002). The Origins of Status Hierarchy: A Formal Theory and Empirical Test. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 107, No. 5.
Marmout, M. (2004). The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity, Times Books
I know which churches and sections of town have the best rummage sales.
I know where the nearest food bank is and when it is open. ✓
I know which grocery stores’ garbage bins can be accessed for thrown-away food.
I know how to get someone out of jail.
I know how to fight physically and can defend myself if necessary. ✓
I know how a person can get a gun even if they have a police record.
I know how to keep my clothes from being stolen at the Laundromat. ✓
I know what problems to look for in a used car.
I know how to live without a checking account. ✓
I know how to get by without electricity and without a phone.
I know how to use a knife as scissors. ✓
I can entertain a group of friends with my personality and my stories.
I know what to do when I don’t have the money to pay my bills. ✓
I know how to move my residence in less than a day. ✓
I know how to feed 8 people for 5 days on $100. ✓
I know how to get and use food stamps.
I know where the free medical clinics are and when they are open.
I am very good at trading and bartering. ✓
I know how to get around without a car.
I know what day of the month welfare and social security checks arrive.
Social Class: Functioning in the Middle Class
I know how to get my children signed up for Little League, soccer, piano lessons, etc. ✓
I know how to properly set the table. ✓
I know which stores are most likely to carry my family’s clothing brands. ✓
My children know the best name brands in clothing.
I know how to order in a nice restaurant. ✓
I know how to use a credit card, checking account, and savings account. ✓
I know how to use an ATM card, and I know where the nearest ATM machines are. ✓
The children in my family expect to go to college. ✓
I understand term life insurance, disability insurance, and house and flood insurance. ✓
I know how to get the best interest rates on a mortgage or new car loan.
I understand what a pension annuity is and how it works. ✓
I understand the difference between the principal, interest, and escrow statements on my house payment.
I know how to help my children with their homework. ✓
If my children have a problem at school, I do not hesitate to contact the teacher or principal. ✓
I know how to decorate the house for different holidays. ✓
I know how to get a library card and how to check out books at the public library. ✓
I know where to go, register to vote, and where my local polling place is. ✓
I repair items in my house immediately when they break or I know a repair service and call it. ✓
I use at least two of the following on a regular basis: laptop, cell phone, DVD player, mp3 player, digital camera, and social networking site(s). ✓
I know how to use various tools in the garage or basement.
Survey 3: Functioning in the Upper Class
I can read a menu in French, English, and another language.
I have several favorite restaurants in different parts of the country or in different countries.
I know how and where to hire an interior decorator to identify the appropriate themes and items with which to decorate my residence.
I know how and where to hire domestic help, including maids, caterers, and gardeners. ✓
I can name my regular financial advisor, lawyer, and barber or hairstylist. ✓
I have at least two residences that are staffed and maintained.
I know how to ensure confidentiality and loyalty from my domestic staff.
I have at least two “screens” that keep people from me whom I do not wish to see.
I frequently vacation in foreign countries.
I fly in my own plane, the company plane, jet timeshare, or first class.
I belong to at least two exclusive, members-only private clubs.
I know how to enroll my children in the preferred private schools.
I know how to host parties that “key” people attend.
I am on the boards of at least two charities.
I know the hidden rules of the Junior League, the country club, and other private organizations.
My personal phone book contains the unlisted numbers of at least a dozen well-known people.
I am familiar with personal security systems and devices.
I have a favorite artist whom I support by buying his or her work (originals, not prints).
I know how to read a corporate financial statement and the stock reports in daily paper.
I can easily converse about the “best” wines, art, designers, resorts, etc. The most exclusive designers created my clothing, personal items, and residential furnishing.
Social Class in the US
Surviving in Poverty
In this social class, these individuals’ survival tactics and living conditions have been taken for granted. For example, they have to understand the community’s unique areas, do some odd tasks, and be creative in many aspects. This group needs to know the rummage centers, food banks, garbage bins, and where food stamps are issued. These are pieces of information that help them survive the harsh conditions they live in. For example, there is an inquiry about how one can feed a family of 8 with $100 for five days in questionnaire. This action is quite impossible; therefore, there is a way to provide them, hence looking for food banks, rummage centers, and collecting leftovers from garbage bins.
Furthermore, there is an assumption that they can break someone out of prison, be able to access an unlicensed gun, and live in a place with no electricity and a phone. Again, they need to be creative, like entertaining people, feeding others with a lower budget, and using a knife as scissors. The mentioned traits are some of the survival tactics that one needs in a poverty-stricken environment. The getting of unlicensed gins explains why these poverty-stricken areas have more crime rates than other social classes (Dollar et al., 2019). It further explains why people strive to move from all those places in search of better living standards.
The only place to learn all the mentioned aspects is living within the area and understanding why the residents have to perform those tasks that they do. People orally pass the knowledge since the poverty levels do not allow some to access many knowledge storage devices. Breaking the poverty cycle has not been entirely successful due to its challenges. In conclusion, these people need to survive the harsh conditional environment they are in, and that is why they have to look for means to help them cope.
Functioning in the Middle Class
In the middle class, it is the ability to multitask as people expect to be an all-knowing individual. The range of what-to-know starts from helping siblings do homework, playing piano, using an ATM card, and knowing about insurance, mortgages, and pension schemes. Moreover, there is the need to understand how to decorate a house, know how to use garage and basement tools, and be able to use certain materials daily. These activities are learned as people do their day-to-day activities and perfect the skills over time.
From a general perspective, one can describe them as survival tactics that each needs to possess. With more interaction and practice, people in the middle class become perfect in the field. Most of the activities are school taught and learned informally. To be successful in this class, one needs to be open to learning and implementing new skills daily. An open mind will enable one to intake the skills with new ones depending on the individual’s need (Putra et al., 2021). People in the middle class will need to adapt to whatever comes their way as they need to survive.
Functioning in the Upper Class
Money and resource management are skills taken for granted in the upper social class. The questionnaire depicts these people as focusing on spending the money at their disposal. The range of activities they involve in requires a lot of money, for example, hiring interior designers, going on vacations, owning planes, admitting children to private schools, and being able to interact with prominent people. Therefore, one needs to understand money and resource management to maintain social status. These pieces of information are learned in schools and financial institutions and experienced over time.
The upper social class needs people who can manage their resources, as most possess vast property. Traveling, private schools, and their expensive lives make these people careful of whatever activity they indulge in. They sometimes need helpers who can advise on specific issues they may not be knowledgeable about. One needs to understand that these people are familiar or have a team that helps ensure they do not lose their social status (Dolifka et al., 2021). Again, this class is defined by priorities, as people will decide where to use plenty of resources. Some will travel, others will buy residential, while others will invest.
As a Social Being
I had many ticks in the middle-class questionnaire and the least in the upper class. I consider myself in such a class as I can relate to most questions. Even though I may not be at the highest level of the middle class, but I can categorize myself within the bracket. I feel like I am on the lower end of the middle class as I can relate to more poverty-related questionnaires than the other class. In the upper class, I do not tell most of the questionnaire’s questions since I am not privileged to some extent.
I am not surprised by the outcome as I consider myself in that class. I think most of the people in the class learn more through interactions and having to do most things on their own. I am one of those people that understand a lot about what goes around them and adapt to the changes. Manly indicates that Charles Darwin states that people must adapt to their situation as survival is always for the fittest and those willing to change (2020). Furthermore, I believe that change is always necessary, and people have to adapt to different lifestyles to fit in society. The change will help people become knowledgeable and relate with others well.
One question that got my attention is the people ‘surviving in poverty,’ having the ability to break out someone from prison, and being able to get a gun with no police record. I always believe the middle and upper-class people are the only people with that privilege. My limited gun and jail-breaking knowledge made me think that the exercises would require a lot of money and resources. For example, breaking someone out of jail, like in the movies, requires well-connected people who could help in the cover-up and the mission completion. Therefore, putting the question under the poverty level makes little sense. The same applies to the accommodation of unlicensed guns. As much as the crime rates are high among the poor, I think accessing those weapons requires a tall person for easy accessibility and gun acquisition.
The exercise brought mixed reactions; it made me realize how people categorize and stereotype others in society. For example, the poverty surviving social class is associated with more crimes than others. The middle- and upper classes have zero questions compared to the two in the other class. One cannot argue that there are more crimes among the poor than in the other courses, but does it mean the different types cannot be related to any crimes? Again, the middle- and upper classes are only asked about the finer things in life, making one wonder if they do not face any societal challenges. However, the questionnaire made me understand the three different social classes cannot easily co-exist in one place as they have other goals and priorities (Bond, 2020). I think the lower and middle class can relate much of what they do and know than the upper class, which seems to be on their own.
People react differently to news depending on how they feel about specific issues. I feel like the question was unfair to the poor. That explains my adverse reaction to the questionnaire, as I always advocate for equity among the people. One should understand that all people cannot be equal, and it is advisable to respect the differences in the community. Demeaning other people cannot help elevate others but will discourage them more. In a situation where the questionnaire was fair and balanced in its assessment, I would have enjoyed knowing what kind of crimes the privileged in society can be accused of.
In another instance, I enjoyed replying to the questionnaire as I learned what each social class values and is defined by. For example, I enjoyed knowing that the poor are determined by the idea of getting food and being able to survive the harsh conditions they are exposed to. It was pleasant to know that these people can survive adversity and live harmoniously. On the other hand, the middle class is defined by how they can juggle between escaping poverty and multitasking since they are exposed to several surroundings. It was the most interesting social class to learn about, and I realized how they try to fit into every category. For example, they portray the poor and upper-class characteristics. Hence I classified them as a hybrid. Lastly, I learned about the upper class’s obsession with spending money and their privileged accessories and financial freedom.
References
Bond, M. A. (2020). Diversity in the community: Rethinking psychological perspectives on bridging differences. In Rethinking Community through Transdisciplinary Research (pp. 69-83). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Dolifka, D., Spiller, S. A., Herzog, N., Bartels, D., Goodyear, L., Howard, C., & Pomerance, J. (2021). The psychology of financial resource allocation. ACR North American Advances.
Dollar, C. B., Donnelly, E. A., & Parker, K. F. (2019). Joblessness, poverty, and neighborhood crime: Testing Wilson’s assertions of jobless poverty. Social Currents, 6(4), 343-360.
Manly, B. F. (2020). The Survival of the Fittest. In The Fascination of Statistics. CRC Press, 331-350.
Putra, M. A. H., Rahman, A. M., Jumriani, J., Abbas, E. W., & Subiyakto, B. (2021). The street clowns in Banjarmasin city as a life survival strategy. The Innovation of Social Studies Journal, 2(2), 121-126.
Social class is the acknowledgment that people inherently occupy different status in the society. The existing social classes are differentiated in terms of the authority and power held in the society, their working conditions which go hand in hand with the living conditions, their lifestyles and levels of education which are determined by the wealth they hold, their cultural practices and religion. (Cody, 2002). It can simply be defined as the hierarchical differences that exist between distinct people in the society. (Absolute astronomy, 2002).
Main body
William Lloyd Warner, an American sociologist wrote his book Social Class in America in 1949 in which he espoused a social class model with various levels. From the perspective of social anthropology he developed three distinct classes for the American society and the three classes had other subdivisions of upper and lower sections. (Absolute Astronomy, 2002).
Using the Warner’s model, I would place myself in the “true middle class” category. According to the description given to this social class as those professionals whose earnings and their level of education is considerably of a higher standing in comparison to those of the lower middle class workers. This I consider to be the case since at the moment as a nursing student, I may not easily be able to earn very high salaries as compared to those of the professionals in the financial sector. The earnings from the salaried profession may also not be comparable to that of the businessmen. Due these facts, I may not fit in the upper three classes and I justifiably fit the true middle class.
The reputational approach of classifying society into social classes has its basis on the supposed reputation by the members in that particular society and it mainly focuses on the level of education attained, the earning of the individual which are dependent on the profession of the individual or the career.(Russ, 2007) This approach has similarities with the Coleman and Rainwater’s SCH social class hierarchy which is divided into (i.)Upper Class: Upper upper, Lower upper and Upper middle. (ii) Middle: Middle Class, Working Class. (iii)Lower: Upper Lower, Lower lower. Using this approach I would place my friend in the Middle class. The reason for this is because at the moment she basically has a bachelor’s college degree and this gives a roughly comparable income to that class.
Though Warner’s model is quite accurate in a lot of perspectives, it is not necessarily excellent in its stratification of the classes. This is because it tends to lean towards the notion that for an individual to belong to the highest social class, his lineage must be already originating from that class. There are also some cases where people in lower classes also tend to make more money than those perceived to be in a higher social classes and this comes about because of the classification of their job types.
Conclusion
To a large extent Warner’s classification model is generally acceptable. If I were to design a model for social class, there are some changes that I consider necessary to be made to Warner’s social class model. I think it should be that all social classes are a matter of an individuals achievement through personal effort and not like the case whereby for a person to be in the highest social class he has to be born in it. This will dispel the notion of people resigning to destiny. The result of this classification is that an individual can actually move from one social class to another depending on their achievements. In this model the element of permanence of a person’s social class will be removed from social classification.
A social class is a set of people within a society, who have the same level of socioeconomic. It is a group of people with the same prestigious standards of life. The life statuses of such people have proofed to have some influences on religious issues. In most nations, especially United States, several religions are categorized depending on the social status of people. For instance, the Protestants churches are mostly for people of high status (Johnstone, 2007). Depending on the history, those people with high status in the society have strong biases and are likely to get religious support. At times, this is seen as a form of discrimination and favors, but this is not always the case. The high-status people have a certain attitude and some values associated with their levels within the society. The social places that such people gather, including churches they look forward to be accorded the treatment with regard to their status.
In United States of America, racial integration in churches is not a common practice. The whites belong to high social classes and have their churches, while the Negroes belong to lower classes. Religion is believed to be a crucial aspect of social lives, and the social way of life is as well significant to the religion. The human societies, especially the people who understand the concepts of religion, have great influence on religious issues to their fellows (McCloud & Mirola, 2009). Religious beliefs are known to be very powerful, and capable of imposing some influences also to the society.
Social status of people in America is categorized by the wealth that is owned by individuals. The most powerful people, who have a lot of money, are the ones that belong to the high class. These people have the capability to influence the rest in terms of ideas and decision-making. Such people who are believers have a great influence to rest, as they act as examples. If they decide to follow and support the church, they can influence so many people in doing the same. Financially, they have the capability to offer assistance to any pending church activities. Through the support offered by such wealth people, the church can accomplish its mission of attracting as many people as possible to join its congregation (Johnstone, 2007). The high social class of most people is associated with much wealthy and high level of education. These two aspects influence the evangelicals in United States’ culture as well as in political issues. They have a high purchasing power of Christianity books, videos and films on Christian issues.
These people with social status are always the first ones to offer charitable contributions to aid for mission agencies and other church personnel. Their financial efforts are sometimes directed internationally to expand the churches, and ensure widespread of the gospel (Johnstone, 2007). Across the country, the church has managed to put up several permanent buildings for some Christians through the financial support of high social status individuals. These people provide most of the church activities that require finances.
References
Johnstone, L. (2007). Religion in society: A sociology of religion. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
McCloud, S., & Mirola, W. (2009). Religion and class in America: culture, history, and politics. New York: BRILL.