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 basis for understanding inequality within our nation.…
Social Class is a fundamental aspect in society and can be found in all societies around the world. Aspects such as education, health, wealth, where you live, what do you do with yourself all contribute to where you as a member of society fit in. If you are a student attending a private school, living in Toorak with very wealthy parents you would be considered part of the ‘upper class’ in society, where people would generally look more highly of…
America is not in a downward spiral of mobility. The American dream is the idea that economic mobility is possible. The idea that someone can work their way up the economic ladder and move up in “Social Classes”. Holly Sklar writes a piece entitled “The Growing Gulf between the Rich and the Rest of Us” where she expresses her idea that the rich are only getting richer and there is no idea of the American dream. However, Bruce Barlett argues that the poor are not as poor and the rich are getting richer in his writing “The Truth About Wages”. Michael Kamber also gives a great example in his article “Toil and Temptation” giving a real life story of someone who lived the American Dream. The American dream is possible and people are living it. If people are living the American dream then they must be moving up in economic mobility.…
The child of my media case study I have chosen is a relative, eleven year old Brandon H. His socioeconomic class would be considered middle class and is a Caucasian male that lives with both of his biological parents at home. Brandon has one older sister that is fifteen years old. In his home is a total of three televisions, three computers, and four smartphones. All of the family members have their own personal smartphone, while Brandon and his sister also have their own televisions and laptops in their room. However, his mother and father have just one television and one desktop computer they share in the master bedroom together. There is only one videogame console in the household, which is a Xbox One in Brandon’s room.…
Social stratification is a system in which society ranks categories of people in hierarchy. In the United States we group people together by status of wealth. Differences in wealth is what led to social stratification. Social Stratifications exists due to three major functions. First being Structural functionalism, next is social conflict, and lastly there is symbolic interaction. (Plummer)…
In conclusion, the American society is constructed mainly of three aspects: race, class and economics. “People like us: Social Class in America”, a documentary by Louis Alvarez and Andrew Kolker, discussed how race, class and economics all shape the experiences people have and the film shows how these aspects are connect and overlap. It is also proven that media is a major contributor to how society thinks and acts toward cultural issues. In “Making Claims: The role of language in the Construction of Social Problems”, by Zaid Munson, he describes how framing words is an important aspect of claims making and this influences society.…
As Americans, we are always trying to better ourselves in any and every way possible. Status symbols are artificial parts of our culture because they are not necessities but merely false desires. We desire these unnecessary luxuries because the media attempts to portray a real need for them. Television shows try to convey the message that the largest houses, over-priced cars and expensive clothing are synonymous with success. Minorities in our country feel even more pressure to succeed from White Americans as well as their own race.…
Asthma is a lingering lung disease that causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. It is a global health problem that affects millions of people within the United States and worldwide. However, certain population groups are more susceptible to obtaining asthma than others. Socioeconomic status (SES) is a rough marker of a variety environmental/behavioral exposures and a very important determinant of differences in asthma prevalence and severity among ethnic minorities in the U.S.1 Ethnic minorities have a higher risk for obtaining asthma in the United States due to low socioeconomic status. The mechanisms by which SES influences the prevalence and severity of asthma in ethnic…
Throughout the United States, there are many regular disparities among our education system. First, there is an alarming disparity in education especially in the United States. Students from lower socioeconomic statuses do not always receive the same education as those from higher socioeconomic statuses for many reasons. In areas with lack of resources there tends to be poorer school institutions in comparison to wealthier neighborhoods. In addition, public schools are funded by taxes and therefore, the quality of teachers and amount of resources depends on the quantity of taxes individuals pay. Within these areas, families…
An unknown poet in the medieval times described the three social classes of European society of his time in this way: "One toils, one prays, and one defends." Let us examine these social classes, their lives and what part they played in building their Europe.…
Society has programmed itself to categorize individuals into various groups based off of their political and economic status. Therefore, this system of stratification contributes to the hardships that the middle and lower classes have to endure in order to achieve success in the United States. America is a country where every individual is created equal. However, social classes have fabricated these divisions in our communities. Unfortunately, social classes have become a norm in America, in which being a part of the upper class gives you a controlling position and an advantage in the United States. In order for people in today’s society to feel happy and secure, they feel the need to progress up this social economic ladder we have that guarantees…
“Money can’t buy you happiness!” This may be true, but money does have a lot to do with social class. Social class has changed a lot over the years, and it is still present today. While some want to be in a higher class because they want more money, others just want to achieve fame and recognition. The class system creates a world where the Upper class interact with the upper class, the middle class interact with the middle, and the lower with the middle. Social class appears in history, modern U.S.A, and our very lives today.…
Why social class? Many Americans want to know the answer to this question, but is it possible to really answer the question to “why” we have social class? It is easy to explain “what”, but it’s “why” that stumps us every time. Social class is the division or classification among people in a society. In America we have the upper class (rich), the upper and lower middle classes, and the lower class (poor). Americans base the social classes mainly upon annual income, and education. I have discovered an excellent example that highlights the struggle of our society’s lower class and also the dominance of our upper class. My chosen example is the movie John Q.…
A topic I find to be interesting in these few chapters is poverty. Before understanding poverty one must understand social class. Social class is determined by power, property, and prestige. These can easily be detected throughout my day to day life. Power is the ability to carry out one's will, despite resistance of others. Power can be seen in the presidential election, both candidates have a distinct point of view and refuse to change it. Property is anything that someone's owns that shows social class. At my old school I did not see this that so much, since we wore uniforms, but going to college property can be seen with what people wear. For example, if a person wear Pink, Uggs, North Face, not of all cases, but that person has a higher placement on the social status. Lastly, social class is determined by prestige which is respect and regard. This can be viewed in my life with my professors. My professors gained status by employment and because of that I look up to them. These three aspects determine if a person is high or low on the social class system, but can also tell if a…
Dictionary.com defines social class as “a broad group in society having common economic, cultural, or political status.” Despite having its advantages, social class has many faults. It can contaminate our minds and make us think class and money are all that matters. Social class has changed a lot over the years, and it is still present today. While some want to be in a higher class because they want more money, others just want to achieve fame and recognition. The class system creates a world where the upper class interacts with the upper class, the middle with the middle, and the lower with the lower. Social class has been evident in history for many centuries, modern culture, and our everyday lives.…