IST 494: Integrative Studies Capstone

By Melody Davis

I really enjoyed reading the book Limbo Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams, because like the author Alfred Lubrano, I too am a Stradler.

“They were born to blue-collar families and then, like me, moved into the strange new territory of the middle class. They are the first in their families to have graduated from college. As such, they straddle two worlds, many of them not feeling at home in either, living in a kind of American limbo. “

In the book Lubrano takes a look at his own life as well as 100 others Stradlers, people who have had similar experiences growing up in blue-collar, working class homes and transitioning into the white-collar, middle to upper class world. He talks about the “C” word, class and how for so long it has been overlooked in our society. He argues that the different approaches we have on life are class based. He says that people think in terms of class constantly. The part that stood out to me the most is in the first chapter when Lubrano looks closer at the clash of values he feels exist between blue and white-collar people. On page 18, Stradler James Neal says this:

“Until you’ve had hard times, you’re not a complete person. And if you’ve never had them, well, a whole hunk of you is missing.”

When I read this I tried to think back at my own life and identify my hard times to see if they were what really “completed me”. As a person having blue-collar roots, I feel that hard times in general do make you stronger and help keep you humble. I think that many Stradlers will feel this way too because most of us had to endure some type of struggle. I’m not sure if James Neal was implying that people born in middle class families don’t have struggles. I think there is a lot that can be learned from having been through hard times, but I’m not sure I would say that a middle class person is necessarily missing a whole hunk of them if they haven’t been through hard times.

My father did not graduate from college. We were among the working class for sure. My father was and still is a Cincinnati Police officer. To this day he works countless days and nights risking his life on the dangerous streets to provide for our family. As a family we have definitely been through many hard times. For example; I know what its like to go days without electricity; We’ve had to take many cold showers when we didn’t have hot water; We ate mostly white bread, and did without many of the fancy material things that our friends may have had. I know that the “hard times” have helped me appreciate the things I do have now. My siblings and I are thankful and appreciate the sacrifices my parents made for us. Although growing up in the blue collar environment wasn’t easy, I take away some great life lessons. That is something valuable to me and makes me feel complete as a person.

This idea of Stradlers valuing struggle seems to go along with the rest of the book. Being grounded and balanced is what Lubrano observed to be important to other Stradlers as well. In the conclusion it talks about others who “take pride in a resilience born of relative deprivation”. He says that people in limbo are successful in the white-collar world because they are determined and know they have what it takes to make it through, because they have already endured struggles unlike many middle class people who had it easier. On page 226 Stradler Doug Russell says, “On the other hand, I might not have gotten anywhere if I’d come from the middle class. I had such drive and ambition to get somewhere because of where I came from. I pushed and got somewhere”. This supports the idea that people in limbo are grateful for their blue-collar roots.

 I found a Video Clip of Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of Massachusetts School of Law, interviewing Alfred Lubrano about his book Limbo Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams. I thought it was interesting to see what Lubrano looked like and hear from him why he wrote the book. He basically just elaborated on the different chapters. He talked about some of the struggles that working class people have and his personal transition.    

I found another clip on youtube from the TV show Friends that pokes fun at the division between blue-collar and white-collar workers. Dr. Ross is a white-collar scientist who works at a museum. He gets his friend Joey, a blue-collar job as a museum guide. The museum is supposed to represent the “real world”. Basically Joey tries to interact with Ross at work but comes to realize that in the museum, white-collar workers who wear white coats don’t associate with the blue-collar workers who wear blue blazers. I think it is funny, but in a way illustrates some of the points Lubrano makes in the book. In Chapter 4 Lubrano talks about the different Culture Conflicts that make it hard for the two classes to have relationships.  

I really enjoyed reading Limbo Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams. I identified with a lot of what Lubrano said as well as many of the other Stradlers he interviewed.  As I continue to strive to be upwardly mobile I will cherish the journey and learn from the hard times never forgetting my blue-collar roots.

Danielle Rodas

The movie Working Girl shows a woman, Tess, trying to rise up from lower-middle class to upper-middle class.  Tess is a very smart character, and seems to have what it takes inside.  She’s courageous, and innovative, and informed.  What she lacks in more on the outside.  Her clothes and hair give her away.  Her subservient manner and her accent give her away.  She seems to know this from the beginning, even while she doesn’t.  Her early attempts to be upper-class are as informed as her business sense.

In the earliest parts of the movie, the only things that differs between Tess and Cynthia is the hair color and the lesser accent.  Tess’s accent is still present, but her classes are helping her control it.  Tess is already making an effort, but it seems like she doesn’t have a mentor readily available to model herself after.  This all changes after she begins her job as Katharine’s assistant.  Tess is told directly by Katharine what ways she must change, but this is slow going still.  It is only after Tess realizes that her mentor is betraying her that she takes it upon herself to change fully and step up to her competition.  The scene that surrounds her discovery of Katharine’s betrayal is among the most significant in the movie.

It seems like it really clicks with her about 25 minutes into the film, while she is gathering things at Katharine’s house.  Tess’s interest in her surroundings leads to playing with Katharine’s things.  At first, it seems like she is a kid playing with mommy’s things.  She uses all that is available in the apartment or condo to imitate Katharine.  The voice recordings help her to mold her voice.  The vanity helps her test out make-ups and perfumes.  Tess even uses her workout machine while still in her workday skirt and top.  It seems like Tess is really playing around being Katharine.  But, this is more seriously Tess’s research into upper-class living.  The assumed little experience within her upbringing Tess had with upper-class women left her with little to base her looks and manners off of.  This is her time to really morph into the woman she has wanted to be all along, a woman of power and respect.

This scene is the turnabout for the movie.  Tess dresses like Katharine, becomes more assertive, less naïve about class differences, and so forth.  The text (movie) is largely about the appearances of class in business and casual society.  Of course, it is about the story and Tess’s struggle to be among the business elite.  But, this issue of class appearance is so much a part of that, it almost takes center stage.  Acting and dressing for your class is the stage of life in all its glory.  It’s hard for anyone, including myself, to see Tess before this point as anything more than a secretary.  I hear what she is saying and the ideas sound like more, but her attire and more importantly, her hair shout out her lower class status.

This relates to a show that I have been catching up on recently, The Office.  Pam Beesly Halpert is the receptionist for Dunder Mifflin, with dreams to rise above.  Her attire as the receptionist for multiple seasons is drab (not like Tess’s loud clothing) and dull in color.  Once a woman of higher status and better dress, Karen Filippelli, enters the office, Pam is also shown what kind of attire a professional woman of status must take on.  There are many times that Pam’s dress is ridiculed or criticized by others in the office, but here is a prime example: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OF6mhGDwow>.  The boss, Michael Scott, and Pam’s colleagues, Angela, Phyllis, Kelly, and Ryan all make comments throughout the show about Pam’s dress.  They remark that she could be or have more if she put more into the way she looked at work.

As Working Girl and The Office show, the motto “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have,” is tried and true.  Men and women alike must follow this rule.  If the job you want exists within the class above yours, you must imitate that class.  Potential employers and colleagues will not want to feel like you are out of place in their presence.  Dress code is not just a part of the manual, it is a part of the atmosphere you want to create and must work within.  It doesn’t matter if you work as an assistant/secretary in mergers and acquisitions for a prestigious firm or as receptionist in a paper sales company, dress matters.  If you want to get hired, if you want to get promoted, you have to dress for it.

Amberly Behrens

Sexual Harassment against women in the workforce has been happening for many years now. In the movie, Working Girl, Tess McGill is a victim of sexual harassment. She could have used her body at different times in the movie to get ahead with her male bosses, but instead, chose to use her brain.

Tess’ experience in the limo is an example of her being sexually harassed by a superior male figure. She could have went to the hotel suite, gave in, and got the new job but did not. The man tried to use his power to get what he wanted from her. A telephone poll by Louis Harris and Associates on 782 U.S. Workers revealed 31% of the female workers reported they had been harassed at work. Of them, 43% were harassed by a superior and 27% by an employee senior to them (http://www.sexualharassmentsupport.org/SHworkplace.html). This website shows more statistics on sexual harassment, not only to women. Tess did a great job of not giving in and getting herself out of the situation.

A woman in Tess’ position, 30 years old, stuck as a secretary, and no promise of promotion, would be inclined to fall for the sexual harassment and do what she could to move up in the company. Instead, Tess fought back. She stood up for herself and did what it too to get to where she wanted to be without using her body.

Being sexually harassed by a superior can not only be offensive, but intimating too. A victim of sexual harassment may not report the harassment or may go along with it in fear for their job. They may even give in to get ahead themselves. In that case they are just as wrong as the person harassing them. The person doing the harassing is usually in a higher position than the person being harassed. They have more control in the company and could have the person accusing them fired for any reason at all to save their own reputation.

A close friend of mine works at a local bar as a server. There are about ten other girls who work there also. The bar is owned by a middle aged single male, we’ll call him Chuck. Chuck is not the most attractive guy ever. He uses his ownership of the bar to boost his confidence and “sleep” with women. At a bar, the best shifts to work are the weekends, and all the girls want those shifts. Not all ten girls can work them and still make money. Plus girls are needed  to work the shifts through the week that are not as popular. How does Chuck decide who gets to work which shift? He picks the girls who give him the most attention when he hits on them to work the weekends and those who don’t, get the slow shifts during the week.

A boss hitting on his employees in sexual harassment. Chuck takes the harassment even further by seeing how for his employees will go to work the money making shifts. Something should be done about Chuck, but what? It is his bar. He can run it however he wants and the girls working there need the money, especially with the economy the way it is. Even if the girls stuck together and all turned him down, he would find new girls to come in and work and do what he wanted.

Not all workplaces are like this, and not every male superior will sexually harass his secretary or employee. I have worked for different men and women and never personally had an issue with it. But when it does happen, it should be taken seriously. No one wants to work in a place where they feel uncomfortable. If a person is sexually harassed there are steps to take to get justice. http://employment.findlaw.com/employment/employment-employee-discrimination-harassment/employment-employee-sexual-harassment-top/employment-employee-sexual-harassment-action.html This website gives in detail the actions that can be taken to fight against sexual harassment.

by James E. Mathes

Who am I and where do I belong are questions that are asked by all people.  Finding the answer to this question is what life is all about.  The purpose of this paper is display one view that displays how a few people view themselves.  The hope being is that the reader may gain an insight and understanding of why some people are different.  This paper is viewed from a different category-X then that from the book written by Paul Fussel.

The definition that is to be considered for this Category-X is anyone that exists outside of a class or peer age group is placed within this group.  This might be the person that many consider to be too elderly to attend school.  The person that arrives for school in Levis and shirt and tie plus an expensive sports coat on a motorcycle would defy placement.  The young girl that is at home in a garage during the day and a fancy dress ball in the evening fits into this group.  The point being that they cannot be placed into a class.  The medical doctor that drives a truck for pay on weekends fits this group.  There is no end to the people that belong to this group.

   The book by Paul Fussel says that the person that belongs to his group are the ones that know no boss or working hours and have made it by their own labors.  Yes, they would belong to this group as well.  By Mr. Fusel’s reasoning, the homeless and cast outs would belong as well.  This is reasoning by circular logic.  To belong to a true classless category, one would have to have a means of being totally independent of a boss and knowledgeable enough to exist in a changing environment of changing classes without losing focus.  The person must be at home with what and where he is while appearing to belong.  In other words, the person must fit into the group without the appearance of strain.

    Category-X is a group of people that have earned the right to be independent in action and thought.  They may have worked for a boss until they are in a position of financial freedom that allows them to do as they please as long as it interferes with no one else’s right to do the same.  They may have been schooled enough to learn enough to be free to think for themselves.  This would be true in the case of musicians, inventors, writers or actors.  Actors are a group that belongs only is they are free to interpret the role as they see fit.  Rote actors are nothing but a group of paid hacks. 

    Hippies are a group that always gets mentioned when speaking of a group that live outside of class society.  This is no really true.  It is true that they are rebelling against society but as a whole and not as a class.  The saying “Toke up and drop out” gives the best answer to that by asking, “What are they dropping out of?”  As soon as they grow tired of rebelling they return to the class they rebelled against.  The grandparents of this generation are the hippies of the sixties.  How are they acting now?  Today they will not even admit they were hippies. 

    Point now is to figure out why certain people act in such a free manner concerning class without being put in their place by society.  One must remember that Americans love people that are different as long as they are different the same way that all Americans are different.  In other words, Americans are comfortable with people just like them.  

    The first case to investigate is that of the elderly man enrolled at university when everyone knows that only young people will use the knowledge to better themselves.  To take the viewpoint of this man is not hard to do.  He has felt the cold wind of eternity and realizes that his time is limited.  Death is the great equalizer.  He wishes to deepen his knowledge so that he might enrich his own life and the life of the people around him for so long as he exists.

     Everyone knows that in today’s society that one must be young and beautiful.  The elderly at a university is a mockery of this concept.  Historically the elderly have been the repository of knowledge and venerated by the young.  The Young Americans of today have forgotten this and cannot wait to hustle grandma and grandpa off to the home for the elderly and take over the old folk’s money and processions.  It appears that the young has a plan that eliminates the wait for death and allows them to grab the money at their first opportunity.  The higher the class the faster the grab. 

     What about the young girl in company of the elderly?  She may be from a culture where the elderly are venerated and she might wish to be respectful.  She might also wish to acquire knowledge that only the elders might have.  But, how is she judged?

     Why would a person want to live outside of a class?  Is it possible that they do not wish to put up with the problem of keeping up appearances?  Self-fashioning is done by everyone.  The public face one dons in the morning and have as they leave home is not the one they have behind closed doors.  This is normal since everyone wants to be accepted.  Even Category-X dons the face he wishes the world to see.  Does this mean that everyone is a phony?  Each person has to answer that for himself.

     In summation, people belong to Category-X.  This is a category that does not seem to recognize class structure.  They move from class to class with pretense and are comfortable anywhere.  Since they are classless but have class they are calm or appear so in any setting.  How do they do it?  Education and observation are two excellent ways.  Loads of money does not appear to help because you cannot buy poverty.   Do you belong to a class or a category?  If so, Which and why?

by Dominque Johnson

Have you ever looked around and noticed that everyone looks different? People are different races, have different color eyes, hair, etc., and dress differently. People are unique, and do what makes them feel good. Some people drive new cars and some people drive old cars. There are short people and there are tall people. Some have blond hair, others have black or brown. Everyone’s appearance is different. It just depends on how the person wants to look. SO they wear what they feel is right for themselves. Human Beings are all equal, but when it comes to appearance we differ so much. However, do you feel that what a person wears, can determine what class they are in? Author Paul Fussell, of Class: a Guide through the American Status System believes you can. In his book he states,

“The wearing of clothes either excessively new or excessively neat and clean suggests that your social circumstances are not entirely secure. The upper and upper-middle class like to appear in old clothes, as if to advertise how much of conventional dignity they can afford to throw away, as men of these classes do also when they abjure socks while wearing loafers. On the other hand, the middle class and the proles make much of new clothes, of course with the highest possible polyester content. (58)

This paragraph is interesting to me because to some degree I agree with Fussell. I look around and see some of the key points he is making in his book.  On the other hand again everyone does not dress the same. Whether, you are in the upper, lower, or middle class you are an individual first. So for Fussell to say that these trends exist among the different classes, he is just going of stereotypes. This paragraph should be acknowledged because I believe some people can actually relate and agree to what he is saying. Some of the ideas he presents will actually make sense and seem like they are very much true.

This paragraph supports everything that he is saying in the book. The text presents ways in which class is determined. Whether it’s because of how you look, how you dress, what kind of car you drive, who you hang out with, you are always going to be put in a category that ultimately determines your class. In the book Alison Lurie says she finds cleanliness “a sign of status, since to be clean and neat always involves the expense of time and money. So this would contradict what Fussell is saying. However as I kept reading she completely agrees with Fussell. Lurie also goes on to say “But laboring to present yourself scrupulously clean suggests that your worried about your status slippage and that you care terribly about what your audience thinks, both low signs” (Fussell 58). So what I got from reading both Fussell and Lurie’s viewpoints was that people in the upper class do not care how they dress they have the money but it is just not that important how they look. However, people in the lower classes want to make themselves look good all the time. They feel like they have to because they want to show off or don’t want people to see them in the lower class. This moment influences the text as a whole because it demonstrates that how you look and present yourself can determine your class. Everyone is divided up into groups already because of stereotypes that the world holds.

            In our society we are all equal, but there are stereotypes that divide everyone up. Just because you drive a car and dress nicely then you must have a lot of money and be wealthy. Also you are a part of the upper class, because that is how are culture works. On the other hand if you dress casually, and drive a used car then you are in the middle or lower class. We are all split up into groups that our culture feels defines who we are. I believe the text supports what our culture says about class. We are all individuals but we are split up because of they way we act in our everyday lives. However, I disagree because when you split up people into groups make sure that everyone in the group follows the trend that you have designated to that particular group. In most cases some people do not. For example, say you have an African American man that’s tall. He dresses casually most of the time. He looks like this http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTb_n9PGhL.FIA.YqjzbkF/SIG=16c6uur91/EXP=1265208957/**http%3a//www.eugenef.com/free-digital-photography/professional-models-wallpaper/men-photography-wallpaper/sesean-african-american-model-wallpaper/african-american-model-male-urban-4.html. According to, Fussell this man would probably be classified as being in the lower class. This is because he is dressed nice and his appearance is good. So it would seem that he is dressing nice to show off or impress everyone around him. I believe this is false he dresses this way because it makes him feel good. However, society feels that he does this for different reasons. Why couldn’t he be in the upper class? You never know he could be from a wealthy family and have lots of money. You cannot judge his status by the way he looks this is wrong and I believe it is stereotyping. On the other hand say you have a White female that looks like this http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTb_qUP2hLkEoAuXyjzbkF/SIG=12427jcfl/EXP=1265209620/**http%3a//www.flickr.com/photos/dgilder/3844672156/. She is dressed somewhat casual. Does this mean that she has lots of money and is very wealthy but just doesn’t care to wear her best clothes? Or does it mean that se dresses the way she wants to? Everyone is unique in their own way and they dress in what it comfortable to them. So when you judge people by there appearance you are stereotyping. Even though I agree that some of the trends that Fussell points out seem to be accurate and true. It still falls back on that people are individuals first. So we do what is right for us. When it comes to appearance, don’t judge a book by its cover!!! So just because a person looks a certain way this should not determine what class they are in.

by Kellie Barnes

While reading Fussell’s Class: A Guide Through the American Status System one phrase that stood out to me was exactly what my title is, “Social class should be exterminated!”  You read this sentence and you want to agree right away but then you get to think about it, do we really want it to be exterminated?  Yes of course no one likes to be judged based on appearance or class and that is why we would want to get rid of it, but what if you are in the middle or upper class?  Fussell says that you reveal a great deal about what social class you are from by the way you respond to the subject of social class being brought up. He said that upper-class people like the subject to be brought up because if it does then the better off they seem to be.  Middle-class people seem to be nervous about it because of slipping down the rung or two. Then of course the lower-class don’t seem to care because there is little they can do to alter their class identity.  Fussell also said that the middle-class was the class that seemed sensitive about and class-scared to death.  This made me laugh a little because I have seen that before. Many would think I am middle-class and I will admit I do care whether or not I would be considered the lower-class. What if you worked hard to get there and you want that status to go up?  I really think this statement makes you think about how it would affect you individually if it really was exterminated.  I am not saying that this is the way I think about it but just showing both sides of the argument.  Social class is a very touchy subject that a lot refuse to bring up and Fussell laid it all out for everyone.  He is making us realize what we are all really thinking. 

This moment of the text was at the very beginning but already made me realize what I was in for while reading the text.  It made me realize that social class is part of our society.  That it is looked upon by everyone but never spoken of.  It will always be there.  It is embedded in our minds which characteristics or backgrounds go with what social class.  This moment in the text shows how things haven’t really changed in regards to status or class even in contemporary culture.  These things take many years to fully get out of our heads to not judge people based on appearance or how much money they have.  I don’t think it will ever end.  So for this statement about how social class should be exterminated is simply just a statement.  It is the idea how if it were to end then as a society we wouldn’t judge people on the simple things in life.  It sounds perfect right?  I actually agree with a lot of what Fussell had to say about social class.  It opened my own eyes on how I sometimes judge people for no reason at all but maybe by the way they look or act.  I know I am not the only one that has ever done this but I have been raised in a society that this is how you know where some people stand “class” wise.

In our society you are either seen as upper-class, middle-class, or lower-class.  I did however find a picture that had four middle classes.  This picture was interesting. It shows the top class, struggling middle, satisfied middle,  and anxious middle.  Earlier I said that I considered myself middle class; in this picture I guess I would be struggling middle.  This is where I would identify myself mostly with the lower class.  Looking at this would you identify yourself with either one of these?  In this carton picture it shows a couple leaving another couples home, and he is telling his wife how he didn’t talk about schools and the housing market.  This ties into what I said how people are afraid to talk about anything that is below them.  Both of these pictures show how we relate to the outside world and our interpretation of social class.

People will always judge people.  So it will not be exterminated completely however if you make an effort to stop judging people based solely on appearance or money then that is always on step closer to the bigger outcome.  This text has opened my eyes in a lot of ways and I will take that step because I do know that you do not fully understand someone unless you talk with them personally.  Social class is just another thing in our society that will always lead to strong opinions either way.

by Leah Kelly

Fussell’s ability to develop his thoughts and findings into a well-written depiction of the American social class system and the issues surrounding it is evident throughout his text. But the following passage sets the mood for the audience concerning the myth Americans are faced with from an early age.

“The special hazards attending the class situation in America, where movement appears so fluid and where the prizes seem available to anyone who’s lucky, are disappointment, and, following close on that, envy. Because the myth conveys the impression that you can readily earn your way upward, disillusion and bitterness are particularly strong when you find yourself trapped in a class system you’ve been half persuaded isn’t important.”

Fussell’s ability to get to the heart of the problem is portrayed in this paragraph. It is not the issue of which class you are in, it’s the problem that you will never be able to shift easily from class to class like America insists you can. The American Dream is no longer a reality for members of social classes. Those who believe that this is possible will suffer disappointment first and then envy. One’s ability to move freely through the classes is not a likely occurrence. When someone unknowingly finds this out they become disappointed and unsatisfied with how America gives them false hope. Envy is conveyed soon after this facade is discovered. A person’s envy will occur when their own status is cemented for them. The destitute will look to the proles and the proles will look to the middles and so on and so forth. The process will continue until you reach the upper middle and beyond. There they do not worry about being higher up but they do worry about dropping down a class. It is a constant struggle for any class to maintain their status they have presently while still hoping to advance. It is important to notice the anguish this paragraph describes. It is evident that this is a stage that most, if not all, people go through who are middle class or lower. At first there is hope, next comes realization and then finally despair. This happens in sequence throughout one’s life.

When we are young we are given the idea that we can conquer the world, do anything we want. As we get older and retain more knowledge on the facts we start to learn that this is not notably so. Thus, we feel frustration and resentment. Fussell acknowledges this in his book but addressing the subject matter head on. It is important to realize this happens to everyone. Everyone in this course should be able to remember a moment in his or her life where this process occurred. It may be a recent situation or it could be from early childhood but it is apparent. Our hopes and dreams of a better life and social class are diminished causing agony and despair. But Fussell tries to make the reader understand if someone has ever felt this way that he or she is not alone.

This availing moment helps to distinguish the problem for social class and status among Americans. Without this special indication many might overlook the issue at hand. This passage helps to establish the importance of the problem and the way people react to it. The paragraph is the prelude to it. It helps to direct people into the mindset to learn about the different ways classes look, speak, read and decorate their homes. 

Class – A Guide Through the American Status System, helps to comprehend the status in our country. Fussell brings up issues that everyone might think of but none dare to speak of. He makes it a point for the reader to know that this topic is like a black sheep of a family; no one likes to acknowledge it exists among Americans. Although the book is dated and the examples are not current, the concepts are still accurate. Contemporary Culture is similar to Fussell’s perception of social class but there seems to be a higher chance for vertical mobility. With recessions and economical booms, shifts can occur. However, much like Fussell stated in his book, it is not just about income, there are many other factors included with class status.

The Oprah Show had an entire segment devoted to social class as Americans see it. She had many guests explain their upsets given the recent recession. One of the guests, Haley, spoke how her status had suffered with the loss of her job. This ties into the excerpt from Fussell’s book. Americans start to realize that their class status is being left in the dust, leaving behind hopelessness and concern.

Much like Fussell’s book, a video called Social Class in America (1957), addresses the same issue of the difficulties crossing class boundaries. This short video follows three young men who were born in the 1950’s struggling in their social class. Gill Aims was born in a high class, Ted Eastwood is a middle class person and David Bentin is in the lower class. While growing up they are faced with social struggles to follow in their ascribed status. However, Ted is faced with the decision to branch out, working hard he was able to move up in his class. He established an achieved status. These two terms, ascribed and achieved where not mentioned in Fussell’s book but they are interesting to think about. It is common, much like the video explains, to be born with a status. However a person can gain a new status with his or her talents, character, ability and geographic mobility. Thus, becoming an ascribed status. Social Class in America (1957) and Fussell’s Class both share the same opinion – all citizens are born equal and legal before the law but not the same by standards of class. There have always been levels of social class, whether it is a three-tiered classification or Fussell’s nine-class division, causing the separation among Americans.

Today’s standards of social class and the American dream are much like they were before in the 1980’s when Fussell wrote his book. Issues still arise concerning the social status and class of Americans. There will always be a status continuum ranging from the ‘upper-out-of-sight’ all the way down to ‘bottom-out-of-sight’. America is the land of possibility for all who wish to obtain it but as time goes on the realization sets in and we are left with nothing more than disappointment and envy for what could have been.

by Daryl Back

There are many different ways people judge one another, whether knowingly or not.  It could be the way someone dresses, the type of vehicle they drive, a person’s occupation, or perhaps where a person lives and what their residence looks like.  In Paul Fussell’s book, Class: A Guide Through the American Status System, Fussell takes a look at how a person’s weight can often be an advertisement of a persons social standing.  On pages 52-53, Fussell explains how much being obese has changed as a representation of one’s self image.  In today’s society, it is much more common to see an obese person who is of lower class than to see obesity with upper and even middle class people.  Over a century ago, heftiness was a sign of success and wealth, whereas now it is the exact opposite.   Instead of viewing obese people as successful, American’s usually tend to label them as lazy and not very determined.  I find this interesting because I had never really noticed how much a person’s weight can tell about their social standing.  After reading Fussell, I can honestly say that I see many more obese people in the lower class people rather than the upper class.  I don’t have any numbers to support my opinion, but it just seems as if upper class people seem to be thinner and in better shape than those of lower class.  People should pay special attention to this matter for many reasons.  Taking care of your body and having a good image is not only beneficial to your health, but it can also help you meet people, and possibly help you get a job over another person.  Recently I heard Jim Rome on ESPN talking about making a decision on who to hire between two football coaches whom were both deserving for a job.  Rome clearly stated that if it came down to two people, he would take the person who is in the best shape because it is a sign of determination and ambition. 

                Fussell’s example of distinguishing social standing by looking at a person’s weight goes along with the rest of the book because each chapter gives numerous different ways people judge and distinguish each other, either by their actions or their appearance.  I am influenced by this reading because I find Fussell’s ideas to be fairly accurate with what I have noticed.  For example, one can go to the neighborhood Golden Corral Buffet, walk in and pay the “all you can eat” for ten dollars, and see numerous obese people.  On the other hand, one can go to a dinner buffet at a nice casino and pay 25 dollars, walk around and find hardly any obese people.  Why is that?  I believe it is because you see less obese people in the upper class.  With this example from the text, it goes to show that there are numerous characteristics people use to determine different social standing.  Unfortunately for the lower class, these characteristics include, obesity, laziness, poorly dressed, rusty cars, and bad lawns, which are all characteristics Fussell talks about in the text.  I have to agree with Fussell and most of his ideas, however there are exceptions.  Some wealthy people are lazy, obese, and dress poorly.  I have also associated with lower class people who dress to kill, but do not have much else to brag about.  Part of the problem is that people judge each other without knowing each other. 

                I have found two different pictures that help exemplify Fussell’s ideas about how a person weight can help show their social standing. Picture 1 shows a hefty person sitting on the coach watching television.  He would probably come across as a semi-obese lower to middle class person.  In picture 2, there is an example of a wealthy family.  By looking at the picture, you can tell that each person is on the thinner side and look like they keep up with their self image.  I have also found a video clip from YouTube that shows a successful upper-class businessman going through his rigorous morning workout routine to help keep his body image looking nice.  Finally, I have found a website that gives two different perspectives on this issue, which is good because not every obese person is necessarily lower class.  In this website titled FirstPageFitness, it states how many lower-class people are obese, but it might be because poverty causes obesity.  The website states how gym memberships might be too expensive, as well as eating healthy foods, etc.  The website has some good points, as does Fussell’s book.  After reading Fussell, I have realized that there are numerous ways in which people can distinguish social class.

While there were many interesting moments in the PBS documentary People Like Us what stood out to me most was the story of the town in Vermont where the community was embattled about what kind of grocery store would serve the community and what kind of food would be available at that grocery store.  As the documentary represents the conflict within this community, it becomes clear to the audience how something as simple as what food one chooses to put into one’s grocery cart is influenced by social class, and it really inspires the audience to think about their own choices of what food to eat communicate and reflect their own class status.  I think that viewers of this documentary should pay special attention to this moment because it really gets to the heart of how pervasive class distinctions are in contemporary American culture, and it shows that even something as simple as the food one enjoys can mark one as being of a lower or higher class status. (more…)

This blog will serve as our online classroom in which we get to share our perspectives on the texts and films that we read and view each week, and in which you get to practice writing for a public audience as you create your own blog posts. My hope is that this blog will work as a space for free and civil debate about the ideas and issues that we explore in the course, and that as a class we will use our dialog with each other to inspire our research and reflection about social class and its impact on contemporary culture.

In addition, I will use this space to post any announcements or reminders that come up throughout the semester, so even if you’re not scheduled to do your own post on the blog, you should be reading here regularly and commenting on the posts that others complete. Please be sure to let me know if you have any questions! And also, take a few minutes to introduce yourselves in the comments!