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Social Class Research Paper
At the very core of nearly every aspect of the modern life, social class can be seen pulling at the strings, orchestrating every move. From the obvious,
like salary, housing, and friends, to the more subtle, like fashion, news, and art, social class is at the center of it all. However, one thing thatsocial class
is rarely ever attributed to, is religion. Surprising as it may be, social class directly affected American's choice of religion, and whether or not they have
a religion, throughout the entirety of the 1900s.
For starters, how a person views religion as a whole is dependant on the social class of the individual. Prussian philosopher, Karl Marx, once
described religion as "the opium of the masses" (qtd. in Mirola, "Religion and Class in America"). Opium, being a commonly used drug that
promotes, in an essence, lack of awareness. So what Marx was trying to get across is that, to the working class, religion's promise of a better life in
death is virtually the only thing keeping them sane and indifferent in the face of exploitation. The only...show more content...
Studies have shown that around 44% more college graduates than non high school graduates and that about 36% more persons earning $50,000 or
more than those earning under $20,000 consider themselves to be an atheist; not to mention the fact that the atheist conviction nearly triples in
members during the course of the 1900s (Bromley, "RELIGION AND SOCIAL CLASS"; Sherkat, "Tracking the Restructuring of American
Religion..."). This upward trend of skepticism between both yearly wages levels of education could suggest that having no religion at all is seen as a
sign of higher class. This could also mean that people elect atheism as their belief because they believe that, by doing so, social benefits would be
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Social Class And The Middle Class Essay
Social class can be defined as a social construct which is used to describe a group of people with similar levels of wealth, influence and status. They
tend to have dramatically different values and mannerisms to others groups, for example, the working–class are seen as uneducated and unskilled
workers, whereas the middle–class are seen as highly educated people with high incomes (Harcourt, 2016). Despite there being other social class
groups, including, the upper–class, this essay will explore the portrayal of the working–class, lower–class, also known as the 'underclass', and the
middle–class in reality television, using the example of Wife Swap.
The working class and the lower class groups have been increasingly visible on British television screens in recent years, mainly because the
increasingly popular genre of reality television features them heavily (Morley, 2009). Debates have sparked on whether the use of ordinary people on
such programmes is democratising or exploitative. It could be argued that because the working–class were not on such programmes, audiences and
society therefore had no access to them and their lifestyles. However, the great exposure of working–classes on reality television programmes now
provides access to them and allows people to observe and judge how they behave and how they live.
It is not a recent discovery that disadvantaged individuals, families and communities are portrayed in negative lights by the media (Crossley and Slater,
2014),
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Social Class in Classroom
ocial class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These
divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social
class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher
income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class.
Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending...show
more content...
A common reason found amongst most lower class students is the lack of confidence they all carry. According to James Rhem of NTLF, from the
article "Social Class and Student Learning":
"Students from working–class backgrounds often lack confidence. They may have as much intelligence as students who come from wealth, but they
see the world differently. They may, in fact, be more likely to lack academic skills and sophistication. They have less practice playing with ideas,
conceptualizing and sometimes less practice in reading and writing. But even when they don't lack skills, they often remain uncertain of themselves,
stay quiet in class, pick low–risk courses, and settle on very practical majors without allowing themselves to dream of more" (2).
In other words, "these students are less able to work the system" (Warren, Class in the Classroom 1) and this means that they have more trouble
finding out what to do, in terms of helping themselves. They are less exposed to 'the college world" since there is no one these students can relate
to–many other students from other socioeconomic status have some idea of what to do in college, because others who have attended college, such as
siblings and parents, give proper advisement to these students, when help is needed–––as a result of "being able to work the system". Middle class
students (in
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Social Class And Social Classes
Social classes play a vital role in dynamic of families. The definition of social class is ambiguous and has no clearly outlined definition. However it
is believed to be a combination of different aspects such as one's life chances or resources, one's status group, or those who share similar lifestyles and
one's education level make up an individuals social class. Therefore, in an ideal set up there would 4 social cases the upper, middle, working, and poor
classes (Judge 2015) and these are the 4 that I will be using to distinguish the difference in how parents raise their children across social classes. One
main influence that causes a polarization of social classes are parents economic resources and education level, thus influencing the jobs parents have
and the availability they may have to invest in their child's life. However the key characteristics that influence the ways parent raise their children are
how they organize their child's daily life, the use of language around their children, and through social interactions (Lareau 202). However the two main
approaches across social class parents take in raising their child are natural growth and concerted cultivation. Concerted cultivation approach to
parenting is when parents seek to actively enhance their children's talents, and opinions (Cherlin 2013). Parents are generally college educated and have
jobs that allow for financial stability within the family. Typically this parenting style pertains to upper and
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Essay on Social Class In The Us And Britain
Social Class in the US and Britain
Although the United States was a British Colony in the early 1700s, the differences between the two were definitely noticeable, especially in the
socioeconomic fields, mostly due to the fact that slavery played a much larger role in the United States.
At least from the moment in 1620 when the Mayflower anchored off Cape Cod, there has been an American Dream. Though hard to define, it usually
entails the concept of freedom, justice and equality. Despite variations in the content of the dream there is one constant, the American Dream is a
dream of the future and as such implies the idea of progress, change and equality. Our dreams may differ from those of the men who wrote the
Mayflower Compact...show more content...
(1727: Colonial America) This class provided leading statesmen and great generals, many of whom had a vital role in the American Revolution.
(Population and Social Rank)
The following class, which was by far the largest, was the middle class. (Population and Social Rank) This included owners of small stores and
businesses, small farmers, and craftsmen. (1727: Colonial America) They were mostly educated, and lived successful lives. They also had very high
moral standards and some were deeply religious. (Population and Social Rank) Most middle class men could vote, but few held public office, as the
gentry used their wealth and influence for political control. Middle class women ran self–sufficient households, and made their own clothes, candles,
cheese and soap. Few were educated. (1727: Colonial America)
Finally, there was the Lower Class, which consisted of day laborers, apprentices, sailors, servants, and slaves. (1727: Colonial America) Out of all
of these, the lowest level was that of slaves, who at the time existed in all 13 colonies. However, more than 4/5 of them were in the South, due to the
fact that the large plantations in the area required a greater number of slaves. Overall, slaves had hardly any rights, but more specifically, their quality
of life varied on which of region of the country they lived in. In New England and the Middle Colonies,
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Essay On Social Class
Joshua A. Clark
Dr. Benjamin Sword
English 1302
22 September 2017
Empathy Relies on Social Class
If it is suggested that class has anything to do with how people live their lives or treat each other in America people adamantly refuse to believe it. The
thought that here, in this country built by revolutionaries and self–made men, people cannot be whatever they want with hard work and perseverance
is intolerable. The truth is social class does exist and does influence how people see and treat each other. These revelations are not unique to one
person, in fact, several people have touched on these points including, Paul Fussell the son of a millionaire who, based on his observations, wrote a
piece explaining class distinctions and some of...show more content...
Contrary to that view, the lower classes see themselves as simply being on the wrong side of fate. This leads to the lower classes lacking some of the
drive and ambition that characterizes the upper self–made classes, because if fate is against them what hope do they have. Because of this difference in
viewpoints, the worldviews of these classes tend to be different as well, including how they see and respond to misfortune. The lower classes tend
to be more empathetic towards each other because they either have, or know they could, go through the same thing any day. On the other hand, the
higher classes see other's misfortunes as partly their own fault and wonder why they did not prepare better and why they do not pick themselves up
and keep going. These differences are due in part because of the imbalance of money between the two classes. One has plenty, and in many cases, has
always had plenty, and so is not worried about the what ifs of life (Fussell 6–7). On the flip side, the lower or working classes are often living paycheck
to paycheck, so they are constantly aware of what could happen. This makes them much more understanding and wiling to help when something does
happen (Williams 40).
The rich are not without empathy, they can still hurt when others hurt, and rejoice when others rejoice, it is just rarer than those of the lower classes.
The lower classes are much closer together, and so are much more aware
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How Social Class Affected My Life
Social Class refers to a group of people with similar levels of wealth, influence, and status. As time passes by many of us start to alienate from each
other in terms of what classes we belong to and what type of things we could afford and it also affects the social mobility people will experience,
because of that it affects a lot of us greatly and you start to realize how it affects you when it comes to what type of neighborhood you live in or what
type of work you do or where you go to school. Social Class has hugely affected me especially when it comes to where I live and where I grew up. In
Park slope in Brooklyn back then when I was a child our neighborhood consisted of the working middle class with people that actually made a wage
that allowed them to live here and we had many stores we could go to and relate and grow relationships with people there but as time went on all
that began to change. As I was getting older I didn't realize it but things were changing slow like the stores we used to go to closed down and went
for sale or they got bought out and they were replaced with stores where many of the merchandise was expensive and hard to get, also they were
being torn down and replaced with beautiful apartments which I thought at the time was cool because I was thinking it was getting a makeover.
As time went on many of the buildings I grew up seeing started getting turned into condominiums where the prices were getting ridiculous and the
rent started going up and I started seeing Caucasian people and I realized these condos were being built with people who were part of the new middle
class or had money where they could afford to live in condos. When I got a job at a store called Earth's Basket it was difficult to even get the job but as
I started to work there I realized many of the things we were selling were grossly overpriced when I could just go across the street and get the same
thing for a lower price and I got frustrated because the reason why those things were so overpriced were because of the people that were moving into
Park Slope and because of white people everything was going up in price and when I see them paying for items that were like $10 where you could get
it somewhere else
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Race vs. Social Class Essay
Race vs. Social Class
THESIS: Race differences in identity and social position were, and are, more important than class differences in American society.
"Events in the nineteenth century made it abundantly and irrefutably clear that race as a concept sui generis superseded social class as the dominant
mechanism of social division and stratification in North America." (Smedley 219) For many decades people have been using race as a way to
classify humans into different social categories. Lower, Middle, and Upper classes were created to divide humans into appropriate categories using
their individual lifestyles, financial income, residence, and occupation. People decided to ignore this classifying system and classify one another,...show
more content...
These conditions in turn lead to the way individuals perform at work. It also affects their views of each other as well as those considered to be "above"
or "below" them. So, racial discrimination happens at the work level, as well as, the dividing of social classes.
Racial discrimination dominated over social classes creating an unfair way to divide people. "In all areas of life, Americans were persuaded that the
major races – black, Indian, Asian, and white – could not and should not live or work together and certainly not as equals." (Smedley 221) All other
races were homogenized, regardless of education, skills, language, religion, income, or place of origin, into one simple category. Class separation was
temporary and situational, as so many Americans were quick to uncover. White Americans believed that anyone who succeeded in business, politics,
entertainment, or their professions automatically improved their class status and eliminated the barriers to upper class institutions. Class barriers can
be surpassed; race barriers can not.
The social class has two major approaches to the study in the scholarly literature. The first one is ethnographic and descriptive, and the other is
Marxism, which offers a range of perspectives. Smedley describes Marxism as identifying social classes as groups standing in different relationships to
the "mode of production" and
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Social Class And Its Impact On Society Essay
Social class has been always being in our society since its establishment. Back then, white, landowning men had the highest status amongst society
with women and other races being lower in the societal ladder Times have changed since then, but social class is still a major factor to people's
success. Social class is defined as a label that categorizes individuals based on their economic status, wealth, and power. Social class does not
matter, but should not be ignored It's prominent in our society so I think as young adults we need to be aware of it. If we "teach them how to deal
with it in a positive manner and how to prevent it, then little by little we can see less of the discrimination. Our differences shouldn't create conflict
between people and cause problems" (Google Doc). Our differences should come together and be celebrated. It should be brought to our attention that
they may be more disadvantaged than other people and that all their home lives are unique and different from each other. While keeping this concept
in mind, teachers and faculty members should not let social class control their action towards the students and be prejudiced. Teachers should not see
social class as a problem or an excuse as to why the student is not learning. Individuals want to learn and can learn; social class should not be the
explanation as to why the teacher will not help the student reach their goals. When students grow intellectually and become educated, they will acquire
more
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People Like Us: Social Class In America
People Like Us: Social Class in America Film Review
Introduction
America is a complex and diverse web of individuals marked by social stratification, a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a
hierarchy (Macionis, 2011, p.204). The film People Like Us: Social Class in America discusses the class system, social stratification based on both
birth and individual achievement, which the American people use to define others (Macionis, 2011, p.206). It explores the many variables that
contribute to the determination of a person's class; such as, ancestry, education, and money. Ancestry will be a main focus because it has such a strong
influence on the class system of today. The film provided an informative and entertaining...show more content...
Analysis
Ancestry and its Effect on Class Family ancestry is an important factor in determining social class. Both rich and poor are influenced by their family's
income, occupation, and education. This concept is illustrated in the film through speaking with members of the WASPS and in Tammy's Story. It
affectively shows how the family that one is born into can greatly influence their life that they are living.
WASPS.
The WASPS represent a group of individuals who are established high in society's social hierarchy based on money, family name, and attitude (Alvarez
& Kolker, 2001). These White Anglo–Saxon Protestants are part of the upper–upper class, which is less than 1 percent of the U.S. population
(Macionis, 2011, p.223). Membership into this prestigious class can only be achieved through birth. The film depicted a man describing what a
person in this class looks like and how they think. He said these people have a reputation to uphold and therefore act in a certain way based on the
knowledge they have acquired throughout their lives. He said, "WASPS stand better, are nicer, more attractive, and more cultured" (Alvarez &
Kolker, 2001). This idea shows he believes that the people within this social class are all around better people.
The WASPS have privileges unlike any other class in America. In the film,
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Essay On Social Class Discrimination
Social class discrimination is what one can observe every day in a life. People around the world have the different social status which is caused
either by their degree or family and finally, there own personal efforts. As far as U.S. and Canada are concerned they also hold social discrimination
but, how it is caused and how it is either heredity or circumstance is different in each country. However, in both countries the system is merit–based and
either class has the chance of growing up or coming down and gain their own values. Nevertheless, in some odd cases, I personally believe the one's
status can be based on their ancestry's class which on this occasion only it may not be impartial. "Stratification is natural, inevitable,...show more
content...
Nonetheless, there are some odd cases that one gains social class based on ancestry which personally I can strongly say that it is not fair and most of
them do not deserve that status. For example, in many middle–eastern countries, the new generation usually benefits from their father's social status, no
matter their own efforts. Additionally, this kind of ancestry–based social class has always existed in the world but in most countries, first world
countries, governments stopped this system and opened the path for each individual to grow. Moreover, regarding the effect of one's father social
status, statistics show that the father's economic status in the U.S. affects the child's social status more compared to Canada. All in all, "The U.S.
has less economic mobility than Canada" (Corak 2009). As in illustration, if a family lives in the lower class it is more likely for their children to be
also part of the lower class. In my opinion, it is inevitable to stop this trend, due to the fact the opportunities that one faces in life is strictly determined
by what his/her family can provide.
Regarding incomes, the upper class has far more income than others. However, those are only the minority of the world's population and they are
usually wealthy because of their ancestors. For instance, Donald Trump had been living in a wealthy family since he was born and currently he
possesses a significantly high net worth, however, he personally put
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Essay On Social Class
I found this video, and the results from the studies performed, very interesting and educational. The video showed an clear link between social
class and behavior. By studies performed in the video, it was made clear that wealthier people are more likely to take candy meant for children,
cheat in a game when money is on the line, lie in negotiations, break the law while driving and steal at work. These results were proved consistent
by thirty different studies, performed by Paul Solmon. Paul decided to try something new. Instead of basing research off of rich people, he based a
study off of making people feel rich. Paul Solmon conducted this research by rigging a monopoly game in favor of a player, based off of a coin toss.
The player who...show more content...
Of course there are plenty of hard working wealthy people out there, however they should realize that even before they were born, the cards of life
were being shuffled in their favor. Another interesting result from this experiment, was how the richer player treated the poor player. The rich
player felt as if they had earned the right to demand money from the poor player, or act entitled to any money the poor player owed them. Today,
many people, rich or poor, believe that poor people are poor because they don't work hard enough, or are lazy and deserve to be at the bottom of the
pyramid.However, this is not true, low–income families work as hard, or harder than high–income families.Low income people, like high–income
people, are dealt a hand of life although their hand is not usually as favorable as the hand dealt to people born from high–income families. This
experiment brings up a subconscious bias, very few of us come to realize. Rich people often feel entitled, and superior, while poor people usually are
more generous and understanding. What is the reason for different behavior between social classes?The answer is society. Society is the one telling us
that poor people don't work hard, and that wealthier people deserve and have earned the money they own.Both of these ideas are inconsistent and
unjust. Life does not deal everyone the same hand, wealthy usually start wealthy, just as the poor are usually born poor. The only way for us
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Essay On Social Class Theory Of Karl Marx
The topic of the report was to research on the class differentiation theory of Karl Marx. The theory is defined and examined, the method of research
used is questionnaires. The questionnaires are prepared and distributed in Institute of Business Management. The questionnaire's results are shared in
the report below, the findings gave a clear idea of the theory. The idea ofsocial class differences varies from person to person. The results will be
discussed in the latter part of the report.
INTRODUCTION
Karl Marx was one of the first social scientists to focus mainly on social class. His main focus on social class was that one's social class dictated one's
social life.
Basically, Marx meant that if one is in the upper class, life was one of leisure and abundance, while those in the lower class lived lives of hardship and
poverty.
According to Marx, there was one social element that would determine where one fit in the social class hierarchy: that of who controls the means of
production, meaning who owned the resources necessary to produce what people needed to survive.
The wealthy would be the individuals who owned the land and factories. The wealthy would then control all elements of society – including the
livelihoods of the lower, working class. The lower, working class would work for...show more content...
The response was by both students from education background from A–levels and intermediate. 67 % of the respondents considered it a serious issue in
the community considering it as the gap getting larger between the upper and lower class. 77 % of confessed about making friends after knowing the
social class. The recommendation was that it would end until the change of the ages and a huge movement conducted by the students who are most
affected by this
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Essay On Social Class In The Great Gatsby
Social classes are truly like a ladder, but that final step is by far the most difficult. Trying to become the most powerful, and successful person
around it an almost impossible task, which very few will ever achieve. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby spends his entire
life attempting to climb the social ladder, in order to win back his young love, Daisy Buchanan. The novel makes a naturalism argument stating that no
matter how hard you try, and how much you think you've achieved in your life, you will most likely never be able to rise from a lower social class. To
begin, many of the characters in this novel tried their very hardest to make it appear they were of a higher social class, but never became what they
...show more content...
Although Tom acted as if he truly cared about Myrtle, he really did not. This is displayed when he claims that his wife is a Catholic, and that is
why they could not get a divorce. The issue with that, would be that she is not Catholic, Tom was just making up an excuse. This shows that Tom
has no real intention of actually being with Myrtle. Instead of being truthful, and telling her that he will never want to marry her, he is dragging
her along, and lying to her, making her believe that he cares. By doing this to Myrtle, he is preventing her from actually trying to make something
of herself, and further proving that the "upper class" is constantly affecting the lower classes. Gatsby and Daisy would be another perfect example
of this idea. "I did love him once, but I loved you too," Daisy said, proving to Gatsby he was never the only one she wanted. By saying that she
loved them both, she is showing that Gatsby was never the only man on her mind. She proved that she did not have the purest intentions of being
with him, because she was never fully committed to him. This was also shown when Gatsby was the one to tell Tom she loved him, not Daisy.
Finally, upper class people tend to drag lower class people down, by abusing their money, power, and
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Social Class In America
Social class can be explained as a group of individuals that can relate to one another regarding financial means, social status, and the culture they are
a part of. Social class is usually classified into three different groups: the lower class, middle class, and upper class. Every person is born into the social
class that their parents are classified as. "America is a middle–class country; the poor are left behind and the rich are tolerated for their eccentricities"
(Life). America has viewed social class as a way to label people based on facts rather than opinion. A middle–class life is the best description of my
upbringing because of the way my parents chose to raise me, the culture I grew up learning, and the financial status my family balanced over my
childhood.
The discovery of my place in a social class came from many aspects, starting with the way I raised. I worked hard for everything I wanted, which
was the result of my family instilling the values of responsibility and respect on me more than any other attribute. My father was the type of man that
felt it was always an appropriate time to give deep talks about life, and most of these conversations revolved around respect and responsibility, which
became some of my fondest childhood memories. My father worked on an assembly line at Toyota Motor Manufacturing for almost fifteen years. My
family realized how physically demanding his job was, but no one ever heard him complain. He was supporting his family, and that
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Essay about Social Class
SOCIAL CLASS
Social class refers to the system of stratification of the different groups of people in a society. These different forms of classification are, in most
instances, based on gender ethnicity and age. Social class makes everyone's lives extremely different. For example: How long one can expect to live.
In a wide range of ways, from success, to one's health class, social class influences people's lives (Grusky,2003).
Among the life chances affected as result of social class involve factors such as: How long people live (life expectancy), how healthy people are, how
much and what they eat, the kind of housing they live in, the level of education they reach and the qualifications they achieve, how likely they are to be
unemployed...show more content...
The upper middle class consists of managers and professionals, while the lower middle class is made up of clerks, office workers, telephone sales
and shop workers. These jobs are usually not very well paying and do not require very high qualifications. The petty bourgeoisie on the other hand are
small business owners. This group may consist of people who may own a workshop or shop and may be employing a small number of people.
The Working Class
This class, like the middle class, consists of sub–groups of people. These include the skilled, the semi–skilled and unskilled workers. Social mobility
has, however, affected the number of people in this class. Many people born in this class have been able to rise to the middle class, and as a result,
there exists a case of embourgeoisement.
According to the Marxist view, this is the class of people who are detrimental to the fate of the entire class system. He stated that these people were
supposed to unite and overthrow capitalism. However, this is not what has occurred.
The Underclass
This is the lowest class in the social class stratification. While the majority of the working class now live reasonably healthy and prosperous lives, a
low minority do not. These people cannot work. They include the long–term unemployed and the disabled and chronically ill. They are in effect, shut
out of much of what most people can attain. This group of
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Social Class in the United States Essay
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...show more content...
Despite the debates about social class, the United States is usually described as having four major social classes, the elite or upperclass, the middle class
, the working class, and the lower class (Goldscmidt). Classes are generally differentiated by income, education, and occupation although other
factors do have an effect. The upperclass consists of about 1% of the population making 750,000 dollars or more a year as investors, top
executives, or heirs to large fortunes (Hughes and Jenkins). There tends to be no question about who is in the upperclass as they are pretty clearly
isolated in their power and wealth. The middle class makes up about 40% of the population making anywhere from 40,000 to 749,999 dollars a year
(Hughes and Jenkins). The large disparity in income and wealth have led to a further division of this class into upper–middle class and middle class in
some circles. The middle class usually work white collar jobs as professionals and managers, however some highly skilled blue collar workers are
included. Those in the middle class have usually obtained higher education degrees and place a high value on individual responsibility for one's
class (Goldschmidt). The working class is composed of about 50% of the population earning 13,000 to 39,000 dollars a year (Hughes and Jenkins).
Some also divide this class into a working class and a
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Essay on Social Class in the Classroom
Social class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These
divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social
class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher
income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class.
Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending...show
more content...
Not only is it stereotypical that students who come from a lower class family, have a weaker vocabulary, but some tend to believe that their level of
academic readiness can not measure up to those from a higher social class. As quoted from Lee Warren, "differing levels of preparation and academic
sophistication can sometimes be attributed to class background and the quality of previous schooling" (Class in the Classroom 2). While the type of
previous schooling and preparation for school can demonstrate a student's socioeconomic class background; In contrast, author Richard Rothstein
argues in his article, "The Social and Economic Realities That Challenge All Schools" that:
"the success of some lower class students proves nothing about the power of schools ...between low–income and middle–class children...on average, the
achievement of low–income students is below that of middle–class students, but there are always some middle–class students who achieve below
typical low–income levels; similarly, some low–income students achieve above typical middle–class levels."
Which demonstrates that the type of school a student attends can be effective towards their education, however, it is up to the student to take
advantage of the education they are receiving. Just
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Social Class Research Paper

  • 1. Social Class Research Paper At the very core of nearly every aspect of the modern life, social class can be seen pulling at the strings, orchestrating every move. From the obvious, like salary, housing, and friends, to the more subtle, like fashion, news, and art, social class is at the center of it all. However, one thing thatsocial class is rarely ever attributed to, is religion. Surprising as it may be, social class directly affected American's choice of religion, and whether or not they have a religion, throughout the entirety of the 1900s. For starters, how a person views religion as a whole is dependant on the social class of the individual. Prussian philosopher, Karl Marx, once described religion as "the opium of the masses" (qtd. in Mirola, "Religion and Class in America"). Opium, being a commonly used drug that promotes, in an essence, lack of awareness. So what Marx was trying to get across is that, to the working class, religion's promise of a better life in death is virtually the only thing keeping them sane and indifferent in the face of exploitation. The only...show more content... Studies have shown that around 44% more college graduates than non high school graduates and that about 36% more persons earning $50,000 or more than those earning under $20,000 consider themselves to be an atheist; not to mention the fact that the atheist conviction nearly triples in members during the course of the 1900s (Bromley, "RELIGION AND SOCIAL CLASS"; Sherkat, "Tracking the Restructuring of American Religion..."). This upward trend of skepticism between both yearly wages levels of education could suggest that having no religion at all is seen as a sign of higher class. This could also mean that people elect atheism as their belief because they believe that, by doing so, social benefits would be Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. Social Class And The Middle Class Essay Social class can be defined as a social construct which is used to describe a group of people with similar levels of wealth, influence and status. They tend to have dramatically different values and mannerisms to others groups, for example, the working–class are seen as uneducated and unskilled workers, whereas the middle–class are seen as highly educated people with high incomes (Harcourt, 2016). Despite there being other social class groups, including, the upper–class, this essay will explore the portrayal of the working–class, lower–class, also known as the 'underclass', and the middle–class in reality television, using the example of Wife Swap. The working class and the lower class groups have been increasingly visible on British television screens in recent years, mainly because the increasingly popular genre of reality television features them heavily (Morley, 2009). Debates have sparked on whether the use of ordinary people on such programmes is democratising or exploitative. It could be argued that because the working–class were not on such programmes, audiences and society therefore had no access to them and their lifestyles. However, the great exposure of working–classes on reality television programmes now provides access to them and allows people to observe and judge how they behave and how they live. It is not a recent discovery that disadvantaged individuals, families and communities are portrayed in negative lights by the media (Crossley and Slater, 2014), Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Social Class in Classroom ocial class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class. Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending...show more content... A common reason found amongst most lower class students is the lack of confidence they all carry. According to James Rhem of NTLF, from the article "Social Class and Student Learning": "Students from working–class backgrounds often lack confidence. They may have as much intelligence as students who come from wealth, but they see the world differently. They may, in fact, be more likely to lack academic skills and sophistication. They have less practice playing with ideas, conceptualizing and sometimes less practice in reading and writing. But even when they don't lack skills, they often remain uncertain of themselves, stay quiet in class, pick low–risk courses, and settle on very practical majors without allowing themselves to dream of more" (2). In other words, "these students are less able to work the system" (Warren, Class in the Classroom 1) and this means that they have more trouble finding out what to do, in terms of helping themselves. They are less exposed to 'the college world" since there is no one these students can relate to–many other students from other socioeconomic status have some idea of what to do in college, because others who have attended college, such as siblings and parents, give proper advisement to these students, when help is needed–––as a result of "being able to work the system". Middle class students (in Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Social Class And Social Classes Social classes play a vital role in dynamic of families. The definition of social class is ambiguous and has no clearly outlined definition. However it is believed to be a combination of different aspects such as one's life chances or resources, one's status group, or those who share similar lifestyles and one's education level make up an individuals social class. Therefore, in an ideal set up there would 4 social cases the upper, middle, working, and poor classes (Judge 2015) and these are the 4 that I will be using to distinguish the difference in how parents raise their children across social classes. One main influence that causes a polarization of social classes are parents economic resources and education level, thus influencing the jobs parents have and the availability they may have to invest in their child's life. However the key characteristics that influence the ways parent raise their children are how they organize their child's daily life, the use of language around their children, and through social interactions (Lareau 202). However the two main approaches across social class parents take in raising their child are natural growth and concerted cultivation. Concerted cultivation approach to parenting is when parents seek to actively enhance their children's talents, and opinions (Cherlin 2013). Parents are generally college educated and have jobs that allow for financial stability within the family. Typically this parenting style pertains to upper and Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Essay on Social Class In The Us And Britain Social Class in the US and Britain Although the United States was a British Colony in the early 1700s, the differences between the two were definitely noticeable, especially in the socioeconomic fields, mostly due to the fact that slavery played a much larger role in the United States. At least from the moment in 1620 when the Mayflower anchored off Cape Cod, there has been an American Dream. Though hard to define, it usually entails the concept of freedom, justice and equality. Despite variations in the content of the dream there is one constant, the American Dream is a dream of the future and as such implies the idea of progress, change and equality. Our dreams may differ from those of the men who wrote the Mayflower Compact...show more content... (1727: Colonial America) This class provided leading statesmen and great generals, many of whom had a vital role in the American Revolution. (Population and Social Rank) The following class, which was by far the largest, was the middle class. (Population and Social Rank) This included owners of small stores and businesses, small farmers, and craftsmen. (1727: Colonial America) They were mostly educated, and lived successful lives. They also had very high moral standards and some were deeply religious. (Population and Social Rank) Most middle class men could vote, but few held public office, as the gentry used their wealth and influence for political control. Middle class women ran self–sufficient households, and made their own clothes, candles, cheese and soap. Few were educated. (1727: Colonial America) Finally, there was the Lower Class, which consisted of day laborers, apprentices, sailors, servants, and slaves. (1727: Colonial America) Out of all of these, the lowest level was that of slaves, who at the time existed in all 13 colonies. However, more than 4/5 of them were in the South, due to the fact that the large plantations in the area required a greater number of slaves. Overall, slaves had hardly any rights, but more specifically, their quality of life varied on which of region of the country they lived in. In New England and the Middle Colonies, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Essay On Social Class Joshua A. Clark Dr. Benjamin Sword English 1302 22 September 2017 Empathy Relies on Social Class If it is suggested that class has anything to do with how people live their lives or treat each other in America people adamantly refuse to believe it. The thought that here, in this country built by revolutionaries and self–made men, people cannot be whatever they want with hard work and perseverance is intolerable. The truth is social class does exist and does influence how people see and treat each other. These revelations are not unique to one person, in fact, several people have touched on these points including, Paul Fussell the son of a millionaire who, based on his observations, wrote a piece explaining class distinctions and some of...show more content... Contrary to that view, the lower classes see themselves as simply being on the wrong side of fate. This leads to the lower classes lacking some of the drive and ambition that characterizes the upper self–made classes, because if fate is against them what hope do they have. Because of this difference in viewpoints, the worldviews of these classes tend to be different as well, including how they see and respond to misfortune. The lower classes tend to be more empathetic towards each other because they either have, or know they could, go through the same thing any day. On the other hand, the higher classes see other's misfortunes as partly their own fault and wonder why they did not prepare better and why they do not pick themselves up and keep going. These differences are due in part because of the imbalance of money between the two classes. One has plenty, and in many cases, has always had plenty, and so is not worried about the what ifs of life (Fussell 6–7). On the flip side, the lower or working classes are often living paycheck to paycheck, so they are constantly aware of what could happen. This makes them much more understanding and wiling to help when something does happen (Williams 40). The rich are not without empathy, they can still hurt when others hurt, and rejoice when others rejoice, it is just rarer than those of the lower classes. The lower classes are much closer together, and so are much more aware Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. How Social Class Affected My Life Social Class refers to a group of people with similar levels of wealth, influence, and status. As time passes by many of us start to alienate from each other in terms of what classes we belong to and what type of things we could afford and it also affects the social mobility people will experience, because of that it affects a lot of us greatly and you start to realize how it affects you when it comes to what type of neighborhood you live in or what type of work you do or where you go to school. Social Class has hugely affected me especially when it comes to where I live and where I grew up. In Park slope in Brooklyn back then when I was a child our neighborhood consisted of the working middle class with people that actually made a wage that allowed them to live here and we had many stores we could go to and relate and grow relationships with people there but as time went on all that began to change. As I was getting older I didn't realize it but things were changing slow like the stores we used to go to closed down and went for sale or they got bought out and they were replaced with stores where many of the merchandise was expensive and hard to get, also they were being torn down and replaced with beautiful apartments which I thought at the time was cool because I was thinking it was getting a makeover. As time went on many of the buildings I grew up seeing started getting turned into condominiums where the prices were getting ridiculous and the rent started going up and I started seeing Caucasian people and I realized these condos were being built with people who were part of the new middle class or had money where they could afford to live in condos. When I got a job at a store called Earth's Basket it was difficult to even get the job but as I started to work there I realized many of the things we were selling were grossly overpriced when I could just go across the street and get the same thing for a lower price and I got frustrated because the reason why those things were so overpriced were because of the people that were moving into Park Slope and because of white people everything was going up in price and when I see them paying for items that were like $10 where you could get it somewhere else Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Race vs. Social Class Essay Race vs. Social Class THESIS: Race differences in identity and social position were, and are, more important than class differences in American society. "Events in the nineteenth century made it abundantly and irrefutably clear that race as a concept sui generis superseded social class as the dominant mechanism of social division and stratification in North America." (Smedley 219) For many decades people have been using race as a way to classify humans into different social categories. Lower, Middle, and Upper classes were created to divide humans into appropriate categories using their individual lifestyles, financial income, residence, and occupation. People decided to ignore this classifying system and classify one another,...show more content... These conditions in turn lead to the way individuals perform at work. It also affects their views of each other as well as those considered to be "above" or "below" them. So, racial discrimination happens at the work level, as well as, the dividing of social classes. Racial discrimination dominated over social classes creating an unfair way to divide people. "In all areas of life, Americans were persuaded that the major races – black, Indian, Asian, and white – could not and should not live or work together and certainly not as equals." (Smedley 221) All other races were homogenized, regardless of education, skills, language, religion, income, or place of origin, into one simple category. Class separation was temporary and situational, as so many Americans were quick to uncover. White Americans believed that anyone who succeeded in business, politics, entertainment, or their professions automatically improved their class status and eliminated the barriers to upper class institutions. Class barriers can be surpassed; race barriers can not. The social class has two major approaches to the study in the scholarly literature. The first one is ethnographic and descriptive, and the other is Marxism, which offers a range of perspectives. Smedley describes Marxism as identifying social classes as groups standing in different relationships to the "mode of production" and Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. Social Class And Its Impact On Society Essay Social class has been always being in our society since its establishment. Back then, white, landowning men had the highest status amongst society with women and other races being lower in the societal ladder Times have changed since then, but social class is still a major factor to people's success. Social class is defined as a label that categorizes individuals based on their economic status, wealth, and power. Social class does not matter, but should not be ignored It's prominent in our society so I think as young adults we need to be aware of it. If we "teach them how to deal with it in a positive manner and how to prevent it, then little by little we can see less of the discrimination. Our differences shouldn't create conflict between people and cause problems" (Google Doc). Our differences should come together and be celebrated. It should be brought to our attention that they may be more disadvantaged than other people and that all their home lives are unique and different from each other. While keeping this concept in mind, teachers and faculty members should not let social class control their action towards the students and be prejudiced. Teachers should not see social class as a problem or an excuse as to why the student is not learning. Individuals want to learn and can learn; social class should not be the explanation as to why the teacher will not help the student reach their goals. When students grow intellectually and become educated, they will acquire more Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. People Like Us: Social Class In America People Like Us: Social Class in America Film Review Introduction America is a complex and diverse web of individuals marked by social stratification, a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy (Macionis, 2011, p.204). The film People Like Us: Social Class in America discusses the class system, social stratification based on both birth and individual achievement, which the American people use to define others (Macionis, 2011, p.206). It explores the many variables that contribute to the determination of a person's class; such as, ancestry, education, and money. Ancestry will be a main focus because it has such a strong influence on the class system of today. The film provided an informative and entertaining...show more content... Analysis Ancestry and its Effect on Class Family ancestry is an important factor in determining social class. Both rich and poor are influenced by their family's income, occupation, and education. This concept is illustrated in the film through speaking with members of the WASPS and in Tammy's Story. It affectively shows how the family that one is born into can greatly influence their life that they are living. WASPS. The WASPS represent a group of individuals who are established high in society's social hierarchy based on money, family name, and attitude (Alvarez & Kolker, 2001). These White Anglo–Saxon Protestants are part of the upper–upper class, which is less than 1 percent of the U.S. population (Macionis, 2011, p.223). Membership into this prestigious class can only be achieved through birth. The film depicted a man describing what a person in this class looks like and how they think. He said these people have a reputation to uphold and therefore act in a certain way based on the knowledge they have acquired throughout their lives. He said, "WASPS stand better, are nicer, more attractive, and more cultured" (Alvarez & Kolker, 2001). This idea shows he believes that the people within this social class are all around better people. The WASPS have privileges unlike any other class in America. In the film, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Essay On Social Class Discrimination Social class discrimination is what one can observe every day in a life. People around the world have the different social status which is caused either by their degree or family and finally, there own personal efforts. As far as U.S. and Canada are concerned they also hold social discrimination but, how it is caused and how it is either heredity or circumstance is different in each country. However, in both countries the system is merit–based and either class has the chance of growing up or coming down and gain their own values. Nevertheless, in some odd cases, I personally believe the one's status can be based on their ancestry's class which on this occasion only it may not be impartial. "Stratification is natural, inevitable,...show more content... Nonetheless, there are some odd cases that one gains social class based on ancestry which personally I can strongly say that it is not fair and most of them do not deserve that status. For example, in many middle–eastern countries, the new generation usually benefits from their father's social status, no matter their own efforts. Additionally, this kind of ancestry–based social class has always existed in the world but in most countries, first world countries, governments stopped this system and opened the path for each individual to grow. Moreover, regarding the effect of one's father social status, statistics show that the father's economic status in the U.S. affects the child's social status more compared to Canada. All in all, "The U.S. has less economic mobility than Canada" (Corak 2009). As in illustration, if a family lives in the lower class it is more likely for their children to be also part of the lower class. In my opinion, it is inevitable to stop this trend, due to the fact the opportunities that one faces in life is strictly determined by what his/her family can provide. Regarding incomes, the upper class has far more income than others. However, those are only the minority of the world's population and they are usually wealthy because of their ancestors. For instance, Donald Trump had been living in a wealthy family since he was born and currently he possesses a significantly high net worth, however, he personally put Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. Essay On Social Class I found this video, and the results from the studies performed, very interesting and educational. The video showed an clear link between social class and behavior. By studies performed in the video, it was made clear that wealthier people are more likely to take candy meant for children, cheat in a game when money is on the line, lie in negotiations, break the law while driving and steal at work. These results were proved consistent by thirty different studies, performed by Paul Solmon. Paul decided to try something new. Instead of basing research off of rich people, he based a study off of making people feel rich. Paul Solmon conducted this research by rigging a monopoly game in favor of a player, based off of a coin toss. The player who...show more content... Of course there are plenty of hard working wealthy people out there, however they should realize that even before they were born, the cards of life were being shuffled in their favor. Another interesting result from this experiment, was how the richer player treated the poor player. The rich player felt as if they had earned the right to demand money from the poor player, or act entitled to any money the poor player owed them. Today, many people, rich or poor, believe that poor people are poor because they don't work hard enough, or are lazy and deserve to be at the bottom of the pyramid.However, this is not true, low–income families work as hard, or harder than high–income families.Low income people, like high–income people, are dealt a hand of life although their hand is not usually as favorable as the hand dealt to people born from high–income families. This experiment brings up a subconscious bias, very few of us come to realize. Rich people often feel entitled, and superior, while poor people usually are more generous and understanding. What is the reason for different behavior between social classes?The answer is society. Society is the one telling us that poor people don't work hard, and that wealthier people deserve and have earned the money they own.Both of these ideas are inconsistent and unjust. Life does not deal everyone the same hand, wealthy usually start wealthy, just as the poor are usually born poor. The only way for us Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Essay On Social Class Theory Of Karl Marx The topic of the report was to research on the class differentiation theory of Karl Marx. The theory is defined and examined, the method of research used is questionnaires. The questionnaires are prepared and distributed in Institute of Business Management. The questionnaire's results are shared in the report below, the findings gave a clear idea of the theory. The idea ofsocial class differences varies from person to person. The results will be discussed in the latter part of the report. INTRODUCTION Karl Marx was one of the first social scientists to focus mainly on social class. His main focus on social class was that one's social class dictated one's social life. Basically, Marx meant that if one is in the upper class, life was one of leisure and abundance, while those in the lower class lived lives of hardship and poverty. According to Marx, there was one social element that would determine where one fit in the social class hierarchy: that of who controls the means of production, meaning who owned the resources necessary to produce what people needed to survive. The wealthy would be the individuals who owned the land and factories. The wealthy would then control all elements of society – including the livelihoods of the lower, working class. The lower, working class would work for...show more content... The response was by both students from education background from A–levels and intermediate. 67 % of the respondents considered it a serious issue in the community considering it as the gap getting larger between the upper and lower class. 77 % of confessed about making friends after knowing the social class. The recommendation was that it would end until the change of the ages and a huge movement conducted by the students who are most affected by this Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. Essay On Social Class In The Great Gatsby Social classes are truly like a ladder, but that final step is by far the most difficult. Trying to become the most powerful, and successful person around it an almost impossible task, which very few will ever achieve. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby spends his entire life attempting to climb the social ladder, in order to win back his young love, Daisy Buchanan. The novel makes a naturalism argument stating that no matter how hard you try, and how much you think you've achieved in your life, you will most likely never be able to rise from a lower social class. To begin, many of the characters in this novel tried their very hardest to make it appear they were of a higher social class, but never became what they ...show more content... Although Tom acted as if he truly cared about Myrtle, he really did not. This is displayed when he claims that his wife is a Catholic, and that is why they could not get a divorce. The issue with that, would be that she is not Catholic, Tom was just making up an excuse. This shows that Tom has no real intention of actually being with Myrtle. Instead of being truthful, and telling her that he will never want to marry her, he is dragging her along, and lying to her, making her believe that he cares. By doing this to Myrtle, he is preventing her from actually trying to make something of herself, and further proving that the "upper class" is constantly affecting the lower classes. Gatsby and Daisy would be another perfect example of this idea. "I did love him once, but I loved you too," Daisy said, proving to Gatsby he was never the only one she wanted. By saying that she loved them both, she is showing that Gatsby was never the only man on her mind. She proved that she did not have the purest intentions of being with him, because she was never fully committed to him. This was also shown when Gatsby was the one to tell Tom she loved him, not Daisy. Finally, upper class people tend to drag lower class people down, by abusing their money, power, and Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. Social Class In America Social class can be explained as a group of individuals that can relate to one another regarding financial means, social status, and the culture they are a part of. Social class is usually classified into three different groups: the lower class, middle class, and upper class. Every person is born into the social class that their parents are classified as. "America is a middle–class country; the poor are left behind and the rich are tolerated for their eccentricities" (Life). America has viewed social class as a way to label people based on facts rather than opinion. A middle–class life is the best description of my upbringing because of the way my parents chose to raise me, the culture I grew up learning, and the financial status my family balanced over my childhood. The discovery of my place in a social class came from many aspects, starting with the way I raised. I worked hard for everything I wanted, which was the result of my family instilling the values of responsibility and respect on me more than any other attribute. My father was the type of man that felt it was always an appropriate time to give deep talks about life, and most of these conversations revolved around respect and responsibility, which became some of my fondest childhood memories. My father worked on an assembly line at Toyota Motor Manufacturing for almost fifteen years. My family realized how physically demanding his job was, but no one ever heard him complain. He was supporting his family, and that Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. Essay about Social Class SOCIAL CLASS Social class refers to the system of stratification of the different groups of people in a society. These different forms of classification are, in most instances, based on gender ethnicity and age. Social class makes everyone's lives extremely different. For example: How long one can expect to live. In a wide range of ways, from success, to one's health class, social class influences people's lives (Grusky,2003). Among the life chances affected as result of social class involve factors such as: How long people live (life expectancy), how healthy people are, how much and what they eat, the kind of housing they live in, the level of education they reach and the qualifications they achieve, how likely they are to be unemployed...show more content... The upper middle class consists of managers and professionals, while the lower middle class is made up of clerks, office workers, telephone sales and shop workers. These jobs are usually not very well paying and do not require very high qualifications. The petty bourgeoisie on the other hand are small business owners. This group may consist of people who may own a workshop or shop and may be employing a small number of people. The Working Class This class, like the middle class, consists of sub–groups of people. These include the skilled, the semi–skilled and unskilled workers. Social mobility has, however, affected the number of people in this class. Many people born in this class have been able to rise to the middle class, and as a result, there exists a case of embourgeoisement. According to the Marxist view, this is the class of people who are detrimental to the fate of the entire class system. He stated that these people were supposed to unite and overthrow capitalism. However, this is not what has occurred. The Underclass This is the lowest class in the social class stratification. While the majority of the working class now live reasonably healthy and prosperous lives, a low minority do not. These people cannot work. They include the long–term unemployed and the disabled and chronically ill. They are in effect, shut out of much of what most people can attain. This group of Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. Social Class in the United States Essay 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...show more content... Despite the debates about social class, the United States is usually described as having four major social classes, the elite or upperclass, the middle class , the working class, and the lower class (Goldscmidt). Classes are generally differentiated by income, education, and occupation although other factors do have an effect. The upperclass consists of about 1% of the population making 750,000 dollars or more a year as investors, top executives, or heirs to large fortunes (Hughes and Jenkins). There tends to be no question about who is in the upperclass as they are pretty clearly isolated in their power and wealth. The middle class makes up about 40% of the population making anywhere from 40,000 to 749,999 dollars a year (Hughes and Jenkins). The large disparity in income and wealth have led to a further division of this class into upper–middle class and middle class in some circles. The middle class usually work white collar jobs as professionals and managers, however some highly skilled blue collar workers are included. Those in the middle class have usually obtained higher education degrees and place a high value on individual responsibility for one's class (Goldschmidt). The working class is composed of about 50% of the population earning 13,000 to 39,000 dollars a year (Hughes and Jenkins). Some also divide this class into a working class and a Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. Essay on Social Class in the Classroom Social class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class. Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending...show more content... Not only is it stereotypical that students who come from a lower class family, have a weaker vocabulary, but some tend to believe that their level of academic readiness can not measure up to those from a higher social class. As quoted from Lee Warren, "differing levels of preparation and academic sophistication can sometimes be attributed to class background and the quality of previous schooling" (Class in the Classroom 2). While the type of previous schooling and preparation for school can demonstrate a student's socioeconomic class background; In contrast, author Richard Rothstein argues in his article, "The Social and Economic Realities That Challenge All Schools" that: "the success of some lower class students proves nothing about the power of schools ...between low–income and middle–class children...on average, the achievement of low–income students is below that of middle–class students, but there are always some middle–class students who achieve below typical low–income levels; similarly, some low–income students achieve above typical middle–class levels." Which demonstrates that the type of school a student attends can be effective towards their education, however, it is up to the student to take advantage of the education they are receiving. Just Get more content on HelpWriting.net