Not So Simple Divisions

After reading the text “Shadowy Lines That Still Divide” by Janny Scott and David Leonhardt, it definitely put into perspective just how much the class lines are blurred sometimes and how different everyone’s lives are. The class cuts don’t really fit everyone, but they serve more generally in hopes to classify large groups of people in a wide range. How is that effective? How is that efficient? It isn’t.

 One of the passages that caught my attention in this piece was in the very beginning. The text states “It has become harder to read people’s status in the clothes they wear, the cars they drive, the votes they cast, the god they worship, the color of their skin”. I could not agree more with this! I know so many people that are in financial troubles that try and wear nice clothes and have nice material things so people don’t question their current financial state. It all almost serves as a cover-up method sometimes, just so they can hide. To me this is almost irresponsible because all of that money could be going to much better things, like daily necessities and even bigger things like health bills and whatnot. My family is definitely not rich by any means, but I can still afford to buy a few things here and there when I want within reason. It’s always been a good system and I understand that my parents aren’t made of money; they made that clear long ago. Everyone comes from a different background and financial situation, but people’s actions nowadays don’t necessarily dictate how well off they are and for this reading people has become very complicated and the divisions of the social class identities are now inaccurate.

Towards the end of the reading a second excerpt that I could identify well with was that of “The scramble to scoop up a house in the best school district, channel a child into the right preschool program or land the best medical specialist are all part of a quiet contest among social groups that the affluent and educated are winning in a rout”. Overall this is 100% true and straightforward. Those that have more knowledge and are financially of a higher class have a much better shot at getting a good education and foundation for their children, though they may not always come right out and tell people that that’s what they’re competing for. In McFarland, we have an amazing education system and the land is so expensive because of property taxes, but of course, everyone wants to move here because of schooling. With that said, it only makes sense that those who can afford the high prices will be more apt to move here than someone with less cash to give. I’m grateful that my parents allowed me to grow up and be nurtured by such a great community for so long and feel for those whom aren’t able to have the same experience as I. Across the globe it is a silent battle to get the best of the best and that causes the divide between the rich and poor to be seen clearly. The rich will keep getting richer and poor poorer for they will be trying to keep up and compete.

Financial status in the United States has been a hot and controversial topic for quite some time, and though I can’t say that the divisions between classes will ever be set clear or completely accurate for each American, I know where I come from that’s what matters to me. Americans will always come from different financial situations and social classes, and that’s what makes it such a great, diverse place. Maybe if Americans didn’t judge people by looks and money, class divisions would seem much more simplistic and disappear, leaving everyone much more relaxed and happy.