The Happiest And Happiest : The Truth About The American Class System

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 readings examined how classism has negatively affected economics in the United States, how oppression manifests in taking financial advantage of groups of people who cannot advance financially, and systemic issues contributing to low wage and inability to move out of one’s social class. I was struck by the idea that most people in the United States are disadvantaged financially based on the way the country has set up its economic policies. From the beginning, black people have been oppressed by the inability to attain wealth, which continued through the end of WWII. I unnecessarily read a chapter speaking about financial companies targeting poor people, particularly people of color, with money schemes so they are losing their hard-earned money to fees and interest rates. This scheme continues to keep people in debt and living paycheck to paycheck. I related to the reading about college loans creating a paradox that students with degrees enter the workforce unable to find a job in their their field of study. Then the added paradox of not being able to find work making

“Money talks” is an expression many form as a simple analogy to the problem associated with wealth today. However, the value of money is not to be taken in vain as money does not always showcase the attributes of knowledge and power. At the same time, those who do possess money do, in some cases, possess the attributes commonly associated with the wealthier class. “Money and Class in America” wrote by Lewis Lapham in 1988, showcases the pessimistic feelings Lapham has towards the American faith in money. Lapham believes that Americans are at a loss to hold the majesty of money at bay. Though I agree with Lapham to a point, I also believe that the assumptions of Americans do apply to a point.

On Christmas Eve in 2010, my grandmother received a gift from a hospice nurse who was assisting with my grandfather’s deteriorating health. Initially both surprised and embarrassed by the gesture, her emotions quickly changed once she removed the wrapping. A single package of Ramen Noodles was revealed. Embarrassment changed to confusion as she attempted to wrap her mind around what she had received. The hospice worker drove a 1997 Plymouth Voyager that she regularly complained about not being able to run properly for more than a week. She wore old worn out clothing and my grandmother claims she had never seen the woman wear jewelry before. It was evident that she was not wealthy. Although she could not afford a gift, the nurse in her

An inequality in society, economy, wealth distribution, and political corruption and the influence in cooperation of government led to

Gish Gen and Barbara Ehrenreich’s works outline the struggles and challenges that the Americans undergo today in their pursuit of the American dream. Gen points to a Chinese family that is weaved between maintaining ties with their traditional Chinese way of life and culture, and adopting the American dream (Gen 107). Through this rather humorous and attention catching treatise, Gen confirms the struggles the American immigrant population face in order to streamline their thought, actions and philosophy with what the American dream represents. A majority of immigrants survives on low wages and struggles to put food on the

Even more troubling within this book was the point being made about quality of life. While the American dream has always been something worth aspiring toward, the current economic climate within the United States seems to be eliminating that dream for everyone. When a family must have two careers in order to make ends meet and keep up with their parent's level of wealth, it begs the question as to the justice associated with such struggles. Upon reflection I am only more reminded of those hard-working people within American society such as teachers who work long hours to educate the next generation only to receive

The American Dream has been drilled into the heads of almost all Americans and quite a few foreigners. The idea is that “Every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative”. The most common misconception foreigners have about America, is that the streets are paved with gold and poverty does not exist, when in reality the streets are not paved at all. As an American citizen, I cannot full-heartedly believe that people are determined by the country they were born into because I believe that if someone is determined enough to succeed, such a person will. Living in a third world country undoubtedly has its setbacks but it is not a set determination of one’s fate. The essay, “I Was a Warehouse Wage Slave” by Mac McClelland fully supports the idea that people have to fight for what they desire in life, while the other essay’s “My Summer at an Indian Call Center” by Andrew Maran, and, “The New Mecca” by George Saunders suggest that success is determined by place of birth. Although the essays disagree about the foundation of success, they have many similarities regarding how people’s identities are affected by demanding jobs. All three essays demonstrate that the workers’ identities are distorted because they are forced to sacrifice their own wants and needs, and to adopt an identity according to their companies’ preference, so that the shoppers, tourist etc. will be satisfied with the customer service

Here, in the United States, the “American Dream,” is a popular belief. There is a strong relationship between hard work and success. In this perfect scenario, those who put in multiple hours are on the road to success and can move up the social ladder. Thus stating, one could be thrust into the lowest of the social status, and with some hard work, one can elevate into the world of the social elite. As a demonstration to this global view of the United States, immigrants from all over the globe have made the excursion to the “land of opportunity” in beliefs of better education, employment, government, communities, religious freedom, and lives for not only themselves but the generations that come pursuing behind them. All of this survives based on a game of social stratification – a diagram on how to successfully obtain the American dream. This observation of social class is based on many mechanisms, some of which is bestowed to people at birth, and not rewarded for hard work and dedication. The class system at play in the United States has become incredibly complex – it no longer has the fundamental class values of our forefathers. Those trying to move up in the social ladder of America are often caught replication the actions of the rich and famous, but this alone cannot make them part of the higher social class. Some think that there are simple rules to follow to climb higher into another social class ladder, but there is more to being upper class than just talking the talk or having the right identity.One way to look at class is the model developed by Janny Scott and David Leonhardt's article, “Shadowy Lines That Still Divide,” in The New York Times. They assert that “one way to think of a person’s position in society is to imagine a hand of cards. Everyone is dealt four cards, one from each suit: education, income, occupation and wealth, the four commonly used criteria for gauging class” (Scott and Leonhardt 27). While being sure on these four criteria, a basic understanding of a person’s predicted class can be made. While this model works fine for providing an elementary level of perception, it must be recognized that a person could rate well on this scale and still be in a different class than those

The early twentieth century marked a significant time period in history for America and its well-known reputation as a nation of prosperity and great opportunities. During this time, a massive wave of immigrants from Eastern Europe arrived in this land of hope and richness seeking for jobs, and fulfilling their American dreams. However, reality of the “great” America hit them hard and crushed all their expectations of what the land of freedom could offer. As a result, immigrants fell down to the bottom of the “food chain” and could not escape the ruthless cycle of capitalism in the twentieth-century America. Among the muckrakers who exposed the ill conditions of American industrialization, there stood out a journalist,

When people think of the American Dream, most think of the good that arises with it. They don’t consider the hardships and obstacles one must overcome. Many immigrants come to America in hopes of accomplishing their dreams and aspirations, and if they can’t, maybe their children can. Haspel debates how “The U.S. has changed drastically in the last several decades. The middle class, which was the heart of the American Dream, is dwindling, and the disparity of wealth among social classes continues to grow.” (41) This defends the popular phrase “The rich get richer while the poorer get poorer.” In essence, the American Dream can be viewed as the aim to climb the economic ladder. As the economic gap between the different social classes grow, it becomes harder for certain groups to see the American Dream as an attainable goal. The American Dream entails a variety of opportunities, and it is hard for minorities to grasp such opportunities with limited resources. Haspel also debates that “Another issue contributing to the decay of the American Dream is the country’s changing family

I agree with you that the video shows what’s going on in our country. It also speaks to how television functions in molding the viewpoints of its viewers in how viewers characterize and see the "working class." Class Dismissed additionally makes me think about how the hegemonic route in the media emerges. Is there a powerful group of people who analyze governmental issues just to direct how to react in television? Individuals can agree that the "working class" is the biggest class in American culture and in this manner those that control the media have a solid enthusiasm for needing to shape the points of view of these individuals. Looking into different televisions sit-coms including "working class" families from different periods

Social class is defined as 'people having the same social or economic status' (Wordnet). In contemporary American society, social class is based on the amount of money and property you have and also prestige. Prestige is given to a person through the line of work or the family that they come from. For example, upper-upper class member Jennifer Lopez reeks of prestige not only because she has millions of dollars in her bank account, but she has very expensive luxuries, cars, and houses.

The United States currently runs on using the class system for society. This system has many beneficial factors that keeps the U.S. going, but there are also certain aspects of it that should be changed to create a more balanced and fair system overall. One issue with the class system that affects social stratification in America is that there is too large of a economic gap between the middle and upper class. Another issue is that the current system isn’t offering enough reward to people filling in the much needed jobs such as being a teacher, and instead is offering ridiculous amounts of rewards to unnecessary jobs such as a professional player or celebrity. Another issue is that the people in the upper class, especially the top 1%, aren’t being taxed enough to cover for some of the expenses of the government.

The much desired but embellished American dream appears to be within reach. However, as Vargas (2011), realizes being, “undocumented immigrant… means living a different kind of reality.” The recognition that American is a complex multicultural society leads to the realization that a person must face various challenges before making it. The language factor may present a communication challenge with potential employers, and even if an immigrant succeeds in communicating, becoming a documented citizen is primary consideration for being hired. Therefore, “the employment route to a green card means clearing a pretty high bar” (Vargas, 2012), but first one must find a willing employer. The increasing pressure on immigrants places a significant challenge in the attainment of the much hyped American dream. Most immigrant communities have developed hiring networks that aid their “people” to get jobs. However, these jobs may not meet the desired standard and it may take a person a long time before they can attain a recognizable position. These are among the challenges that multiculturalism brings in a society that is culturally fragmented such that