Castes and Classes

The US is supposed to be – and is broadly acclaimed to be – a “classless society” … a place where one’s heritage or tribe of origin or starting station in life doesn’t really matter. 

In graduate school, I shared a lab bench with a scientist from India who wore traditional upper-caste dress and had an ever-present red dot on her forehead to mark her station.  I was a grad student working toward a Ph.D. degree and she was a technician with a B.S. degree, none of which mattered in daily lab activity.  We each had our “place” in our respective work-a-day worlds and carried out our responsibilities, accordingly.  However, her “place” in the greater universe was well above my station, and she could retreat to that universe when either desired or necessary. 

It turns out that “special privilege” is something each of us aspires to attain and many claim to own …  even – or, perhaps, most especially – in a “classless” society.

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

George Orwell in Animal Farm

Standing in line at McDonald’s for a fast-food “fix”, it is not unusual to overhear someone say, “Gimme a double cheeseburger and supersized fries ”, as though the “Servant Class” is obliged to endure any indignity while serving the “Master Class”. 

Castes and classes in the US may be less pronounced but are no less real.  They fall within families, tribes/nationalities, religious groups, political parties, schools, sports arenas, etc. 

In a capitalistic society, self-esteem is important.  If we can’t feel “Special” or “Superior” for some reason, we don’t have nearly enough “wind in our sails” to navigate the world. 

“If you’re not winning, what are you doing here?” 

So we will even artificially inflate the self-esteem register to our own “critical mass” level by vicarious means, if necessary.  It’s invariably “US” against “THEM”, and “US” is so obviously the more deserving, it’s a wonder “THEM” even shows up! 

There has been a recent swell of discussion about high school teams invoking prayer before athletic games.  If God’s on your team, who can prevail against you?   Otherwise, one can’t be too sure of certain things, so you hang your hat on every leveraging point you have available when dealing with the uncertain.

Sports apparel and paraphernalia are big business in the US.  Everyone wants to identify with a particular team/town or franchise, which they perceive to be superior or more “sanctionable” in some way. 

NOTE: At sporting and entertainment events world-wide, the wealthy get front-row seats while the “rabble” are relegated to the bleachers in the back – or to the TV screens in a bar.  In fact, 21^st century entertainment venues go to great lengths to single out the wealthy by providing exclusive suites and club houses, with offerings of gourmet catered embellishments.  Class distinction by wealth is now an institutionalized life-form reality. 

The good news is that, in the US, one can still – with considerable effort – rise to classes above our originating station.  Glass ceilings still do exist for women and minorities, but are becoming more breakable. 

Finding one’s comfort zone caste or class is not the challenge.  Striving hard enough to reach one’s rightful caste or class is the challenge.  We can’t rationalize, excuse or explain our way UP, or rise via vicarious means to where we "belong". 

The bottom line is this: 

“Everything you deserve is going to take everything you’ve got.”

 Now go get it!”  Quartermaster