Status or Being Yourself?
My analysis of People Like Us: Social Class in America
When I started to watch the documentary People Like Us: Social Class in America, I honestly did not think I was going to see anything I have not already heard or witnessed. I knew it would be about social class and contemporary culture, which is a subject we are always hearing and learning about in school. As I started hearing stories from various people in different social classes I started to notice things I had never thought about before.
When hearing the different stories in this documentary some of them touched me more than others. Tammy’s story compared to the number of other stories really opened my eyes to a completely different view on social class. The fact that she walks over 10 miles a day to get to her job at Burger King just to make it to the next day, in means of providing for her family just makes me think about the luxuries I may have that I don’t appreciate as much as I should. I really was interested in her story of how her oldest son, Matt Heid, talked about his mother and their situation. Here you have a mother doing what she knows best to provide for her family and a son that is almost ashamed of it and her. When he was talking about how he doesn’t want his friends to meet his mom because of how she looks just shocked me. When he goes to school he wants to be someone. He wants to be the popular kid and fit in while hiding his true self. I commend him for wanted to make something better of himself, but when he said some of the things about not wanting his brother around or not calming his brother if he is dressed a certain way, just really upset me. It truly makes me sad that kids and young adults cant go to school comfortable in their own skin because they want to fit in a certain clique or stereotype. They feel that they need to dress, talk, and act a certain way to fit in where they want, when in all reality it’s all fake. I guess this just upsets me because I really felt like things were better and high schools weren’t as harsh or demanding on kids to be a certain way. I feel like in Tammys story Matt couldn’t appreciate his mom for what she is trying to do because he has been taught by society and his peers that it isn’t cool or accepted.
The other story that really stood out for me was the ANDERSON high school stories. How they showed social class and peer acceptance from each angle by talking to different students in different cliques or social classes. There was a clear separation between each clique that attended this school. The two young girls they were documenting had me shocked by what was coming out of their mouths about how they view the school and other students. Also, the four girls they talked to that all had nice cars that their parents bought them. One of the girls was talking about how she didn’t just hang out with those girls because they all had nice cars and were all similar to her. She said she hung out with them because they were just her best friends. To an extent I think this is true that you tend to hang around people you have things in common with, but I feel like the things they had in common were all exterior and didn’t come from within. This video made me think that a lot of middle and high school students are very blind to people’s true selves. I feel like these students have been programmed, in lack of a better word, to seek out the people that are in their same social class. Also this section of the video really stood out to me because my family and I moved to The Woodlands, Texas from Dallas, Texas when I was in fifth grade and my brother was in eight grade. The school my brother attended seemed to be just like Anderson high school in this documentary. If you did play a sport, or your parents did know each other you really were an outcast. I remember watching him struggle through the couple of years we lived there and really become somewhat of a loner, much like some of the students talked about in the video. It was a really difficult time for him and our family and this film really brought those same type feelings back.
I feel like society as a whole has put a tremendous amount of pressure of social class. I never really realized how what type of bread you purchase could make a statement to others. I always noticed, when talking about social class and status, types of cars people drive, or their clothing, accessories, and attitudes influence their social class, but I never considered little monotonous this like a loaf of bread because that doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. It is though and I can see why this was brought to attention during this documentary with the story in Vermont. I never thought of the type of food sold in a store as showing different social classes. The people in the film were outraged over the new store and what was being sold and after watching this I can see where they are coming from. Before I feel like I wouldn’t have seen it the way they do.
So while our culture wants to say that social class is not a big issue or everyone is equal, I feel that this could be argued to be wrong. We have come along way, but we defiantly have a long way to go still. I feel like this film opened my eyes to how bad it truly is. I didn’t expect people to be so narrow-minded. When they talked about if you want to mix with other social classes you have to learn to blind in. That is basically saying you need to conform to what they are and not be yourself. This is just awful to me. Ginie Polo Sayles who was the self help consultant and the whole section on How to Marry Rich was basically teaching someone how to act like someone else.
I guess before this video I was extremely ignorant to the fact that social class in America is still an issue. People Like Us really opens our eyes to the fact that it is a problem and people from every status or social class notices it and has an opinion about it. I really want to know if there is any way to help this problem especially in high school so students can feel equal, comfortable, and accepted. Even though the problem is much larger than just high school students.
From your post:
ReplyDelete"So while our culture wants to say that social class is not a big issue or everyone is equal, I feel that this could be argued to be wrong. We have come along way, but we defiantly have a long way to go still."
This got my attention, for some reason. I couldn't help but relate it to race, especially with the, "We've come a long way, but still have far to go" idea.
America has always had, since its discovery and initial colonization, a subhuman class. Maybe that's not the right word, and it's certainly not an apt description of any group of people (ever), but it is how the upper and upper-middle class views lower class people nowadays, and it is how other races and classes have been viewed in the past. Think of slavery, the Jim Crow era, the Irish, the Chinese, Catholics, Native Americans, Mexicans -- throughout America's history, there has been a large, white middle class looking down on a smaller subgroup of society and blaming them for society's problems. I don't see that it's any different now with class. Now that blatant racism is a no-no in public media, it's much easier to blame the poor people that are unemployed, on welfare and social security, probably do drugs and are generally leeches on American society.
Throughout American history there are similar claims leveled at various subgroups, and it usually requires a visionary movement to stem the anger. While this may run the risk of getting us waaaay off topic, I wonder what my classmates think about this. Do you agree, is the lower class becoming the new subgroup to blame for the country's woes, whether they be white, black, hispanic or what have you? What kind of implications does that have for America's future, given that the lower class is growing rather than shrinking?
Here's a source or two for some claims I made, although they may require a log-in on Steely's website.
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy1.nku.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9207131339&site=ehost-live
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy1.nku.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=27961889&site=ehost-live
I agree that its sad that Tammy's son is ashamed of his status and the status of his mother. But most children go through phases where they are ashamed of their parents even if the parents dont want to admit it. A child's brain doesnt fully develop reasoning and cause and effect skills until their mid twenties. I dont know about you but I have met some much older people that havent developed these skills yet. Tammi is an amazing individual and one day her children will look back and admire her like no other. Most of learn at some point and time that the things that matter are not material. But not everyone is that blessed. Some mask their sad lives with a constant desire to achieve things, money or status. Their self worth is tied to their achievements and it is no wonder in our society of individuals that we become obsessed with ourselves. This type of behavior is far less common in societies where there is no consideration for the individual, only for the group. But even these societies develop class and daughters typically raised to desire men of wealth or status. Its a rare thing for societies to encourage their daughters to marry into poverty, even for love. Its natural to want your daughter and grandchildren to be financially stable.
ReplyDeleteI think its fair to say that though social class is an ugly part of society it is still a reality. But too often we take a hands off approach to our children when it comes to issues like this or maybe we say things like dont pick on people or make fun of the unfortunate. But do we take the time to explain why? Do we take the time to discourage this type of competition or to teach the value of a dollar (and therefore work) to our children? Do we bother to have our children study life as it really is? It seems as though we are far too busy sheltering our children from harsh realities yet we allow them to experience violence through media and wonder why they are so desensitized. Social class gets perpetuated through our children. Children should be taught not to participate in such vile things and not to tie their worth into the words of others. This wouldnt rid us of class but it certainly would have an impact.
As for the question posed by Eric that the poorer classes could be the new "subclass," I am not sure I agree. I cant help but expect most people to attempt elevating themselves through stepping on others. Its hard to seem superior without someone beneath you. There is something about power that causes many to seek more and their positions somehow foster a sense of entitlement in them. As if by their very existence they are deserving. Most people just know better and it really only takes a few to ruin it for everyone else. I dont think that money or the lack of it is anything more significant than it seems. Those wishing to feel superior will find a reason to make themselves so. The woes of our society dont belong with the poor, they belong with each and every one of us. I did have to laugh though recently at a comment made by Harry Reid. He said that when men become unemployed (or remain so) the pressures cause them to beat their wives. So does he think that the poorest of us tend toward domestic abuse? Would Harry himself beat his wife if he remained unemployed? Of course this statment is ridiculous and really even offensive. But yet I see it as ignorance. I suppose what I am really trying to say here is that the poor arent targeted in particular...its everyone for one reason or another. Life is what you make of it and social class issues are just as much the responsibility of the "entitled" as they are the "entitled." You simply cant force me to feel lower than you...that is a power granted by me at my discretion.
check out Harry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npYxDNVxtN4
oops... that last "entitled" was supposed to be "un-entitled."
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more with you on Tammy’s story. This is a mother working hard to provide for her family and her son is totally ashamed of her. How sad, to think that one day with our economy he could be doing the same thing, or even unemployed. Her son, Matt is struggling with his self imagine in ways, but is also the typical high school kid trying to fit in with the rest of society. I don’t think the harsh reality of high school will ever change. High School students are stuck in the mold of society and class rather than their own education.
ReplyDeleteI think you nailed your ending paragraph. I could not have said it better. Watching the video has also made me realize the harsh reality of society and class. I think America still has a long way to go before ever really making this situation any better. People are so consumed in material goods in society; I do not think that will ever change. People are always trying to have better than their neighbor. Good Job Alex =)
I agree with you about some documentaries touching you more than others, and Tammy's story touched me the most. I was shocked after hearing Tammy's personal story and even more surprised by the way her son treats his family and is ashamed of his mother. Tammy knows that her family is considered to be in the lower social class, but she is doing all that she can do and even though her family isn't wealthy she continues to work hard to provide a roof over her families head. She has great strength and motivation to keep her family together. She walks ten miles to work everyday, some days being harassed along the way and never gives up. She grew up in a poor social class, and has always been poor, but she will not stay at home and just be with her children like her friends suggest she do, because she is trying and thats all she needs to do to make her father proud.
ReplyDeleteHer son is ashamed of his mother and won't even introuce her to his friends. He is unhappy with his families social class and strives to be wealthy and "cool" like his friends at school. His friends should accept him for who he is, not because of what he has. It makes me sad to see him talk about his family the way he does. Economy is tough, and although Tammy struggles daily with her living styles and wants better she never degrades herself or her family, she just continues to make minimum wage and try to better satisfy her family. Just like in today's society, Matt is more caught up in the material goods and doesn't see how hard his mother works for her family. She knows she isn't filthy rich, but she is proud of the home she can provide for sons. Matt needs to learn that every family is different and every family has there troubles and no family is perfect.
I really like the blog you wrote and what you had to say. I was surprised to see how so many people could be narrow-minded also. I agree when you say that others are often supposed to conform and not be themselves.
ReplyDeleteI believe Tammy’s story has really had an influence on us all. Like you, I found it hard to watch because she does the best that she can and she wants to supply for her family. It is dangerous to walk ten miles everyday, she is lucky she hasn’t been killed or anything has happened to her. Her son is kidding himself, everyone is embarrassed by their parents in some way but we grow over it and understand why things are the way they are in our own families. Matt not only talks about his mom but also his brother and how he has to dress him and show him how to act. I feel like Matt wants to control the house a little more than he is suppose to.
It is unfortunate how high school, or school in general is one of the first places in life we experience class because we find ourselves getting into cliques or having friends in the same social class.
Tammy's story really got to me too. I felt so bad for the way her son treated her and constantly put her down. She mentioned that she came from a family with 22 kids, and that her father did everything he could working everyday to provide for them. I don't even feel like it would be possible to fully provide for a family if you have 22 kids now a days. She grew up in the lower class and I hate the fact that the documentary brought up that you will always be associated with the class that you are raised up in. It really made me mad that her oldest son didnt appreciate the fact that she walked 10 miles to work everyday to provide them with the things they need to live. He was so ashamed of their house and of the way his mother dresses and I felt that was a big reason that she tried to hard to make money for them and give them everything she knew they deserved. It was a motivation for her that really shouldn't have been there in the first place. She had to feel like she was letting her children down because she was not able to give them the things they wanted in life and I cant imagine that would be an easy thing for a parent to swallow.
ReplyDeleteSocial class is a hard issue to talk about because other than the upper class interactions with the lower class at the bagel shops in the mornings like the film stated, there really isn't social interactions where these topics come up. The upper class have their get-togethers, where they can then discuss amongst each other the flaws of those who are not as rich as they are, and so on down the chain. I also feel like this film opened my eyes to how bad it truly is and didn’t expect people to be so narrow-minded. I must have also been completely ignorant to the fact of how big of an issue social class still is in America and agree that things need to start being done in grade schools to teach kids and open their eyes.
The Anderson High school stories where shocking!! I have been out of high school for six years and I know that film is older than six years, but I do not remember high school being that bad; and I attended a predominantly white traditional high school. It was pretty but it was not that gross. I was truly embarrassed for the families of those children and for the children because I'm sure when they see that film they will kick themselves for being so narrow-minded. You could tell that for some of those kids their parents shaped them into little wicked racist.
ReplyDeleteSociety does put too much pressure on social class. Popularity can sometime mean insecurity when you are continuously trying to be bigger, “badder” and out shine the individuals around you. It is exactly what I saw in Tammy’s son. He’s identity was wrapped in how he believed other people viewed him. He was consumed with what his friends would like of him and how they viewed like: and this very unhealthy way to establish your identity. When this happens, just like have the people in the documentary you began to lose a sense of self and start placing value on “things”. That me that is dangerous, one should never be more concerned about their outer man than their inner man. If your heart is wretched, then your mind is wretched. If your mind is wretched, then your actions and the things you say are wretched. –And you began to hurt people. –And hurt people hurt people.
Thanks for your post, Alex. It started a lively discussion about Tammy's story and the unfortunate state of contemporary U.S. high schools.
ReplyDeleteI think Louis Alvarez and Andrew Kolker, the filmmakers of People Like Us, emphasized high school because they intended high school students to be one of their primary audiences. (They also are able to compare a classed society with "permanent high school," as Joe Queenan says in the film.) If there is a problem with social class in high school, with students ostracizing those in the underclass (the word you're looking for Eric) while viewing those in the upper class as popular, then why not make a documentary about it to inform high school students about the problems with their behavior? Perhaps some students will reflect on how they treat their classmates poorly because these students' parents don't make enough money to buy them the latest fashions and gadgets.
Speaking of poor parents - I think Tammy's story is notable for what she represents: the tragedy of the American underclass. It's a pretty sad state of affairs when the rational choice here is to go on welfare. A ten mile walk to work at Burger King? Let's be honest here. How many of us would walk twenty miles in all kinds of weather to work for minimum wage at a fast food joint? Yes, Tammy is to be admired for continuing to work rather than following her friends' advice to collect welfare, but perhaps our society should be criticized for not providing its underclass with the ability to earn a "living wage" so its members can afford to travel to work and to earn their children's respect. I think Alex is right to commend Tammy's son Matt for wanting to make something of himself. Many of you chastise him for how he treats his mom, and I agree that their relationship is regrettable. Nevertheless, we should realize that it's easy to judge him from our perspective as college grads and soon-to-be college grads. Like the decision to go on welfare, Matt's choices are rational. I'm not saying that they are right. What I am saying is that most people who live in Matt's class and desire to leave it are forced to separate themselves from their family. Take the case of the college student Dana Felty. Because she received a college education, she no longer "fits in" when she returns home to Morgantown, KY. If you are a first generation college student, I think a clash or tension with your roots is inevitable. Are any of you currently experiencing Felty's predicament?
One final point about identity - Alex and others point out that people should be true to themselves and not conform to the views and values of others. However, what is our "true" self? Don't we learn about how to act and what we like by imitating and listening to others? Young children, for example, do things to please their parents. While I agree that jumping on the bandwagon is often inauthentic, I wonder what exactly constitutes an authentic life? If I grow up filthy rich, as Katie puts it, aren't I being my true to myself by living in the lap of luxury?
A major part of the human experience is hardship. I have had times in my life when things were easy, I made way more money than I needed and was able to enjoy and excessive lifestyle. Also, I had almost no responsibilities so I "enjoyed" my money and "freedom".
ReplyDeleteI'm not making nearly as much money now as I was then and I now have a wife and a 5 month old baby that depend on me. We're dirt poor and pinching every single penny I earn, however, I'm happier now than during the time that I was making far more money than I earned.
The primary misconseption that discussions about class usually hold to is that money/income/property or whatever is the path to happiness and that is 100% untrue.