Paper Example on America's Social Classes: Unnecessary Evil

Introduction

The fact that social class exists means that there exists unequal access to resources, rights, and power in the society leading to social stratification. Mantsios argued that one's social status within the American culture is the primary determinant of their access to education, health services, wealth distribution, and goals in life (390). At the same time, it has a direct impact on how far one can go in life, how much they can achieve, and the extent of their social implications. It also has an impact on who one knows, the level upon these people can help economically and in terms of employment opportunities, life expectancy, power, political participation, among many other social factors. Different social statuses have numerous benefits depending on one's position in the social stratum. To a great extent, social class and stratification are essential within any society. However, considering its many down-sides in America such as gender inequality, aging discrimination, racism, and cruelty to animals in addition to its adverse impacts, it is unnecessary evil and leads to social inequality. Social hierarchies are unnecessary evil perpetrated by a greedy and insensitive capitalistic class and America does not need such a system of social arrangement.

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Social hierarchies form naturally within society. For example, according to Mantsios, within the workplace, some people manage others, some take part in making things move and organize activities while some undertake the "dirty" work such as cleaning the offices, guarding the premises while others form the middle hierarchy (389). Such division is impressive towards achieving the whole concept of bringing change within society and ensuring that services are satisfying people's expectations. All people irrespective of class contribute uniquely and positively to the well-being of the American society in addition to the good of the entire human race. Such social grouping help people specialize in their abilities (Mantsios, 391). The entire society is also well placed to reap from the different skills and grouping of the community. People are motivated to achieve bigger dreams, realize their potential, and exploit natural resources. For example, those who own the means of production offer employment opportunities to the less fortunate. They also advance and contribute positively to the good of technological changes within the society.

The social grouping has often been the benchmark and precise depiction of a capitalistic society. With diverse groupings and hierarchies, the economy is formalized and established on monitored regulations and policies. A social hierarchy helps the community in diversifying the economic freedom, consumer choice, economic growth, and expanded opportunities for exploitations. With each class contributing differently to the economy and well-being of the society, the human race has higher chances of progress and development. The young and old have their roles marked out each contributing to the economy and well-being of the society. The social structure is thus well placed to achieve and undertake various undertakings within the community.

However, behind the good of social classes that includes economic class, social-economic class, and the social reputation, there lie unequal opportunities, exploitation, and social inequalities that generally make the American life unbalanced. There are different types of social inequalities that include cruelty to others, aging discrimination, racism, gender inequality, among others. According to Mantsios, American society has undergone various changes in the past century in regards to technology, secondary production, primary production, service provision, and tertiary production (381). As technology continues to influence and play a critical role in the social structure of the society, the negative impacts of the same expose the inequalities evident with the social hierarchies. With various social levels, society's resources, opportunities, and privileges are only accessed following ones' social grouping. With many roles and opportunities valued and assigned for the only specific cluster, so does the part of individuals within the society. For example, it is evident that for one to succeed within the American culture, one has to have the right connections, within the proper social grouping. At the same time, for one to succeed in education, one has to have the necessary resources, know the right people, attend the right schools and colleges and have the money to make it in whichever field one chooses. It is not easy for an individual from the low social grouping to rise to the many political offices in the country (Mantsios, 389). At the same time, it is very challenging for an individual to attend the prestigious colleges if one is born and raised in the lower social groupings.

Within the American social classes, men's roles are more valued as compared to women's role. At the same time, men's parts are more rewarding. The whites have better hourly wages as compared to blacks. Mantsios argued that children from rich backgrounds have diverse education opportunities as compared to those from poor societies (387). In functionalist views, social classes are necessary as it helps prominent persons acquire their needs and advance in their achievements. However, this situation only creates a wider gap among the societies and people putting others in awkward and challenging positions in life.

Social hierarchies are unnecessary, and their existence only advances the privileged in society since they exploit the opportunity to formulate rules and regulations for their benefit. America does not need social hierarchies nor does it need social groupings. It has become a propertied society comprised in groupings of the bourgeois, white-collar workers, skilled and unskilled, low class, middle class, and the elite classes. The classed society thus judge people following their lifestyle, consumption, places of residence, level of education, housing, size of their car, and how they partake in their holidays. Social groupings only point to social reputation. It is common to come across advertisements only targeting specific clusters, private clubs, residences, and job opportunities only meant for particular classes of people. American society is obsessed with social grouping, a phenomenon that is upheld and formulated by those who own the means of production. Social hierarchies work best for those who own the means of production as they have the perfect opportunity to exploit and manipulate the system to their whims. With such groupings at the helm of the social structure, American society has lost the value of moral concern for others. For example, within American culture, it is prevalent for the elites to oppress and exploit the lower classes for their advancement. The high rate of competition within the American community has eradicated the need to build a culture that is built on human values such as honesty, love, goodness, appreciation, civility, openness, solidarity, loyalty, consideration and brotherhood among others. The American society has become propertied and class minded with ethical and morality given the least attention. Such is unnecessary towards building a culture that respects human values.

Works Cited

Mantsios, Gregory. "Class in America-2003." Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (2004): 193-393.