Why Do Societies Rank People In Social Hierarchies

7.1 How do societies rank people in social hierarchies? The ranking of people into various “classes” is a common practice in many of the world’s cultures. While these social rankings are practiced throughout the world, they can vary widely depending on each society’s cultural values. The text provides a familiar example in the form of the American social class system. On the surface, it is plain to see that much of American society is focused on income and material possessions. Additional hierarchies such as gender, ethnicity, and age play a large part in how we live our lives. Upon peeling back the layers of how we compartmentalize ourselves, one notices the vast array of different categories we place each other into. Education is another social hierarchy that many of us rarely give any thought. Pursuing a post-secondary has been so heavily set upon young Americans that it could very well narrow our perspective of other forms of education. Upon looking at the United States as well as many different cultures studied during this course, it is clear to see that social hierarchies are created to benefit those in power, rather than the “common” individual.
7.2 Why do social and economic …show more content…
The Kiowa Native American tribe had a rather comprehensive hierarchy of honor. The horse played an integral part in their society and their system of honor was based around it. Kiowa men were ranked by their bravery in battle and on raids as well as by the number of horses they possessed. This practice encouraged horse theft as well as violence during raids. I found the passage regarding religious justification for violence to be very interesting. Robbins refers to violence being encouraged through the framing of a struggle between good and evil. Examples of this can be examined throughout history ranging from the Crusades all the way to the conflict currently occurring in