How are the choices we make reveal the class we belong to?

America is a country divided by class, and likewise the world as a whole. we are split into thousand different social distinctions. like the kind of neighborhood, you lived in, how far you got in school? The type of food you eat, the way you dress, the type of car you drive, the places you visit for vacation, the kind of mates you are attracted to, the way you wear your hair, and so on. Class is everywhere, yet it’s often hard to explain. The notion of personal choice is deeply embedded in American culture. An average American is forced to make hundreds of calculated decisions in a single day. As you know, each one is influenced by the external and social environment. Here are the choices that reveal our class.

Your Upbringing: your upbringing starts with your parents and your parents raised you based on who they are, be it poor or rich, they instilled in you moral values from the beginning, teach you what is good and bad and how to talk to other people and treat them with respect. They dressed you and sent you to schools that portray their class. if we could recall, a generation ago when you sent your kids to private schools, it was said because you didn’t like black people, but now when you send your kids to private schools it’s because you don’t like poor people. So, it’s all about class and it’s all about I want my kids to go to school with the right kinds of people. So, your parent starts the path for you. Even America was once a subset of the British colony before the founding fathers confronted the task of forging a new national identity, which brings me to my next point, identity.

Your personality/Identity: As you age, you start to know who you are, be it introvert or extrovert, you find your peers and pursue careers that fit your personality or follow the interests that your social class accepts. So, whatever your personality is, you can always learn, adapt, and grow. Even our founding fathers confronted the task of forging a new national identity because they believed that America was better independent from Britain, they were right and it's based on their collective efforts that made us have a country called America, a country that found its national identity through sets of moral values and beliefs that the country operates upon. hence, we proclaim that ‘all men are created equal in the Declaration of Independence, in some way it is true but yet there are still divisions among us either in race, color, or class. So, class is everywhere we just find it difficult to acknowledge it.

Last is your Lifestyle: this is a stage after you’ve attained a lot of success in different fields of endeavor, be it in the financial market, in business, or venture capital, and with this, you surround yourself with people who have a similar background which forms our tribe. Our tribe can be defined by what we do, how much we make, and also, by the opportunities and aspirations we have. The new middle class of the antebellum period struggled to define itself within a new market economy that dissolved traditional markings of status and identity. It did so through an idea of respectability, a master value that encompassed a host of traits usually expressed through the signs of dress, behavior, speech, and home (indoor and outdoor) furnishings, all meant to convey an idea of class and lifestyle we are trying to portray in an expanding market society. In addition, class is a hard thing to acknowledge, as we move through life, we separate ourselves, often unconsciously from people who don’t fit in our group or our social class. Hence as we used to know; the people who lived on the hill were said to be the rich people, they were the most powerful, the most respected, and the most prestigious people. Whilst the people who lived on the bottom of the hill, or on the other side of the track were said to be the know-nothings and the do-nothings and that’s how they were regarded. Above all, having money means having the freedom to create your own lifestyle as long as you fit in with the tastes of your particular social class. all these possessions and attitudes add up to a lifestyle in America today.

In conclusion, coming to terms with class in America means understanding how it shapes most of everything about you, even the things we take for granted like; How we dress, how we speak, how we furnish our home, and what to order in a restaurant reveal the class we belong. So, in this divided world, where do you fit on the spectrum of class and privilege? what group are you part of? and how have your own class’s attitudes shaped your life?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post, and to get to know my readers, what are your thoughts on the above questions, post your comments below and once again thank you, and I appreciate you all immensely.

This topic comes from a presentation that I made for a History class that I took few semesters ago. So, to watch the original video of the presentation, subscribe by clicking the blue button that says subscribe and you'll be able to view it