As I was researching, I came across an interesting article discussing how your social class is more than just a class, its a culture. The social class you are in can effect your out look on life. I had never thought about social class like this, but it seems to make sense. How you live, where you grow up, what school you go to, or the clothes you wear can all effect how you see the world. If you live in a bad neighborhood that doesn't have a good school system, it could make you see life in a much different way than someone who lives in a better town and has enough money to go to a private school. Social class is not just about how much money you have, its your way of life.
These different ways of life cause political debates and conflicting views.Studies have shown that wealthier people don't read peoples emotions as well as people from the lower class. People from the lower class depend more on others, than that of the upper class. The upper class focuses more on developing the self. Because the lower class lacks the resources and the education, they adapt more to their environment. They are more likely to accept help when it comes there way. Because the upper class has the resources and the education, they tend to lean more on themselves than let anyone else help them .
Studies show that wealthier people are less generous than they should be. As people rise up in social class, they become less empathetic. To believe that all the wealthy people will give back to those less fortunate is improbable. As people become wealthier, they do become a little bit happier, but not as much as you would think. As they rise up in social class, they have less attachment to other people and don't feel the need to connect or be as close with people anymore. As we know, becoming connected to people brings great happiness in life, and once people loose that, they become less empathetic towards others.
I do agree with the basis of this article, but I also believe that it all depends on the person. It makes a lot of sense on paper, but looking out into the world I notice a lot of wealthy people giving back and devoting there lives to certain causes.
I like the way that this article and your post relate class to culture and outlook, but I'm not sure if I agree with how the lower class is universally more empathetic than the upper class. I mean, I can understand where this idea comes from but I think since we mostly come from an upper class area, I want to defend that class. I think that the upper class can be just as empathetic as the lower class, especially in today's economy. Upper class citizens are realizing how lucky they are and are willing to share their luck whether with time or money. This is, of course, just my personal opinion based on the people in our area, but may not apply everywhere else.
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