After viewing the documentary, Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class (2005), I realized just how influential media is on molding our depictions of class. According to the film, living standards are the major measure of class which is composed of three aspects: economic (income), political (power, authority, and control), and cultural (education, taste, and lifestyle).
When it comes to advertisements, advertisers always sell products for the middle/upper class audience in order to increase their sales, no matter who their actual audience is. Lower class citizens see these ads and, despite if they need or can afford the product, desire the products because they represent these higher classes- classes that all Americans strive for. Because the working class will always exist under capitalism, such advertisements will always persuade these individuals to purchase products that they “need” in order to seem like they are of a different class.
Although it is possible to feel like you of a different class buy purchasing specific products, is it possible to transcend one’s class? The documentary People Like Us attacks this question by allowing viewers to enter the lives of individuals from different classes. Because different classes don’t really socialize, this film provides a way of understanding different lifestyles and what makes a certain class. Here, we realize that different classes are really based on superficial differences such as dress, speech, and customs, all of which are dependent upon income.
The segment that most affected me was Tammy’s Story, in which a white, working class woman struggles to provide for her family. It really emphasized the importance of cultural capital- the amount of information and knowledge a person has in order to better themselves. Everyone is equipped with different tools, and depending on which class you’re in, some have it easier than others. Tammy, for instance, has little formal schooling and work experience, therefore it is harder for her to find a job and support her family. Despite the difference between Tammy and individuals of other classes, this documentary reveals the similarities found in all classes- how one maintains their lifestyle, raising and providing for a family, and finding happiness in what you have. Therefore, although the class hierarchy is important to our society economically speaking, there is a lot more similarities between them than most people acknowledge.
Many will argue that social mobility in America is not only possible, but only depends on how much effort you put in to it. However, I consider this to be an ideology. While there are individuals who have shifted classes, it is an extremely difficult thing to achieve. In television, the working class is depicted as incompetent and lazy. Parents are considered poor role models because they must work constantly to support their families, allowing them little time at home to spend with their children, resulting in crime, violence, and disobedience among the youth. Such sitcoms persuade viewers that these individuals don’t “deserve” a better life and that they except and are even happy with their lifestyles.
The television sitcom Rosanne, for example, depicts a working class family focusing on the mother and her role as a provider for her family. Rosanne’s feminist attitude and tough love strategy on her family, had some viewers concerned with the shows content. It focused on many controversial issues that most other television series seemed to avoid such as abortion, homosexual characters, premarital sex, and sexual harassment in the workplace. The fact that all of the characters displayed major faults really helped viewers of all classes to relate to the characters and to each other. I really appreciate this series because it shows a blue-collar family, led by a strong mother who depends on her family and friends to overcome all of life’s struggles. It shows how a woman can be the head of a household without giving into female stereotypes. She works hard and doesn’t depend on her looks to get ahead. Also, she speaks her mind and is forced to take on challenges that most stereotypical female characters would be afraid to.
It is interesting to see just how much power the media has in shaping our perceptions of class hierarchy in America. It persuades us that we need to achieve success in the form of upward social mobility by the means of purchasing specific products or having a certain look. This form of control needs to stop. Consumers should no longer be negatively influenced through such manipulation. Although the rich seem to have it easier because of their access to tools, knowledge, and wealth, they really share similar issues with other classes. Therefore, people need to look past social class in order to see the struggles that we all relate to.
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