Friday, May 31, 2019

America Underclass Essay -- essays research papers fc

It is believed that there is a tension between social classes in America. Typically, people of light classes choose to imitate those of higher social status. As a result, advertisers have a tendency to take advantage of this tension in order to profit from people of the lower and middle classes. In The Ameri bottom Upper Class, G. William Domhoff says that exhibiting high social status is a way of exercising power (Domhoff p.34), which is something important to all social classes. According to Judi Puritz Cook, author of Consumer Culture gross sales Discourse, advertisements in print as well as in visual media seem to create the promise of status mobility through consumption (Cook p.373). In the article, Puritz explains how tv programs on channels such as the Home Shopping Network are examples of how the media exploits the anxiety caused by social standing. It is believed that American people in the lower and middle classes have needs for status mobility. For example, when browsin g through a fashion magazine, hotshot can find numerous sections that are dedicated to creating ship canal to look like the featured model or actress for half the price. The intention of the article, in most cases, is to give others the impression that you are of high social status. In addition, advertisers often use people in the entertainment business to model their products so that the viewer may purchase the product. For example, when mimicking the purchases of hotel heiress, Paris Hilton one may believe, If I buy this, Ill look cool just like Paris Hilton The fact that this method is usually successful is a product of the anxiety entangle by lower and middle class families. For those reasons, it is likely that Domhoffs educational activity that the upper class creates respect, envy, and deference in others, is true. It seems that many of Americas lower and middle class families would like to create those same feelings of respect and envy in others.When flipping through Vogue , a well-known high fashion magazine, one can see that almost all the advertisement scream wealth and status. The magazines beautiful models as well as its expensive brands are major characteristics of the famous magazine. Members of the middle class skim through the magazine thinking, Wow, if only I could look like this In Gregory Mantsios article Class in America, he says, We are, on occasion, presented... ...consciously imitate (Domhoff p.166). Various advertisers use the desperate need of people of the lower and middle classes to appear rich as a weapon. Domhoffs statement is an explanation of why many people choose to emulate people of high social status.According to Domhoff, showing signs of high social status is one of the many reasons that the upper class generates feelings of envy and deference in those of lower social status. This seems to be the reason for the craze involving the imitation of celebrities as well as the wealthy. It is also believed that the lower classes attempt to look as much like the people in higher classes because of the feeling of significance that comes with the expensive clothes etcetera As a result, advertisers use the tension between social classes to sell the idea of luxurious style.Works CitedCook, Judi Puritz. Consumer Culture Mass Communication and Society 3.4 (2000) 373-392.Domhoff, G. William. The American Upper Class. Great Divides readings in social inequality in the United States 2nd edition (2001) 159-167.Mantsios, Gregory. Class in America myths and realities. Privilege (2003) 33-47.

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