Blog Post #7 - Does Social Class Matter?

Unfortunately (when a sentence starts with that, you know it ain't gonna be good) social class matters way too much in the U.S. today.  As a matter of fact, it is one of the things that matter the most in America today.  As we all know, unfortunately (again) our culture is controlled by our youngsters.  Yes, our easily influence, shallow youngsters, who dress whatever the Kardashians tell them to wear, and watch whatever their school cheerleaders tell them to watch.  I am not saying all young people are like that!  By no means!  However, the American culture is described by others as the behavior of those youngsters who want it all, and yet know nothing about anything.  One of the things that they learn in their religious relationship with the media is to value social class.  I don’t believe they think of it that way, but when the price of your clothing or the name imprinted on your bag (probably by some underpaid Chinese child) is more important to others than your values, beliefs and intellectual capacity…  that says that social class is in fact considered important. 

                I have experienced the importance of social class.  The most evident examples of such importance were witnessed by me in the glorified place (which has become more of a social event than a center for education) we call High School.  In high school, social class is pretty much everything.  The girls who wear the most expensive clothing, or have the most expensive cars, or go to the most expensive restaurants (none of which are actually paid with their own hard work, but rather that of her parents) are considered the most popular.  The same applies to boys.  There is this misconception that money equals worthiness.  It is shameful.  And by the way, it is the parents’ fault.  Dear American parents, lets start educating your children instead of buying their fake respect with video games and expensive crap they don’t need.  Video games will make them stop slamming doors right now, but a good education and values will save them from having doors slammed at them later.   

When we think of the importance of social status, we most likely imagine the scenarios I just presented.  But those aren't the only ones.  Social status is important in the U.S. for deeper reasons.  In American, if you don’t have money, you pretty much don’t have anything.  There are many good public schools, but if you can’t afford supplies, books, tutors, and the many other expenses that come with education, you’re pretty much in trouble.  You need money to have education, to go to the doctor, to live.  Does social class matter in the U.S.?  Yes.  Unfortunately yes.