Economic/social hierarchy is something we often see in big cities. People who live in the same city can have completely different lives because of how much money they have. In big cities there is often people on two side of the economic spectrum. Your economic and social status can give you entirely different life than someone who lives a couple streets over from you. According to the American Psychological Association the “class” you are can alter the way you act towards others and your overall happiness. They discuss how things such as money can be a major source of stress on people and those with less live under more stress. This goes to show you never know how someone is living right down the street from you.
In Toni Morrison’s Recitatif what I just discussed was shown between the relationship of Roberta and Twyla. On page 7 where they run into each other in their conversation alone you can see how different their lives are because of money. A particular instance that comes to mind is when Twyla references “smart IBM people” and “rich IBM crowd”. She is referring to them as somehow superior to her because of social and economic status. When she runs into Roberta to describe where she is at in her life right now, she’s describes her as someone most likely to be associated with IBM. These two girls grew up together in the same exact position, in the same place yet their futures are so different. Another way the two are different are because of their marriages and the way they are with their kids. This reading is a great example of how you can live in the same city as someone, grow up with them and end up in very different places in life. The way Twyla and Roberta describe their life and the tone of their words there is a clear and concise difference on how the two view the world.
Bloomberg.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-01-24/class-divided-cities-new-york-edition
DeAngelis, T. (2015, February). Class differences. Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/02/class-differences
This is a great example of showing how everyones life is different even if they are from the same place. I feel this is something you really get introduced to in college. This is because when you come to college I’m assuming many people aren’t familiar with everywhere in the US but when you go to college you meet people from all over the US. This broadens your perspective about what is like from other places around the country. This also leads to you meeting people from all different types of socioeconomic backgrounds. That is why college really broadens your perspective on life.
I really liked your example you used about how you can be in one type of economic/social status but maybe your neighbor or even someone down the street could be in a completely different type of economic/social status. The older you get, the more you start to notice that not everyone is in your same shoes. They maybe struggling to make enough money for rent while another person never even has to worry about whether or not they can pay rent. It crazy to step back and look at how different everyone is and how everyone is going through different struggles.
I completely agree with tow.8 and bullock.218 in their opinions that it is easy to overlook the things mentioned in this presentation and we notice more about our surroundings the older we get. I think this ties into our idea of comparative studies because of the concept of empathy and being able to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. This is an important thing to notice as we grow older because by putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes, we begin to understand why people behave certain ways and why our behaviors differ. Having a greater understanding of another person can lead to a greater society and economy overall because it pushes the higher social status people to appreciate what they have and help the lower social status people of their neighborhood. Change starts with us and the sooner we realize it, the sooner we will see results. I also loved the examples you tied in from the readings about how Roberta and Twyla differ and how this affects their relationships with each other and other people in their lives. I think it is important to note the differences in every day relationships due to these societal barriers.
I think overall it’s easy to overlook these type of things. When you live in the same area your entire life and go through the same everyday routine, it’s easy to forget that not everyone lives the same life as you. I also think that realizing this, will help you overall appreciate and understand where other’s are coming from.
I feel like many people forget about others’ problems or difficulties. It can be easy to just focus on your own problems especially when it comes to financial and economical differences. Many things affect how we view the world including our economic and social statuses. The older you get the more perspective you can get through learning about others and their backgrounds. Not only do you understand others and the world better, but you can begin to learn more about yourself and your values too.
I like how you opened with the how socioeconomic differences can widely vary regardless of where an individual is from. I completely agree that even though people can have the same upbringing, they do not always end up with the same kind of lifestyle as someone they grew up with. We sometimes forget that everyone experiences different things, are raised in different ways, and lead different lives outside of the one others see everyday. We may tend to overlook these outside aspects of life when we think we see someone participating in the same lifestyle, which can lead to making assumptions about status.
I agree that people who grow up around each other, in similar environments, can still end up going on two different paths later in life. I also think that the difference in social status showed through in Twyla and Roberta’s conversation (when they met years later) as Roberta was noticeably in a higher economic status compared to Twyla.
I love this example of showing everyone’s different because until you’re put in a place like college you might not even realize it. In my hometown I can see a vast difference in wealth per area and its pretty evident when you venture into each. That was just on a level of seeing it though, not much interaction. When I came to school it was so awesome to meet everyone that came from all over the place and had all different experiences to get here. At orientation I remember meeting all these people from different states and just talking to them about what restaurants and chains we each had that others didn’t and it was so weird because normally I don’t even think twice about those things. We often forget to think about how everyone experiences different things and make quick judgments on people.
I agree with all points made throughout your post although I do believe there’s three different classes present through large cities. These classes are middle, upper, and the lower classes. The middle classes are the average everyday working man throughout the city. They live there mainly due to work looking for an easier commute. The upper class in the city pretty much keeps the city moving they are put in the position of power because the money they have and bring into the city. Sadly after these two classes you have the lower class that is usually living on the streets. This is an issue because the drop off in the city from middle to low class is severely different in ways of life. The middle class knows where they will get their next meal and where they will sleep later that night. While the lower class have no home they have no money which means no power in the city. This leaves them hungry and alone which is terrible because people int he city tend to forget that they are people too when they are simply asking for money just to eat that night.
The fact that cities are often such a diverse zone of a variety of different lifestyles as well as vastly different class situations is definitely true across the planet and I think you did a great job in shedding light on the nature of this. I think it is very interesting how cities, more than other residential sectors of the world, bring together so many people from different backgrounds. I feel like this has always been one of the large appeals of living in a city – the cultural diversity and exposure to people from all different walks of life. However, as you pointed out, it is vital that one understands that someone just a street over may be living a completely unimaginable life and grappling with issues that you can just not understand. It is important to appreciate and recognize the challenges that others face, especially in a city environment where vast distances in lifestyle differences are not reflected in physical distances. This makes me think specifically of Mumbai, India. My uncle, a 777 captain for Delta Airlines, routinenly visited Mumbai and was always shocked to see the profound difference between the ultra rich living in their penthouses just a block, or even across the street, from some of the most impoverished parts of the entire country.
I agree with all the points that you made in your post. I think that it is something very important to think about is that not everyone has it as good or as worse as you even if they live right next to you. Class and race are both something that Toni Morrison wrote about in her short story. We discover throughout this story that the race and class of the two main characters, Twyla and Roberta, does not define everything about them though. Every person is unique and even if we are different races or are not considered to be in the same social class, we share similar experiences and emotions.
You made a great point about how a persons economic and social status can give them an entirely different life than a person a few blocks over. There is a pretty clear divide between, the upper class, middle class, and lower class, and you can see it in the way the people act, where they live, the type of education they receive, and in many other aspects of life. Like you mentioned your class, “can alter the way you act towards others and your overall happiness”. Having money allows people to stress less, because they are not worried about getting evicted, putting food on the table, paying for medical bills, or their card getting declined. I think another great point that comes up with this topic is that you have no idea what someone is going through, so don’t be so fast to judge someone.
I really enjoyed your post this week, I loved the example you gave about everyone being different and having a different experience in life when it comes to class and social structure. While we don’t have a system in place like in past history, we do still have a holding of wealthy and poor. I grew up in a neighborhood where it was prevalent wealth and anywhere you’d go, you knew it was a rich area and when stepping out of my small town, I grew to meet new and amazing people in different situations from myself. When you step outside the wealthy bubble and experience other life, you learn to form a new appreciation for the things you have but also the experiences of the new people you meet.
This disparity in financial support can occur in all areas, though, it is likely more evident in larger cities. Financial strain actually is interpreted in our lives and bodies as trauma which is why it is so important to recognize the implications of systemic barriers like generational wealth. Living in low-income households has a burden on the health and well-being of those who experience them. I think it is very likely that both Roberta, Twyla, and their mothers experienced financial stains for significant amounts of time. However, racial privilege allows people (presumably Roberta) to be able to overcome some of these challenges much more quickly than others. By marrying a wealthy, white man with ample privilege, Roberta overcame struggles meanwhile we see Twyla struggle with this–as is demonstrated by her significant hesitation with letting Klondike bars go to waste by melting in her car as she meets for coffee with Roberta.
I think your post did a great job highlighting just how impactful ones social or economic status can be in their life. You never truly know what someone else is going through, and to go along with your own example, one may live down the street from you, so you assume that they are living just as good as you, but in reality they could be struggling financially. This could lead other people to think of them differently solely because they are not of the same “status” as those around them. This can definitely impacts ones life because they could try and compensate and keep up with those around them when they do not have the financial means to do so just so they fit in, or are not thought of differently or inferior to others. At the end of the day, you never truly know what someone else is going through unless they outright tell you, so they may seem as if they are fine or the same as everyone else, but behind closed doors they could be facing a lot of financial and social battles.
I think the point about defining/prejudging people based on class is really significant, especially in our society today. One thing that I’ve been thinking about recently that relates to this is how the public views celebrities. When a famous actor or singer is making more money than most of us could dream of, we are really quick to be envious and think “they’re so lucky, life must be so easy” and while it is true that those people don’t have to worry about money like the rest of society, there are also a lot of costs that the general public can’t fathom like complete lack of privacy and worrying about your career or reputation being ruined over an untrue rumor, etc. This is all just to say that everybody is so quick to assume the happiness level of somebody else based on their financial income, but money doesn’t make or break happiness. Some of the richest people are the most miserable and some of the poorest are the most enriched. From your presentation, it seems that Twyla may be committing this fallacy in Recitatif.
I really like how you related your statement to the reading “Recitatif.” Your statement about living in the same city but living completely different lives is very true in big cities but I believe that it can apply to small towns also. I come from a small town and I have seen people, that I went to school with, not have money for the necessities like food or clothing. At school, they would not be treated fairly by everyone just because they did not have money. Even after school, they wouldn’t have a car, they would ride the bus home because they couldn’t afford it. As a society, we put a lot of stock into our socioeconomic status, and this affects how we treat people who are in a lower class.
Thanks for your thread. I concur with your notion of how the topic of economic/social hierarchy has been a major contributor towards how an individual’s demographic is normally shaped up to be. However, its interesting to see examples for how some step away from this idea and open themselves to everyone no matter what their “status” is. As though I cannot think of a personal example myself, it always comes to my surprise hearing that some of the humblest people are sometimes the wealthiest or of the highest recognition. In spite of this though, these individuals would rather not boast about their respect/accomplishments. Another way to think of this concept is from time to time the most pretentious people are the most insecure and are constantly worried about losing their spot upon the hierarchy ladder. Because of this, I believe the census should be just because one doesn’t live in the fanciest house in the neighborhood or one doesn’t appear to have many friends doesn’t justify correlation between happiness and economic/social status.
This was a great thread to read before the start of the readings in class. I feel I resonate to the topics this week as I grew up in a very small town where almost everyone knew everyone. Many areas had large amounts of money and kids grew up with the tool and resources to become very successful in life. As we got older I experienced the same things Roberta and Twyla saw. I took a very different path than most, becoming someone who has found their passion working a gritty job where other took a route for jobs like business or medicine. Of course nothing is wrong for whatever passion you pick I just find many people that come from areas of wealth tend to take jobs of similar status while I went a different path.
I like how you related social class and hierarchy to the reading “Recitatif”. However you mention that this is seen more in the big city, yet in the story the way that Twyla describes the city of Newburgh, makes it seem small. However, there is a large class difference in the story between Twyla and Roberta as they age. Twyla’s husband is a firefighter and it seems as if the may be middle class and Roberta’s husband works for IBM and the way Twyla describes her is as if she is upper class. You can also see this in the way she describes their cars, Twyla has an old station wagon and Roberta has a chauffeur.
On a personal level, I grew up poor in this big city of Columbus and my life was very stressful but that does not mean that people with more money has less stress. There were people on the same street as my family and although they seemed to have more money, it seemed as if they had the same amount of stress, maybe not from finances but from other things. I have also grown up and I don’t have financial issues like we did growing up but I still have stress, whether it is from my children, my job, my husband, or school, it is still there.
I really enjoyed how you explained the lives of Twyla and Roberta and the different paths they ended up going down. I think it was an excellent example from the story about how their lives were so similar during childhood, but now as adults, the two of them could not seem more different. I think that their story was really based on money and how that effected their lives differently over the years and multiple run-ins they had with each other. As they kept running into each other more, the more hectic their relationship seemed to get. The differences between the two girls were definitely shown when their lives were talked about like the occupation their husband had or where they lived in the city. I think that regardless of the fact that they grew up in a similar situation, they took very separate paths and those different class levels definitely had an effect on them. Not only can this happen in a big city, but I think this can happen in smaller communities as well. I grew up in a very small town, and everyone seemed to be given the same opportunities, and only some people took advantages of them. I really think a huge part of life is the choices we make, but also what life throws our way and I think that the example you gave from the reading and how you related it with class differences showed that aspect really well.
I think this post topic is particularly interesting because not only does it bring to light an important aspect of the story, but one of real life too. I have always been intrigued by perspective and social status is one of the more prevalent differences in perspective in the real world.
Yeah I think this is a proper example to illustrate the difference of power. Twyla describes IBM people as smart. This description implies the case that Twyla thinks that she is not as smart as the IBM poeple, which reflects the difference between Twyla and IBM people.