Relative comparison between the reference group is the main reason that the text we studied handles with. According to Alain de Botton's 'Status Anxiety', it defines the causes of 'anxiety' as five : lack of love, snobbery, expectations, meritocracy, and uncertainty. This time, I would like to write in detail about three causes introduced in his book; snobbery, expectations, and meritocracy.
First, based on Alain de Botton's lecture in TED, modern people have a snobbish attitude toward their careers. When people go to meetings or meet someone new, one of the first things you do is "What do you do?". That means, we evaluate people according to whether they have a good job or not, and maintain different relations with them. Desire to be loved through high status is one of the forms of snobbery which results in status anxiety.
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Hoping for the accumulation of wealth and higher social status or other things they want to achieve makes people work like a dog to get them in their hand. Then their expectation to their goals grows bigger, and finally this makes people feel nervous that they might fail to get wealth, higher status, or something else. The book quoted psychologist William James saying 'the less we wish, the happier we become'.
Final point is that meritocratic thinking follows the principle that the result comes back from my actions. Meritocracy is a society where wealth and social status are assigned through competition and one's achievements. It sounds fair and beautiful when we succeeded or we got a good result. However, when a person failed to meet good results, the word 'meritocracy' gives that person an image of a loser who did not live hard. Meritocracy encouraged people to make good works, however, at the same time, made people suffer anxiety to feel like a
Kraus, Michael W. "Status Hierarchies: Do We Need Them?" Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Psychology Today, 2 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
and it manifests itself in a multitude of cultural and social ways.” The author discussed the problems that occur from economic and social classes. The purpose of this argument is to debate on what kind of people will be successful in life. Everyone has a shot at being successful, and that they do with it is
The term “merit,” however, is relatively ambiguous. By “merit,” the speaker could be indicating one or many qualities, including, but not limited to, virtue, achievement, a...
However, to determine your place on the social ladder one needs economic and cultural reproduction. As DeMarrais and LeCompte state “wealth can be converted into social and cultural capital providing distinct non merit advantages that can be transferred to the children of the rich and powerful” (1999, 14). In other words, social capital and cultural capital are crucial assets. Likewise, as stated in The Meritocracy Myth “rather than viewing schooling as promoting democracy, social mobility, and equality, conflict theorists conceptualize schools as reproducing both the ideologies of the dominant social groups and the hierarchy of the class structure” (McNamee and Miller Jr. 2014,
Individuals may be gifted with certain privileges because of the position one holds in society. Most importantly, one can obtain certain privileges from being born with them. One might be “born” with certain privileges because of one’s race, ethnicity, religion and or social class. The most significant factor that may influence one’s obtainment of privileges is social class. Although, race also plays a crucial role. The privileges I obtain surface from my position in society. I don’t feel as if I acquire privileges because of my race and ethnicity. I feel as though that the privileges I acquire are earned, not given. My perspective of this arises from the social stratum in my proximity. The concept that hard work will get one to their desired
For millennia, there have been constant conflicts between the upper class and the lower class, characterized by the upper class’s sense of superiority towards those less economically prosperous. Mansfield, Gordimer, and Orwell describe these conflicts between the upper and lower classes to propose that completely transcending class prejudices is impossible and suggest that societal values have greater impact than individual values as they degrade both a person’s behavior and morality.
Not all people can be rich. According to the article “The Treadmill of Consumption”, Robert says that “Life is a game. Money is how we keep score”. That is what some people think about real life, and that is wrong, because real life isn’t a game. It is a world where you need to work and earn your money to buy things you need. Not everyone can have a big house and many cars. Everyone is different and have different jobs and salaries. Somebody is born rich, and they easily get money from their parents, but others work hard to get the place where they are now and the money that they are earning. People never know who works hard and get it easy, but in any way they want to be like them. Moreover, people forget what they have, and they just want more. In the article “All That Glitters Is Not Gold”, it says that everyone should be equal. It is true that being equal would be an easy solution for people. Most of the people earn enough money to live good and simple lives, but that is not enough for them. They look at rich people and forget about themselves. Maybe, the money that they have is plenty for them, and they don’t need to be
They do not try to exceed what is expected from them or to better themselves because they are happy in the position they find themselves in. The people love what they are doing they do not desire any change in their lives what's there more to want when you are doing what you love everyday. Eliminating the class struggle by having the people love their class is the method used for achieving the utopian society found in Huxley’s Brave New World.
Arguments about fairness and justice have been up for debate for centuries. "What do we deserve?", a question that has many individuals raising their brows to their efforts in their pursuit to achieve their goals. If it is said that we are all placed on an equal standard why are there individuals struggling to stay afloat? In Arora’s essay, he examines three forms of economic modals of social justices that question that idea of why the prosperous or the impecunious "deserve" their position or stature in life. Out of all of Arora's economic modals that he presents the Meritocratic System is the fairest because it gives everyone a fighting chance.
Paul Fussell wrote; Class a Guide through the American Status System in 1983. Fussell introduces interesting points that suggests how we, as Americans are viewed through social class. This book will have you contemplate about where you fall in line in terms of the social hierarchy system. As I read, the book I analyzed how our social status is revealed not only in terms of money, but other significant characteristics that define our habitas. As humans we are social beings, and we all make assumptions about the people around us or label them. Fussell argues that social class and social status can be defined in many ways. In fact, he enlists the nine American class structures that according to his opinion American society are comprised. He investigates
Meritocracy, unlike aristocracy, is the system in which talented people are rewarded and promoted to leadership positions based on their merit. According to James Whitehurst, meritocracy “now refers to organizations where the best people and ideas win.” However, as true as it may sound, meritocracy in America is still a myth and is not a certainty. In the article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack,” McIntosh’s disdain of meritocracy when she described as “I must give up the myth of meritocracy.” She mentioned the meritocracy myth because in reality, many people who lack talents and experience can still climb the upward mobility ladder and become wealthier while the rest of
This idea is represented in fictional works as well, such as in the play “Cyrano de Bergerac,” written by Edmund Rostand. Social classes play a major role in the book, specifically as the main character Cyrano is faced with the chance to rise to power with ease. He rejected this opportunity, because he preferred to be “Blessed with an eye for looking at/ things as they really are,…go[ing] along any road under [his] moon, /careless of glory, indifferent to the boon/or bane of fortune, without hope, without fear” (Rostand 70). The fact that Cyrano was entirely capable of rising to aristocracy and still turned down the offer demonstrates that, even in an age where social classes were more strongly emphasized than today, becoming rich did not guarantee that life would be a walk in the park. He hoped to be indifferent to the “bane of fortune” and the burdens it causes, which portrays the concept of riches in a negative light. Living a life of minimal luxuries means living without hope and fear, because it eliminates the need to obsessively worry about losing the wealth and position of power that has been attained. The simplicity of this kind of lifestyle allows for more freedom of decision and opportunity. It could be claimed that the daily struggles of the poor make their lives the more demanding ones, but the struggle to make it through each day is
"It 's not a matter of position," Grove says. "It 's the way an individual impresses others once they 're in a higher position." (Psychology Today 40.3 (2007): 34-35). Society today is very envious of others that have succeeded the ladder higher than their peers. When a person decides to do more for their selves, some become envious and hateful because they want what they have. As one builds their reputation to help their own satisfaction and dreams or goals, others may try to hamper their accomplishments by attacking them verbally, emotionally, or even physically. We all as human beings are of a different race and sex. We all have different looks and ideas. These differences in each of us are what makes us individuals. Individuality is one of the greatest aspects a human being can own for their own self-being. The gratitude one gets from being their own person is one of the greatest gifts we have as an American in today’s ruled society. This is what distinguishes us apart from all else,
Wouldn’t it be nice to have it all? Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a society where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in life? No one looks at race or anything of that nature just solely on merit and no matter where you come from or what you go through you have the same opportunity as the next person. Merit is the quality of being particularly good or worth especially so as to deserve praise or reward.
People like to remain within the boundaries of their own social class. Social class can affect your relationships with other people based on the social hierarchy of society. In “Persepolis”, Marji’s maid, Mehri, becomes infatuated with the neighbor Hossein. When he finds out she is of lower class, he dumps her. “Ok, i'll get straight to the point: I know that Mehri pretends she is my daughter. In reality she is my maid” (36). This quote from Persepolis briefly explains that class will interfere with social aspects of life. In the “Class” article, it discusses the theory that social stratification has an effect on your relationships. “the kinds of friends they make" — in essence, the degree of status, power and perks people enjoy or lack in their daily lives.” This quote from the “Class” synopsis portrays that your level of class effects the friends and relationships you make. Unfortunately, we are a socialist society and people only care to be associated with people of their rank and level of success. People stay within their social class and create a divided society. Relationships are affected by social class because people don’t want to be associated with those of lower class, for the conception that they may be judged and lose power of their good reputation. This world we live in is a world of socialistic social climbers in fear of wrecking their image by being corresponded with less adulterated people. Instead of being with those that are loyal and positive toward you, individuals reside with those who have success, to maintain an image. In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times. People believe this theory to be true, but it's what makes you happy that really