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An essay on social class
An essay on social class
Social classes and their influence on society
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In society, we are unconsciously arranged and grouped based on factors in ones lives that decide were we lay on a social scale. These factors include your socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sex, age, religion and anything that may pertain to a privilege you hold. Social hierarchy is just this; a ranking of individuals based on their personal factors that divide them and creates a hierarchy. Social hierarchies are part of our everyday lives because positions we hold come assigned with different tasks. Those tasks are infused with power, privilege and prestige. Those factors lead to people having power, privilege and prestige over others, therefore causing a hierarchy. In my explanation of social hierarchy, I will be touching on two concepts: …show more content…
These hierarchies then have concepts that determine or affect ones actions in societies. These concepts range from which space one can enter, what one wears in a social setting and how people divide up their time. I used two examples: social space and costumes. These two stuck out to me the most because I interact with them daily. I am also very diligent when it comes to my time but these two concepts specifically pertain to my life. One concept can affect your life in many different ways and that in turn changes your actions in certain situations. Social hierarchy exists because we live in a society that is dominated by the 1% who sets precedents over what is social acceptable. These hierarchies are mandatory but unfortunately are ingrained in people’s minds because its human nature. It is human nature to act a certain way depending on your role in that situation. These hierarchies will continue to change people’s everyday lives because they are a part of they way we act and think. All of our actions are based off of the hierarchies we co-exist in and we are not aware of them at times. Society makes them important because it has been ingrained in our nature to have different class levels. Everyone is seeking power, privilege and prestige and because of that, social hierarchies will continue to exist and
In the book Cue for Treason social status and the hierarchy had a great affect on the characters of the story. The book Cue for Treason, written by Geoffrey Trease took place in the Elizabethan Era, a time where your social ranking decided your power and importance. The hierarchy had a great affect on many people included in this book, such as the Queen who was thought as the keystone of peace, Sir Philip who abused his ranking for power, and the lower class that were widely manipulated by higher rankings. Social status certainly had influenced the actions of the characters and the whole plot in general.
This essay focuses on two theories of Erving Goffman and Michel Foucault on how society is ordered; it will attempt to show how these two theorists approached understanding society and how it is ordered, as well as look for any similarities or differences between the two theories. When looking at how social order is constructed, it is not only important to study the role of the individual, but also the role of the state or government. The part they play in the order and rules of every day interactions. Social order refers to unspoken rules of conduct in everyday life, or stable social situation in which connections are maintained without change or if change occurs it is in predictable way. (Taylor, 2009, p.173). in addition these case studies; Buchanan report (1963), Monderman thesis (1980) will be linked to Goffman’s and Foucault’s theories, to help us to understand how order is attained and maintained by individuals, authorities and institutions, in certain places, and in different contexts as well as how social order is constructed at different historical moments. This essay concentrates on Goffman’s and Foucault’s theories, claims, and concepts, by comparing and contrasting their ideas on social order and who makes the order, the evidence that they draw upon, and the different levels of social life each theorist chooses to focus upon. Both Goffman and Foucault are concerned with the wider questions of how society is produced and reproduced, but specifically how social order is made and remade. At the same time, both also seek broader ways of understanding singular issues in interaction. Goffman focused on the individual, interactional order, and performances, while in contrast Foucault focuses on discourses, power, knowle...
In William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, the use of mistaken identity and role reversal communicates that gender roles and social class are constructed illusions that trick people into having unrealistic expectations about how they are supposed behave.Viola crossdressing as Cesario in the play challenges traditional views of how a woman of her status should act.The differences between the accepted clothing for an individual emphasizes gender roles and social hierarchy in society. During the Renaissance, “ the idea of two genders, one subordinate to the other, provided a key element in its hierarchical view of the social order and to buttress its gendered division of labor” (Howard 423).
Social rank has been a big part in a “Knight's Tale”. Without social classes we would not be able to determine who is rich and who is poor. Social class is based off of you income and the thing you own. They are three social classes low, middle, and upper.
Stratification systems, categorized people by class, gender, ethnicity, wealth/income. When people are categorized, start looking at different systems within the social system or social mobility. “The four main systems of stratification have been slavery, caste, estate, and class. Each of these systems allows greater or less flexibility in terms of social mobility. Social mobility is the ability to move up or down within a social stratification hierarchy” (Larkin, 2015). Slavery is a social status began with social norms allowing people to own others. The slaves had no wealth or power while under this social status. Caste systems are all aspects of social status are assigned at births and held forever,
In every civilization there exists a hierarchy that is accepted by the people that are a part of it. This hierarchy, which is present in all societies, is called a class system and usually includes an upper class, a middle class, and a lower class. The upper class consists of those who are the richest in a society, the middle class consists of the working people, and the lower class consists of the poorest people. There is one class system that consists of five tiers, including one that is below its lower class, and differs from any other system; the caste system of India. In a caste system, the class that is received is hereditary and cannot be changed like in other societies. The civilization of India has an extensive history with this longstanding and controversial caste system that has evolved over time and is still in place today.
In his summary of Gattaca, Shaw comes away from the movie with the message that the force of one’s aspirations and willpower will emerge triumphant over any obstacle. He begins by saying that Gattaca is “obsessed with class differences”, the reason being that humanity is segregated into two distinct classes: the genetically superior valids and the lesser invalids. Shaw highlights this class difference in the various scenes in which invalids are looking up and conversely where valids are looking down; a literal and metaphorical act exemplifying the class difference between the genetically modified and the god-children. However, he claims that when Vincent gazes through a barred window at a rocket taking off, it is a look of “defiance”; a challenge
Social stratification refers to how sociologists categorize people inside a society into different classes based on their socioeconomic tiers. The tiers can come from their wealth, race, level of education, and power over other people. However, people don’t stay forever inside their class, as a wealthy man can lose all his property overnight and moves down the hierarchy (change in
There are many things that influence our behavior from internal influences to social norms. Social norms are implicit or explicit rules that govern how we behave in society (Maluso, class notes). Social norms influence our behavior more than any of us realize but we all notice when a norm has been broken. Breaking a social norm is not an easy task and often leads us feeling uncomfortable whether we broke the norm ourselves or witnessed someone else breaking it. Sometimes however, you just have to break a norm to see what happens.
A hierarchy establishes the position a member takes within the family setting. A hierarchy can be a critical and a sensitive matter when you approach and discuss matters of importance with family members. As an educator one must ensure sensitivity and openness to the structure of the family. The educator will also need to ensure the child is being exposed to the different levels in a hierarchy within the classroom setting.
Social psychology, as defined by the Microsoft Bookshelf, is the branch of human psychology that deals with the behavior of groups and the influence of social factors on the individual. Social roles are one of the many sub - categories of social psychology. I believe social roles to be the way we, as individuals, act in certain situations; such as home life, educational and economic statue, peer groups, etc. The Prison Simulation by Haney, Banks & Zimbardo is just one of the vast studies in this area. In this study we will see how people take roles in life, and in simulated life situations. Social roles are not fictitious, it is in fact a very real occurrence that many people deal with ever day, whether it be with them selves or with other individuals.
The class system places the individual in the social system based on his achieved status. This status is earned or chosen. This includes educational level, careers, and spouses.
Social structure is created by the distribution of wealth, power and prestige. The social structure consists of taken for granted beliefs about the world and both constrain and regulate human actions. The social structure consists of substructures such as class, gender and ethnicity. These groups are formed within society; each group shares common attitudes, values, social norms, lifestyle and material goods. People within society stay within the guidelines of the soc...
In America, it is based on the relations of property and power and the division of social classes in the United States, the most basic class distinction is between the powerful and the powerless. Social classes groups are the upper class who have a great deal of power which usually are viewed as the elites within their own societies. In general usage, the elite is a hypothetical group of relatively small size that is dominant within a large society, having a privileged status perceived as being envied by others. Various social and political theories propose that social classes with greater power attempt to strengthen their own ranking above the lower classes. The upper class has more power because there are some people who are wealthy and do have high paying jobs; they have the experience and education background in order for them to become President, Vice President of the United States and chief executive officer (CEO) and the board of trustees to name a few.
The girth of the status pyramid decreases as the amount of power increases. There are more people allowed to handle the basic functions of the bureaucracies. The greater the responsibility or task, the less number of people are needed to handle it; in one or two person's hands lies the responsibility and ability to control the matter. This hierarchal approach makes getting things done quick and easy. In fewer words: "The buck stops here."