Thread: Class consciousness

What is social class where you live? How does your society classify people socially? Who are the elites? And why does class seem to exist (in one form or another) in all societies?

For me, I don't automatically put people I meet into classes, but society seems to. Like people are described as 'working class' or 'middle class' or 'upper class' (with bits in between like 'upper middle class',) so why does that seem important to most of society?

It's really quite confusing. My mum and my uncle, for example, seem to classify people according to how they talk, what school they went to, if they are doctors, lawyers, etc. and if they come from an old, established family. This seems unfair to me. Like OK, how well you speak is important but you can't help your accent, you don't have control over what school you are sent to, if you don't get a good education you usually can't become a professional, and you don't get to choose what family you are born into.

But other people seem to classify those they know by how much money they have. And this seems even more unfair to me. Like not everyone has lorry loads of money because they are hard working, and honest and stuff. Heaps of people inherit money, and others are financially advantaged by their family's wealth, so they can more easily make loads of money. Others are just plain crooks and bent businessmen.

And everyone I know says they aren't class conscious, but I hear differently when they are talking about other things. And I am slowly becoming more conscious of how people talk and act, (how they hold their knives and forks, etc.) and, I guess, what class they are from. I don't think this is a good thing, but how do we avoid it? :dunno:

I can just say that --people who think they are better than other people can FUCKING die and go to hell.

Originally Posted by Zaragrunudgeyon

I can just say that --people who think they are better than other people can FUCKING die and go to hell.

Fair enough, but I don't think it is quite as simple as people thinking they are better than anyone else. It seems to be a need for a form of ranking in society. Like people who are very class conscious can as easily think they are inferior to someone they perceive as being in a class above them.

Originally Posted by Leo

Fair enough, but I don't think it is quite as simple as people thinking they are better than anyone else. It seems to be a need for a form of ranking in society. Like people who are very class conscious can as easily think they are inferior to someone they perceive as being in a class above them.

We are all created by God so we are all equal. People that feel inferior or superior are all LOST people.