Social Class

Paper Summary:

This paper argues that social class is truly more of a theoretical model than a physical reality; it is an approximation of power, privilege and prestige relative to the whole of society. The paper discusses how there exists little quantitative backing for the notion of class. It looks at how class impacts the economy and society - focus is on American society and the impact that class has on attaining the 'American Dream'.

From the Paper:

"Important to the construction of class in modern society is the use of social status symbols. These symbols can take the form of cars, jewelry or virtually anything that informs the outside world specifically where this person has arrived. This propagates the seeking of material goods, particularly in western society. As a result, class is often associated with possession of certain items, and avoidance of others. In this way, people's understanding of class is greatly influenced by a culture of consumerism, and spending on a grand scale. Accordingly, the pursuit of wealth is not the only objective of the social climber, but attainment of particular items that advertise their success. "Many of the elements are enforced by external controls in any given class milieu. Thus, the corporation executive who has the 'wrong' address and the 'wrong' wife will be subjected to considerable pressures to change both." (Berger 81). Similarly, lower-class individuals are subject to pressures from their family and peer to possess the same interests that they express, and significantly, most of these influences are not perceived by those subject to them. So, "In trying to understand the weight of class, then, we are not only looking at another aspect of social control but are beginning to catch a glimpse of the way in which society penetrates the insides of our consciousness." (Berger 82)."

More papers on Social Class:

• Essay # 72878 : "Social Class"
• Analytical Essay # 131734 : "Social Class and Cultural Products"
• Essay # 84185 : "Social Class, Gender, Age and the Media"

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