Stereotypes and social classes

Physical attractiveness defines stereotypes and our social interaction in everyday life. First we see the features of the person or hear things about them. Then we fit what we see or hear into stereotypes. From that we expect that person to act in a certain way, or we judge their actions or attitudes. Many times, that person gets ideas on how we perceive him or her. To match our expectations, we confirm the stereotype. Social classes usually bring to mind certain stereotypes. For example, the upper class is stereotyped as sophisticated, educated and wealthy (beautiful people) by the way they dress, eat and socialize. They dress in the latest fashion trends (no matter what the cost), eat at high-end restaurants and attend many social events. Many middle class and lower class people think of them as stuck up and as people who care only about themselves. As for middle class, their stereotype is viewed as an average working American. They may dress in ordinary clothes with an occasional splurge, they eat out at moderate restaurants and occasionally participate in social events.  They make a living to get by and can sometimes afford a few perks along the way. But as for the lower class, they are judged as red necks, blue collar workers or just poor (sometimes irresponsible, unmotivated, ugly people). They are viewed as people without a good education who may work at fast food restaurants or are unemployed and unwilling to work hard to find a job.  Many times they are associated with bad grooming. In the move we are watching in class it showed how we viewed them, by showing them jumping in pools of mud and a grape spitting contest. Our society is very harsh when it comes to stereotypes and social classes. Instead of getting to know someone, we judge them by their background, where they live or how they act and dress, even before we get to know the person. We, as a society, go totally against the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”.  In economies like the one that exists today, there are many unemployed, depressed people who were recently in that middle or even upper class.  Many times, poor and homeless people were very responsible people who faced unexpected hard times and have not been able to recover.  Unfortunately, our society often judges them before they know the whole story. Physical attractiveness and stereotypes will always be around in America.

How we may see the middle/lower class

Verses

How we see the Upper class people