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Pat yourself on the back since you are contributing in the decline of American morals. Only a shallow person would equate more money with more morality.
I am sorry to burst your bubble, but simply having more money does not make you a better person.
Well that's a great example of taking the high road Seriously, I really don't think that's what was meant at all.
I believe the gist of the message was not that being financially affluent makes one a "better" person, only that it does offer the person more exposure and more opportunity than those less fortunate. This tends to provide the environment for the person to become more polished and refined. And I agree with that totally. The more opportunity and options one has, the more well rounded one can become as a result. And it's absolutely true that in general (no absolutes) the more affluent folks tend to observe more refined behavior. And it's a well understood fact that like begets like behavior, good or bad.
A polite society is far more peaceful and cooperative than an impolite one. That's the point. And it's pointless to try and argue that fact.
I have been doing a lot of thinking recently about class in America. And the differences between being poor economically at a stage of your life and being lower class.
I grew up in a Upper Middle Class environment where pretty much everyone in my family over 25 had a college degree and worked in complex jobs in offices. I was brought up to follow certain traditions, morals and behaviors regarding dress, speech, and society.
But at various times of my life I have been poor economically due to job loss or economic crisis. But I never thought of myself as being lower class.
As American culture, morality and it's economy unravels, I notice more and more people out in public who seem to display traits commonly connected with lower class. I am constantly shocked at their appearance and behaviors and sometimes I wonder if America is going into a mass insanity.
How behaviors or appearances do you link to the lower class mindset and do you think that every year a greater number of people display those characteristics?
What are these 'traits of the lower class' that you speak about?
I work in a jr./sr. high school, and when I cover the lunch line, I hear more "pleases" and "thank you's" from those nice kids than I ever heard in ten years' employment at a law firm. No pushing or shoving in the line - it is a pleasure to serve those young people. Even in the dish area, most of them neatly stack their trays, or hand them to me and say "thank you". Money doesn't mean much, but manners mean everything.
Having more money does not mean you are a better person but in my experience the requirements of having a career in a professional area, either a white or blue collar job, requires the person to carry themselves better. You need to dress, speak and carry yourself better to survive in a career than a low wage job. Really poor people are more likely to be uncooth because they don't have to behave and the nature of people that sourround themselves with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by A Common Anomaly
Pat yourself on the back since you are contributing in the decline of American morals. Only a shallow person would equate more money with more morality.
I am sorry to burst your bubble, but simply having more money does not make you a better person.
I work in a jr./sr. high school, and when I cover the lunch line, I hear more "pleases" and "thank you's" from those nice kids than I ever heard in ten years' employment at a law firm.
Too many people are acting low class. But too many people are acting high class as well. When did organic food become a necessity? Can you make good money and not drink a craft beer?
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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I always taught my child it's not whether a person is poor or rich... it's all about the character of a person. And character is built by the examples a child follows and the influences of the adults in his/her life.
I definitely agree that there is a difference between being situationally poor and culturally poor. There are a set of cultural norms that become a part of life in families where poverty is life-long or multi-generational. But I don't think it's fair to judge people for having a different culture--in other words, equating it with insanity. We could just as easily equate rich people culture with insanity. Why is one culture "insane" but not the other? They are just different cultures.
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Seriously, I really don't think that's what was meant at all.
