Quote Originally Posted by Poopadoop View Post
Like I said, wealth is not the same as class.

In the US, there is much less cap-doffing reverence for someone who is born wealthy than there is here. People respect someone who earns their wealth much more than someone who falls ass backwards into it by being born into the right family.
I may not have perfectly stated what classism is in the US, but work with me a bit.
I'm a physicist, not a sociologist.

I have read a book about classism in the US, though. And it painted a very interesting picture of how the US has adapted our class issues against the backdrop of "The American Dream" that anyone can rise from any social group due to their own choices and hard work.

Which is what has been happening in the US for like 200 years. The class system didn't go away. It just got very subtle and sneaky and it's a social taboo to talk about it in just about any context.


But look at any US city, and the surrounding areas and you'll see the class lines drawn hard and fast. Impoverished neighborhoods 1 or 2 city blocks from the most wealthy neighborhoods and ne'er the twain shall meet. Utilizing public transit is a symbol of lacking wealth and people are treated differently if they're perceived to be unable to afford a car or cell phone. The stores and restaurants and public spaces people occupy are heavily segregated based on all sorts of class identifiers.



Again... I'm a physicist and not a sociologist. Classism in the US may look different to elsewhere, or not. IDK.
What I do know is that classism is yuge in the US, and even your treatment under the law is heavily swayed by both your actual and perceived status.
And yes, in the US, wealth is considered one of the biggest markers for status. This whole ethos of, "your choices determine your social class" is fundamental to the lies we say about ourselves, here.