Term Paper on "Living Room Clusters and Social Class"

/>One study observed children in kindergarten as they were introduced to the school environment. According to Farmer, Farmer & Gut (1999) the study found that, "peer affiliations and social positions of aggressive and disruptive children suggest that there may be considerable peer support for antisocial behavior in some classrooms and schools well before youth reach early adolescence" (Estell, 2007, p. 54). In other words, the study is saying some young students are accepted because of their antisocial behavior, not despite it.

Since society is aware of these problems associated with it could by hypothesized that if social classes were successfully done away with, then there would be a lot less concern in the world, leading to a lot less problems.

One recent article espoused the thought that, "people are in a class because of their income or their level of schooling. Social class, in other words, is determined by income and education, and society is broken down into rich, poor, and those in the middle" (Yates, 2007, p. 1). Therefore, a free higher education for all, could possibly be the cure all for society's many problems. Providing a free higher education for every American citizen would likely be a boon to the country economically as well as socially. All individuals would then stand on an equal footing and each would treat the other with fairness and respect. This general atmosphere would then lead to even further progress and improvements, benefiting all of society, not just a select few. The study conducted by Yates also threw a wrench in the system.

It did so by stating, "there is a chasm between the rich and poor, in terms of everything from access to schooling and health care to whom we marry" (Yates, p. 1).

Oftentimes the benefits and advantages of being in a certain social class is the primary purpose for attempts to remain in that class. Parents will make choices based on their goals, and many times those goals are based on perceptions of wealth, health, power or status. One study showed that parents make choices for educating their children that, "consistent with theoretical expectations, we found class effects on the parents' subjective beliefs and evaluations, which were due to differences in available economic resources and the children's proven academic ability" (Stocke, 2007, p. 505). Many of the major decisions being made in life seem likely to at the very least be influenced by social class or status.

Therefore, in order to achieve that utopian society we would have to do away with the advantages enjoyed by the rich, and ensure that the poor be giving an equal opportunity to partake of the fruit being borne forth. This would be a large societal accomplishment, and in order to reach this objective a step-by-step process would have to be implemented.

First of all, the class of every individual would have to be measured and ascertained. This can be done in a variety of methods, and one such method is called the 'living room cluster' (LRC).

The LRC is a method of discerning the societal class of an individual by studying the fixtures and furniture contained in that individual's living room. it's a well-known fact that "the upper classes have access to resources that enable them to perpetuate their privileged position in society" (p. 457). Part of the perpetuation can be accomplished by investing the social capital as well as the economic capital they have acquired or inherited. Evidence of this social and economic capital can be observed through the furnishings and decorative items they have acquired and then placed on display in their living rooms.

Having ascertained that social class can be somewhat determined by what furnishings are found in ones living room, a group of six people were interviewed about their perceived social status and whether that perception was comparable to the findings of the interview(s). The first interviewee was a young married man of twenty-two years of age. In his living room he had such items as bulky and mixed furniture, dogs, wood walls and disorder, while on the plus side he had a small potted plant, and photographs but no large potted plants or picture windows, and definitely no abstract paintings or sculptures. When asked to define that social class that he considered himself to be part of, he replied "middle class."

Next on the list was a young, separated mother of about 21 years of age. Her background was that she came from a large family with economic issues, but whose father had obtained a Masters degree in architecture.

In her living room she had very little in the way of furniture and what little she had was below average, the room was neat and well-kept, but there was also a floral carpet on the floor as well as floral curtains. She had no potted plants and no windows. She considered herself lower middle class.

The third interviewee was a 50-year-old lady, who lived in an above average area, and whose living room contained no television but did have a fireplace, the furniture was mostly in excellent condition, there were large and small potted plants, the carpet was solid in color, and the outdoor paintings and picture windows were very large. She also had a variety of candle-holders with candles, plenty of knickknacks and photographs decorated her fireplace mantle. She considered herself in upper middle class status.

Fourth on the list was a man of approximately 36 years of age who had never been married. He had a well paying job that compensated him on a commission only basis. He had also been in and out of rehabilitation centers and had been ingesting drugs and alcohol since the time he was a teenager. He had nothing whatsoever in his living room.

He considered himself middle class.

The fifth person to be interviewed was a 48-year-old man who had been earning a six- figure income since the time he was thirty-years old. His living room contained very modern furniture, that was all in excellent condition.

He also owned sculptures and abstract paintings, and his room was very neat in appearance. The room contained no television and the flooring was a very subdued carpet. He considered himself a member of the upper class society.

Last on the list to be interviewed was a soccer-mom of about thirty three years of age. She lived in what she described as a 'nice' home and her living room contained religious pictures, as well as an organ and encyclopedias. She had a number of small potted plants, and the room was kept neat and clean. There was also a Bible on display. When asked what social class she was a member of, she replied, "solidly middle class."

The most interesting aspects of these interviewees was the man who had nothing who thought of himself as middle class. He had been raised as the last of six children with good, upper middle class parents who provided everything for him that he desired. His mom even did his homework for him. Even though he had nothing to his name, (when interviewed everything had been hocked to buy drugs) he was still a member of the middle class. Answers from the other five interviewees were not surprising and mostly complemented their status with their perceived status. This could be due to… READ MORE