Class Warfare: Is It Real? Is It Over? Or Has It Just Begun?

[BridgeTheGap]

“The common man is worthy of a better future, or else he is not worthy of his past.” – Jack London, 1905

Sometimes it seems that, for all practical purposes, the class war is over and indeed the rich have won. And then there are times when I’m hopeful that we can address the growing inequality in America with some of the aspirational ideals upon which this country was founded. Perhaps the first consideration here should be to look at what we mean by class.

More than two decades ago, in his book Class, cultural historian Paul Fussell declared that just to mention that he was writing a book on the subject of class was enough to cause people to abruptly exit his presence. In describing the way people define class he said, “At the bottom, people tend to believe that class is defined by the amount of money you have. In the middle, people grant that money has something to do with it, but think education and the kind of work you do is almost equally important. Nearer the top, people perceive that taste, values, ideas, style and behavior are indispensible criteria of class, regardless of money or occupation or education.”

In my historical reading of the subject, money and education are so closely bound to the notion of class that it’s hard to separate their importance. Money is clearly out front in significance since, for most people who have money, a good education has been easily within reach. In light of today’s observance of class, things have not changed; net worth is still perilously important and education is even more so, in an existential sense, because it is an essential key element to one’s quality of life. Our democratic values demand a liberal education as the starting place for responsible citizenship.

Recently I’ve heard the term class warfare called a dead metaphor, a political weapon, a distraction, and a reality. Perhaps it’s all four and more things to boot. Wars start for all sorts of reasons. Oftentimes war was far from the minds of those whose actions gave rise to battle. Imagine a peacetime warplane on a training mission that accidently releases live bombs on a sleeping community. War was certainly not the intent, and war may not follow if those adversely affected accept an apology and reparations.

http://www.laprogressive.com/economic-equality/class-warfare-over/

[ChandlerJr]

1. As It Was In The Beginning,

Is Now, and Ever Shall Be.

Struggle without end. Amen.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. CLASS by Paul Fussell is an excellent book.

I recommend it.
It has silly cartoons in it that are hilarious.

Old Money inherits their pearls and cashmere coats from their mothers.

New Money likes it new and shiny and pretentious.