In today’s society, a person’s social class has more influence on their everyday life than what meets the eye. Social class is the separation of a society due to one’s social and economic status. It goes without saying that social class is one of the most important issues American families face today. Whether middle, upper, or lower class, social class affects every American family and their family life. In the following essay, I will be displaying my views on how social hierarchy effects family experiences, family relationships, and family troubles. Social hierarchy seems to be a concept that has been around since the emergence of life on earth. Let us take a look at a time in history where families have been effected by social class. In
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Families with a higher income will most likely participate in activities such as club sports and organizations. Participating in activities as a family helps strengthen relationships between each member of the family. Obviously, families with low income do not get opportunities to participate in activities, which effects their relationships with each other. It is said that money issues are the number one reason of divorce in America, and families of the lower class will most likely have more money problems than families of the upper class. Broken homes not only have a negative effect on a person’s mental health, but their relationship with their family as well. Broken homes cause fights, bitterness, and trust issues. The kids often blame their parents and the parents often blame one another. Having a dependable, loving, and passionate relationship with your family members is something that is very important. A relationship with your family is more important than any other relationship throughout your life, and families of the lower class struggle with strong inner relationships compared to families of the middle and upper …show more content…
People reason with this idea by naming off numerous families of the lower class who are just as successful, if not more, as families of the upper class. For example, the 2006 movie “Pursuit of Happyness,” is a film based on the true story of Christopher Gardner, a man who started at the very bottom. As Gardner was growing up he faced many obstacles such as sexual abuse, poverty, and violence. Later on, Gardner had a child and ended up raising him as a homeless, single parent. He spent years bettering himself, and is now a successful public speaker. He spent many years running his own brokerage firm and improving not only his own life, but also his sons. Christopher Gardner is a prime example as to how the social hierarchy does not affect family life. Another example is Gloria Jean Watkins, or as her pen name, bell hooks. In her essay “Learning in the Shadow of Race and Class” she talks about growing up poor and how that ultimately affected her education. Although she grew up poor and as an African American, she overcame the many challenges she faced and obtained a college degree. Her journey was not easy, but she achieved her goals even when she was not proud of the institutions that made her feel inferior. (hooks,
Families with a higher income will most likely participate in activities such as club sports and organizations. Participating in activities as a family helps strengthen relationships between each member of the family. Obviously, families with low income do not get opportunities to participate in activities, which effects their relationships with each other. It is said that money issues are the number one reason of divorce in America, and families of the lower class will most likely have more money problems than families of the upper class. Broken homes not only have a negative effect on a person’s mental health, but their relationship with their family as well. Broken homes cause fights, bitterness, and trust issues. The kids often blame their parents and the parents often blame one another. Having a dependable, loving, and passionate relationship with your family members is something that is very important. A relationship with your family is more important than any other relationship throughout your life, and families of the lower class struggle with strong inner relationships compared to families of the middle and upper …show more content…
People reason with this idea by naming off numerous families of the lower class who are just as successful, if not more, as families of the upper class. For example, the 2006 movie “Pursuit of Happyness,” is a film based on the true story of Christopher Gardner, a man who started at the very bottom. As Gardner was growing up he faced many obstacles such as sexual abuse, poverty, and violence. Later on, Gardner had a child and ended up raising him as a homeless, single parent. He spent years bettering himself, and is now a successful public speaker. He spent many years running his own brokerage firm and improving not only his own life, but also his sons. Christopher Gardner is a prime example as to how the social hierarchy does not affect family life. Another example is Gloria Jean Watkins, or as her pen name, bell hooks. In her essay “Learning in the Shadow of Race and Class” she talks about growing up poor and how that ultimately affected her education. Although she grew up poor and as an African American, she overcame the many challenges she faced and obtained a college degree. Her journey was not easy, but she achieved her goals even when she was not proud of the institutions that made her feel inferior. (hooks,