Class and its fluidity
One of the first images that come to mind when hearing “class” is a large home with luxurious cars and financial stability. This association, however, has proven to be very surface-level as something that results out of being upper-class rather than being what defines class itself. The fluidity of class comes from factors, such as race, occupation, and social media, that are ever-changing and opinionated while still holding some unspoken rules. One example of this can be seen through “The Moynihan Report”‘s argument that statistics of African American families show no positive or negative growth over time due to averages being used as a way to cancel gaps present in the race itself. These class differences caused financial and social hardships that went unnoticed by outsiders for years and the effects of such misinformation can be seen through the Black Lives Matter protests. This historical movement was a result of years of unaddressed racial stereotypes, discrimination in the professional world, and societal standards promoted through social media. Even today we see movies (such as Sorry To Bother You) depicting those who are financially stable as satisfied with society and the standards set for equality. This “bystander” mindset is something that changed my perspective on involvement and justifications people may give for not being as involved in holding societal standards accountable. Because there have been efforts to point out things like racial bias, it has become much easier to identify situations where background and opinion can impact class. Through becoming more aware of these mindsets and macroeconomic trends, it has become easier for me to view the world through the perspectives of others in an effort to understand fundamental societal faults. Therefore, my idea of class has changed to being something that can’t exactly be defined but can still be observed and changed based on each individual’s viewpoint.