What is Social Class, how is it determined, and how does it affect the family?
Well, that's a great question. Social classes aren't determined by just one thing. Lots of factors can play a role. The first one we talked about in class is money. This is a pretty big one, and it also makes sense that people and families that have more money are going to be higher up on the ladder. Families whose parents make more money tend to live in wealthier neighborhoods and to associate with wealthier people. That’s one thing that started the divisions of social classes.
Another thing that affects social class can be geography. Depending on which city you live in, or even which part of a city. Where you live and who your neighbors are affects who you associate with which could then in turn affect how people see you as well.
One of the main ones we talked about in class was family structure. We watched a video of a single mother with little boys, and how she was at work a lot of the time so she wasn’t there for them as much as she wanted to be. They didn’t have a car either so she had to walk to work. She also probably didn’t have a very good education either since she worked in fast food, and their house was very run down. Now, in the eyes of the world she was probably at the very bottom of the social class ladder. Which she was, she didn’t have very much. However, the way I see it, she was trying her very best to take care of her family.
Another example we talked about is two parents who were doctors. They were able to provide very well for their family, but they both had busy schedules. Since money was no problem, they hired a nanny for their kids. Of course the nannies were never permanent, so the kids often had new caretakers. We talked about how when the kids were asked, they felt more of a connection to their nanny, and less of that with their parents. And in addition, the nannies could never actually be their mom, so the kids were kind of left without really any mother figure.
So, why did I share these examples? Well, to show you what the two different extremes of the social class ladder can look like. Of course they don’t always look the same, but this gives you an idea. Also to explain that social class or money doesn’t automatically make you a good parent or make your home life perfect. I mean, no one’s will be, but you still have to be there for your kids, and work at keeping your family together no matter how well off you are.
In my opinion social class shouldn’t be a thing. We shouldn’t judge people by their situations, money or things they have, what kind of house they live in, or even the job they have. Everyone has had different opportunities in their lives, and we don’t need to judge people who have had different ones than us. ALL families are different, and ALL are just as important. My future family will look different than even that of my siblings’. That doesn’t mean that my parents should treat them any differently than me.
So, yes some families might be better off than others, but all that matters is how hard you work to be there and to provide for your own.
Well, that's a great question. Social classes aren't determined by just one thing. Lots of factors can play a role. The first one we talked about in class is money. This is a pretty big one, and it also makes sense that people and families that have more money are going to be higher up on the ladder. Families whose parents make more money tend to live in wealthier neighborhoods and to associate with wealthier people. That’s one thing that started the divisions of social classes.
Another thing that affects social class can be geography. Depending on which city you live in, or even which part of a city. Where you live and who your neighbors are affects who you associate with which could then in turn affect how people see you as well.
One of the main ones we talked about in class was family structure. We watched a video of a single mother with little boys, and how she was at work a lot of the time so she wasn’t there for them as much as she wanted to be. They didn’t have a car either so she had to walk to work. She also probably didn’t have a very good education either since she worked in fast food, and their house was very run down. Now, in the eyes of the world she was probably at the very bottom of the social class ladder. Which she was, she didn’t have very much. However, the way I see it, she was trying her very best to take care of her family.
Another example we talked about is two parents who were doctors. They were able to provide very well for their family, but they both had busy schedules. Since money was no problem, they hired a nanny for their kids. Of course the nannies were never permanent, so the kids often had new caretakers. We talked about how when the kids were asked, they felt more of a connection to their nanny, and less of that with their parents. And in addition, the nannies could never actually be their mom, so the kids were kind of left without really any mother figure.
So, why did I share these examples? Well, to show you what the two different extremes of the social class ladder can look like. Of course they don’t always look the same, but this gives you an idea. Also to explain that social class or money doesn’t automatically make you a good parent or make your home life perfect. I mean, no one’s will be, but you still have to be there for your kids, and work at keeping your family together no matter how well off you are.
In my opinion social class shouldn’t be a thing. We shouldn’t judge people by their situations, money or things they have, what kind of house they live in, or even the job they have. Everyone has had different opportunities in their lives, and we don’t need to judge people who have had different ones than us. ALL families are different, and ALL are just as important. My future family will look different than even that of my siblings’. That doesn’t mean that my parents should treat them any differently than me.
So, yes some families might be better off than others, but all that matters is how hard you work to be there and to provide for your own.
You make a lot of good points! What do you think you can do personaly to fight agianst social classification or discrimination?
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