Trying to Get Rid of Classism Prejudice in My English Class

In Western society, certain questions and topics are intentionally excluded from polite conversation. Straightforward inquiries such as â€Å"How much do you make?† or worse â€Å"How much are you worth?† elicit personal consternation in many socioeconomic settings of our culture. Instead, differences in economic class reside as the proverbial white elephant in the room, almost as if we would rather pretended it did not exist (Yeskel, 2007). However, while the question may remain verbally unspoken, many of us, including myself, are guilty of asking the question subconsciously when forming opinions of other people. Class is an element of culture by which we construct an identity for self and others based on the associations we make with ones†¦show more content†¦The stereotypes our society associates with certain languages, dialects, careers, styles and preferences then translates into stereotypes against working class people, often regarding them as less intell igent, inferior, and lazy (Barone, 1999). In a study purposed to examine the psychology associated with classism, Langhout, Rosselli and Feinstein (2007) found that fifty-eight percent of those they interviewed endorsed at least one type of citational classism. Identifiably, I can relate to the casual dismissal of the term â€Å"dumb redneck,† a reference to an activity that culturally relates to a truncated dialect and a rural point of view. Even more damaging, I have been guilty of dismissing the term â€Å"nigger rig,† a reference to a task accomplished in a make-shift fashion with the only materials at hand. These attitudes illustrate that class privileges are perceived upon the basis of the group quality: the upper class is more civilized, more gifted and more intelligent; the lower class is not as deserving because of their apparent inferiorities (Barone, 1999). In sitcoms especially, the working class is portrayed as unintelligent, and those in poverty are often viewed as criminals (Yeskel, 2007). Following the patterns of racial discrimination, these stereotypes covertly disguise the differences in socioeconomic class as the natural order of society. The first step I plan to take in eliminating this prejudice is to stop unconsciously placing