- Unsupervised Learning
- Posts
- A Class Primer
A Class Primer
[ Jun 28, 2014 ]
I’ve recently become more interested in the topic of class. I believe the reason for this is that the study of class allows a sharp and practiced eye to predict unobserved values and behaviors based on the observation of a small set of values and behaviors. It allows one to understand people (and therefore the world) better on a number of different scales, e.g. individuals in a barber shop vs. likely attendees of a particular political event. I find this fascinating.
Here I will be capturing some of the primary patters observed among the classes in the format of values or behaviors associated with each class. In building these collections I’ll be relying heavily on Class: A Guide Through the American Status System, by Paul Fussell, but will be using other sources as well as my own personal experience.
You can tell a lot about one’s class by bringing up the subject with them. The upper classes love to talk about it, the middle class(es) get very uncomfortable about it because they think they might be identified lower than they see themselves, and the lower classes generally don’t care much because they know they generally don’t expect to become part of the higher ones.
The upper classes believe class is defined by values, tastes, styles, and behaviors. The middle class thinks it’s about education and the work you do. The lower classes think it’s about how much money you have.
One key way of distinguishing the class you belong to is to determine how dangerous to your health your work is. Generally, only the lower classes do work that is directly dangerous to them. This includes Military service in roles where one is likely to be injured or killed.
The classes as defined by Fussell are TOP: Top Out of Sight, Upper, Upper-Middle Class, MIDDLE, Middle, High Prole, Mid Prole, Low Prole, and LOW, Destitute, Bottom Out of Sight
Money is one major facet of class, but definitely not the only one. Two people can make roughly the same amount of money and have drastically different social classes.
The lower classes are addicted to sweet foods. They love soda especially (a distinctly low food), and in general they prefer that their food be sweet as well.
The upper classes speak quietly, the lower classes shout.
Not smoking is very upper class, but drawing attention to the fact that you don’t is middle class (because it’s an attempt to demonstrate class).
Giving compliments is very middle class because it comes from needing validation of class. The upper classes find it to be rude because the quality of their things is assumed.
The upper classes are obsessed with old things. The older it is the better, and the newer it is the lower it is.
Takes in their money from inheritance alone.
Frequently hide from the masses and have completely hidden homes (as opposed to other top classes that like to show their wealth).
They often inherit a good amount of money, but they earn it too doing some slight and attractive type of work. They would feel ashamed if they weren’t doing some kind of work.’
They love to talk about class.
Unconcerned with how others view them, i.e. socially secure in their status.
Dislike receiving compliments regarding how nice their stuff is (it’s assumed).
Tend to prefer older, more tattered, high-quality possessions that show prolonged use. Are repelled by the appearance and concept of “new”.
Often have people coming and going constantly from their homes (entertaining).
They take compliments on the quality of their possessions or the quality of the food they serve, etc. to be offensive.
They take compliments on the quality of their possessions or the quality of the food they serve, etc. to be offensive.
The classiness of a city can be captured by the quality of its top newspaper.
One way to tell the difference between the classes is to notice how different their everyday clothes are from their best clothes. As you go higher there’s very little difference.
In general, the more supervision you have in your work, the lower the class you are in.
The upper classes have small/thin wallets. The proles have giant wallets — often with a rubber band around them.
Often avoid family and focus on friends instead.
Arrive approximately 20 minutes late to social events.
Tend to not have many ideas of their own (?).
They earn large amounts of money through things like investment banking, owning foundations, etc.
Can never enter the upper classes because their money (and family) is not well-established enough.
Can also have a large amount of money from work like law, medicine, real-estate, etc., but they earned all of it as opposed to inherited it.
The most role-reversed class where the men don’t mind doing “woman’s work” and women typically take on male dominated careers.
Enjoy showing off their educations by naming their cats things like Spinoza or something like that.
Prefer (just as with all the classes below) to be in the upper-middle class instead of one of the two higher classes.
The biggest characteristic of the middle class is that they’re obsessed with how others view them. This produces materialism and a focus on brands and other tangible signals of class
The middle class do the most moving because they’re being moved by the corporations they work for, e.g. geologist working for the oil company, salesmen given a new territory.
They occupy the suburbs.
Corporations hire them from second-tier colleges and teach them that being a team player is the most important thing they can be.
They enjoy sending out correspondence to family talking about how they’re becoming “professional”, with degrees and promotions at work and such.
Snobs live in the middle class because they avoid doing things that associate them with the lower classes and object to others doing so.
They write perfect thank you notes for events that don’t merit such things, and give too expensive or grandiose gifts — all because they are obsessed with appearing proper.
They are targeted extensively by anyone selling membership to clubs, guilds, and anything else that sounds exclusive.
The woman cherish “friendliness” and the men focus on the type of work that other males do.
Focus on being close to family and doing family-related things.
Proles in general are focused on brand names so that they can soak up some of their success.
High proles tend to be nice, while the lower proles can have more negative traits.
This class is in bondage to monetary policy, advertising, crazes and delusions, mass low-culture, fast food, etc.
The wife probably works just like the husband.
Skilled workers and craftsmen. Definitely don’t want to be considered laborers. Big city garbage workers, postmen, etc.
Tend to make games and sports the main part of their lives (they share this with aristocrats)
High proles love flashy TVs and other visible appliances.
They have an unromantic view towards women.
Arrive exactly on time to social events.
This is the class of operators: bus drivers, etc.
Mid proles fear losing their jobs.
This is the class of operators: bus drivers, etc.
Mid proles are constantly uncertain about their employment.