What does social class look like to you?

    What does someone’s social class mean to you? I have been thinking about this question a lot this past week based on our discussions we have been having in class. Do I judge a person based on their social class? Do I care at all about someone’s social class? I don’t know if there is a definite answer for any of those questions, but I do think that maybe we, myself included, are often too quick to judge a person or we put them in this universal box of what we assume their life should be, whether it’s their character or appearance based on their social class.

    This week we talked about what that means and looks like. I learned that we sometimes create a social class in our minds based on how much money a person has or we think they have, their job, how much education they have, or even who a person has connections with. I thought this was interesting because in many cultures, social class is something you are born into, and you stay in. For example, a student in my class is from India and mentioned that when you are born into a social class, there is no way to climb the social ladder. You can’t change what you’re born into. This is not always the case in the United States. We often may think a person is in a higher social class because they look the part by dressing nicely all the time. I think we can all recognize that just because someone is wearing designer clothes doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in a higher class, but they want you to think they are. We discussed this idea in class, and someone mentioned that those who can’t afford to wear designer brands do, just so they can appear richer or of a higher class.

    We also discussed that, even in American culture, you sometimes can’t move up in social class. You could be working harder than others but if you are born into circumstances where you don’t have the resources to push you forward, it is extremely difficult and creates an unequal opportunity to be of higher class. Whatever that looks like to you, meaning continuing your education, getting a better job, or living in a nicer area. Privilege according to google means, a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group. As a class we decided that privilege also means that it’s not necessarily earned.

    One interesting comment that someone made in class was that Americans love a good underdog story. What she meant by that is, we love to see someone who started with the bare minimum, work hard, and become something great, or in this case of a higher class. I had never thought of that, but I totally agree and can see that in the news and media we are watch. An example that comes to mind is the movie, ’The Greatest Showman’. P.T. Barnum is a poor nobody who makes something of himself after others continue to bash on his business ideas. As the movie goes on, he fails a couple times, yet he continues to put everything he and his family has into his idea. He finally gets his circus up and running. Everyone loves it including those who thought it was a bad idea at first. He has made a name for himself enough to be invited to meet the queen! Although this is a fictional children’s story, I feel as though the idea a person's class can we changed is inspirational. In either a movie or real news, to see someone become something great when the odds are against you is motivating.

    If it has not become obvious from my last couple blog posts, I learn SO much from my classmates. I love that everyone is from different backgrounds. It’s a unique experience to learn about how our different experiences have shaped our views on something as universal as what social class means or looks like.