Reflection On My Social Life In A Social Class

Class is an apparent feature of any society, especially in the United States. Americans tend to overlook at times that there

There is much debate about the issue of social class in the United States. There are arguments about whether social classes are distinctly separate or fluid, dependent upon one’s community or society as a whole, and if they are subjective or objective (Hughes and Jenkins). However, despite the debate surrounding social classes, it is still important to try to define them and analyze their effects, as they are such an important part of our identity and our opportunities in society. Although our society has tried to appear as though we have no classes, and it is becoming harder to tell what class someone is in by material goods, classes do still exist today (Scott and Leonhardt). The trend has been to divide the U.S. into four major

“The percentage of Americans who say they are in the lower-middle or lower class has risen from a quarter of the adult population to about a third in the past four years, according to a national survey of 2,508 adults by the Pew Research Center” (http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/09/10/a-third-of-americans-now-say-they-are-in-the-lower-classes/). Today’s adults stating that they are in the lower class are most likely to have had a rough life growing up, and can now not escape the lower class. Social class is the idea of “a division of a society based on social and economic status” (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/social-class). Social class has the greatest impact on who a person turns out to be and what decisions they make because those

The article “Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios exploited the sad truth that is the American class system. Throughout the piece we are introduced to different myths about the economic spectrum that are later debunked by hard facts and evidence. On a day to day basis here at Monmouth University I am surrounded by fellow students who I would believe to be in the same social class as me. Growing up I never viewed myself as exceedingly wealthy or poor by any means but I knew my parents had to work hard for whatever income they could get. My family is what this article identifies as “middle class”, but after reading it should I begin to think of myself as less than that? According to the article, classes should not even be discussed because there

Social class is a topic of discussion that is generally avoided, especially in America. In a country where all of one's dreams can allegedly come true; the notion of class highlights the jarring inequalities and social divisions between one American and another. In recent years, recognizing one's privilege is beginning to become a cultural value. However, it has always been something that people were aware of, as seen in the eye-opening documentary, People Like Us: Social Class is America (2001). The documentary strives to accurately portray how the contrasted people of America live, interact, and see themselves and others. Of the ideas the doc showcases the most important are, the higher classes influence over the poor, and the poor's poor self-image, as these ideas strike the core of why one should be conscientious of their class.

What class are you in? What is class anyway? What does class mean to you? When I was younger I always thought that when people talked about class it meant that they were talking about acting a certain way around certain people. Like, when your around someone important you act with a certain type of class that is not of yourself but of who u aspire to be like. As I grew older I really started to see what class really meant. It’s based on economics and the money that you have made/have that puts you in a certain class. When I started too learned about the time periods before now I saw that they also had different classes. I know now that class is just a way to put people in certain categories to separate them. As we see higher class people are usually the Lawyers, Doctors, Movie Stars, etc.….

Last class we watched an informative documentary named “People like Us, Social Class in America”. America is known to be a country defined by class. Throughout the movie it showed different opinions on what class was based on by different people and the answers varied from looks, house size, career choice, race, manners, upbringing, and education. As we move through life, most times we remove ourselves from different people not in our class to then live amongst those who share similar backgrounds and who we are most comfortable with. As stated, “if there is class, there is an inequality one cannot explain and it perpetuates itself”. Revealing class can expose hope, fears, prejudice and a myriad of different emotions that we may not all be comfortable speaking about. I feel as if part two and part three were most applicable to myself because they are something that I have experienced both directly and indirectly.

The existence of classes between people is lamentable, but it does exist, and it sews discord between them. Perhaps the

People are keenly aware of their class status, perhaps not in terms of the specific categories but they instinctively know that in relationship to others whether they are a part of the upper, middle or lower classes

Race still predominantly plays a role in everyday classism. Discriminatory housing practices traps minorities in the lower class for generations. Moreover, America’s healthcare system unfair to people who have low income. Also, Public transportation does not properly serve the needs of those who use it; as well as, it makes it formidable to secure, and maintain a stable job. Additionally, education for the poor unequal in graduation rates; along with, a social polarization against lower class students. Classism in America is an old, yet consistent problem that, creates an unfair economic divide of

Classism is the systematic oppression of subordinated class groups to advantage and strengthen the dominant class groups. It’s the systematic assignment of characteristics of worth and ability based on social class. ….Classism is held in place by a system of beliefs and cultural attitudes that ranks people according to economic status, family lineage, job status, level of education, and other divisions. Middle-class and owning- or ruling-class people (dominant group members) are seen as smarter and more articulate than working-class and poor people (subordinated groups)…(What is Classism, p. 1).

In reality class always matters and it shapes our interests in life. We all come from different background and ethnicity. I believe that class is shaped mainly by income and occupation. However, many people think if a person is wealthy, therefore, he belongs in the upper class. But there are other factors that define class and it is more than just how much money you have. It can be the network of people that surrounds, traditions, and academic status that can also define class. Many of it has to do in which family you have been born and network that creates it. All of my family members have been born and raised in Russia; they completed universities, got jobs, and had enough income to support a family. “Each of us is born into a family with a particular class identity and class history—sometimes it is a mixed or hybrid identity—but almost always it is part of a network of other relationships—to other families in a community, to work and jobs, and to institutions” (Zandy 112).

Growing up in the city of Brook Park, a nice little suburb located in northeast Ohio. I never really imagined how life could be differently if I grew up in a different social class. Up to this point in my life, my family has mainly been a "middle class" family. Money isn 't thrown around in my family like its nothing, but we 've had a very good living style due to the hard work of my parents. Many times growing up my parents always told me to be grateful for what we have and to never complain because there 's people out there who would love to have what we have as a family. If I lived in the poverty living level instead of the middle class, the social part of my life would be different in many

Currently, my socioeconomic status (SES) is the lower middle class. I hold privilege in my SES status because I do not experience classism. “Classism is system of advantages for the middle and upper class as a group. It means governmental, institutional, and organizational policies, laws and rules are written to favor the middle class, the upper middle class, and the upper class and unfairly discriminate against people in al lower socioeconomic class. (Jun, 2010, p. 177). I benefit from my SES status because I am able to afford my basic need and buy material things I want. I am able to attend undergrad and graduate school and have a good paying job. I can admit that I take advantage of my privileges as a lower middle class status at work. According to Smith & Brewster (2016), people in the middle class SES at work have“ the freedom to make phone calls and take bathroom breaks during the workday, and so forth” (p. 3). There are times that I call out of work because I needed more hours of sleep, add an additional five minutes to my lunch break and taking bathroom breaks. People in lower SES status than mine do not have these opportunities due to a fear of losing their job. “Working-class people often do not participate in workplace policy making, do not

Class is the relative location of a person or group within a larger society based on wealth power, prestige, or other valued resources. In other words, class can be defined as a socioeconomic status in which one’s capital defines their class position thus giving us a ranking of financial status. This categorization of class position is based on economic status that can be determined through income, profession, or inherited wealth. Blue collar (working class), white collar, and upper class (professional services) are the three class categories based on economic status. This class structure is society’s way of determining between the haves and have-nots. One’s ability to be aware of the class system and one’s place within it is known as class consciousness or class standing.