You can’t judge a book by its cover (except when you can). Perhaps this aphorism is still applicable today, but not when considering class. There have always been defining marks that separate one class from the other. True, sometimes there are those who fall into two classes, but this is because they possess a relatively equal number of earmarks from both classes. In her essay “when the Joneses Wear Jeans”, Jennifer Steinhauer argues that while the class qualifiers have changed, there is still a way to know which class from which. The unprecedented expedience with one’s debt and control over one’s budget has confounded the traditional class appearances, while one of the new earmarks for someone’s affluence is evinced in their exclusive privileges.
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Beforehand, credit was not as easy to acquire as it is now. Steinhauer agrees that this leniency of credit has ultimately been a good thing, but the total debt has seen a “sixfold increase from two decades ago” (Class Matters 141). What this means is that lower classes can go in debt in order that they can buy more expensive products. A middle-class family can possibly have the same car as an aristocratic family, but the lower class family will struggle much more to pay their debt. Moreover, it is easier to see the car someone drives rather than the bills they struggle to pay. The feasibility of debt has blurred the lines even more so, but there is still a way to know who belongs to what class.
Exclusivity of one’s privileges is still the most effective way to identify wealth. People use to be able to find exclusivity in the products they bought- and to some degree, this is still true- but now that people can go in debt and personalize what how they spend their money, this has changed. Steinhauer argues that now the wealthy look for special privileges (Class Matters 144-145). It’s all about walking into a store and the owner immediately acknowledging you are someone more important than the commoners. Being wealthy is about doing what others cannot and so, they look for limited
Beforehand, credit was not as easy to acquire as it is now. Steinhauer agrees that this leniency of credit has ultimately been a good thing, but the total debt has seen a “sixfold increase from two decades ago” (Class Matters 141). What this means is that lower classes can go in debt in order that they can buy more expensive products. A middle-class family can possibly have the same car as an aristocratic family, but the lower class family will struggle much more to pay their debt. Moreover, it is easier to see the car someone drives rather than the bills they struggle to pay. The feasibility of debt has blurred the lines even more so, but there is still a way to know who belongs to what class.
Exclusivity of one’s privileges is still the most effective way to identify wealth. People use to be able to find exclusivity in the products they bought- and to some degree, this is still true- but now that people can go in debt and personalize what how they spend their money, this has changed. Steinhauer argues that now the wealthy look for special privileges (Class Matters 144-145). It’s all about walking into a store and the owner immediately acknowledging you are someone more important than the commoners. Being wealthy is about doing what others cannot and so, they look for limited