Class Class Class

What is the importance of social class in the U.S. today? The reality is that class is of utmost importance to America. We base our dreams, goals, and family values on the kinds of people we are and want to be. We have an amount of money that we attain to make in our jobs and we have a persona that we are all trying to be. Whether you agree that class is necessary or not, even young children understand the importance of class.

I teach PE at a small K-8 school in Maryland. The younger kids are cute and the older kids get kinda bratty around the middle school age. You can even see the struggle of class in my school. Each child is trying to prove their worth based on their grades or the latest electronic device they own. These kids did not learn this on their own... they get it from their parents. Middle school kids especially are struggling to be the "top dog" in school. The textbook talks about this phenomenon citing a sociologist Murray Milner. He claims that they are attempting to establish themselves with some form of power. They are growing older but still live with and are under control of their parents. In class they are in class controlled by their teachers. So naturally, in between class and whenever they can they attempt to fill this void of adolescence between adulthood and childhood with "creating a social world in which their ability to evaluate one another gives them a sense of power." (Gidden)

In "People Like Us," a PBS documentary on social class, you can hear the many descriptions of class coming from the adults focused on in each story. Whether it was a soon-to-be married couple from New York struggling to understand each other while coming from different backgrounds or a group of people determining the status of someone based on the house they live in. Class is very apparent in America and while we might not use the term "class" we describe people and put them into categories of it without even thinking.

When I first came to this discussion on class I thought of its impact on relationships and marriage. I have been going to many weddings this summer and still have three to go! When I think of the idea of marriage and class I think of the many expectations we have as individuals coming from different class backgrounds and the problems this could cause when a man and woman decide to commit to each other. Suddenly their worlds collide together and they are in the closest of proximity dealing with each others expectations as to what life is supposed to look like. When I hear guys talking about finding the right girl you can hear them say "oh, I can't go for her, she comes from too much money... I wouldn't be able to provide the kind of life she would want."

I dated a girl in college from a very wealthy area outside of Richmond. She invited me and my family to her families yearly Christmas party. They told us it was "Tacky Christmas/Nascar" themed. So naturally my family and I went all out. I was wearing disgusting cut-off jorts and a sleeveless plaid shirt with a pack of marborols in my pocket (and a mullet wig!). When we got there I was completely embarrassed. Coming from a middle class family we thought a theme party meant dressing up in a way to make fun of yourself and be goofy. Her upper class family meant theme by finding a way to elegantly and stylishly dress towards the theme. Her dad wore slacks and a blazer and simply put a nascar hat on his head. Needless to say we did not work out... In many ways her coming from a different class background caused problems in our relationship.