Posts
By now (hopefully), you watched the smart and funny documentary "People Like Us". The documentary discusses class in the United States and looks at it from various points of view. I don't want to discuss the documentary too much because it's your job to discuss the documentary this week on your blog. I do want to discuss the key point of the documentary. What does social class mean in the United States?
Based on the discussions that we had in class, it seems that class means a lot of things to different people. For some, class is represented in what we can afford to buy, irrespective of our income or occupation. For others, class represents how we carry ourselves, our education, occupation, the family we belong to, etc.
This question was key to both Weber and Marx's theoretical frameworks. Weber believed that class is comprised of wealth, power, and prestige (please refer to your text for details), while Marx believed that class was represented by two groups who owned the means of production and those who worked for wages for their survival. Additionally, Marx believed that the owning class and workers were in constant conflict as the owning class continues to suppress the wages of workers in an effort to increase their own profits. Both theorists wrote about class during the onset of the Industrial Revolution as they witnessed the growth of capitalism. However, their writings are relevant to today's society and the world economy.
Today, we still face an economic crisis worldwide. We see the gains of workers being retracted on a daily basis in the form of loss wages, benefits, and in many cases layoffs and unemployment. We've seen in the last two decades American jobs and workers replaced by workers overseas who are willing to work at lower wages to survive. In the last year, we've witnessed a call to action by the Occupy Wall Street Movement to reduce the advantages of the One Percent. At the same time, we see politicians (and average workers) defending the earnings of the One Percent, as they believe this group creates jobs and opportunities for advancement for the other 99%. Yet and still, we are constantly bombarded with images of living the glamorous life through luxury cars, jewels, homes and clothing. What is going on? What is class and what does it look like today? Who truly benefits from the glamorous lifestyles that we as Americans try to create for ourselves and who loses? Check out this link on two issues: The Buffet Rule: http://www.npr.org/2011/09/20/140627334/millionaires-in-congress-weigh-new-tax-on-wealthy
and the New Poor: http://www.npr.org/2012/04/22/151166529/poverty-in-america-defining-the-new-poor
and then you decide. Whatever you think, class affects all of us in the United States and worldwide. I also added some links to podcasts that discuss poverty in the United States. Until next week...
New Measure Shows Higher Poverty Rate In US
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/07/142105558/new-measure-shows-higher-poverty-rate-in-u-s
Poverty Spiked to 15%
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/09/13/140428940/poverty-rate-spiked-to-15-1-percent-last-year-highest-since-1993
I would have to agree with both Marx and Weber. Our government has shown time and time again that the poor are in a boat that continues to sink and there seems to be no relief. I know I shouldn't be surprised,but when I watched the video and saw how that woman in Ohio lived with her sons, I was so sad. She worked in Burger King and walked miles to work everyday and still gained no respect from either society or her own children. How her sons were even ashamed of each other was just frightening. For all her efforts, she is left in the dust by our countries negligence.Who is there to make this woman feel welcome in a scoiety that frowns upon even the uniform she wears to earn an honest living. Then the Jones woman in the article you posted who recieves food stamps, only $12.00 a day is a crime. Cereal is aleast $5 a box. America is in such a rutt and can't seem to dig itself out. We can continue to pay for war. Our politicans caught in scandles using tax payers dollars. Dollars in which even the underserving contribute and yet no respect or even graditude. Instead ridicule and shame because its the norm to treat the under class like second class citizens.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Lisa's comment. Many people throughout the country make a honest living, but live literally paycheck to paycheck. They contribute to the society and follow all the norms yet get no respect because of how much materialistic objects they own. They're being frowned upon because they can barely make the ends and are at the categories of lowest social statuses. Being in a lower social class that struggles more, they're being automatically labeled by the society which is troublesome in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHi Adam and Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI think that you both make some very valid points. It is, in someways, absolutely shameful that individuals can contribute to our society and yet receive little back, even in the form of respect. The question that I pose to you is: why?