Does class discrimination really exist in the United States?

Question

Does a person really get treated differently by the staff or management if they go out to eat or get a hotel room if they are rich rather than poor.Do rich people generally get better treatment in life? Does class discrimination really exist?

Answer 1

yes and no. no peple dont actually treat them better, but they can afford things that make people treat them different. espeically by people like drs, who know the value of a patients insurance.

Answer 2

It certainly does, if you have doubts you can easily prove it to yourself.  Pick any upscale retailer, product does not matter, go in with your very best clothes on, then a week or so later, after you have been forgotten, go in with your cutoffs, shirt tail out, sandals, etc., and watch how you are treated.  In all likelihood you will be watched as if you are a potential thief, ignored as if they think they know you do not have money to buy.  Bear in mind that your situation is the same, however you appear to be of a lower society class.  Sad as it sounds this holds true not only in retailers but also in churches, restaurants, doctors offices, hospitals, etc., etc.  Basically if it looks as if you belong and can afford to be there you are welcome but otherwise the opposite occurs under most instances.

Answer 3

it absolutely exists!! If you go into certain shops without the 'in' clothes, shoes etc. you definately get treated as if you dont belong there. I've been a victim of that myself.

Answer 4

yes, people "size you up" all the time.

Answer 5

I'll say yes in general, but no to your examples. Part of the problem with your examples are that they might not show up as things that are viewed as class issues. Class is something that tends to be something unseen, unless you have been made familiar with the concept at some point in time, and even in that case people might reject the notion. Furthermore, people are seemingly much more likely to believe in a notion of preference (toward people with wealth) than discrimination because it doesnt fit within most peoples cultural assumptions of American society (though it probably could and should).

So i say no to your examples and to some of the other examples posed, because people committing these actions probably dont view the class that they are acting upon. You could certainly make the argument that you dont need to be aware of something to engage in the behavior, but i think if we are talking about intent and why people do what they do, you need to have a greater understanding or appreciation of class than the average person in America is likely to have (though average person is probably an awful term to use).

However on a systematic level (which is far easier to analyze) it seems quite possible to argue that class discrimination does exist. Usually you do this in concert with a specific arena of social interaction, schooling, housing, or taxation are probably places you could start. In the realm of policy making you can start talking about class in a way that might make more sense given the groups of people that end up being involved rather than just an individual person, though awareness still probably isnt perfect.

So i would say yes class discrimination very likely does exist in the US but probably is much more common to areas of policy making or systematic issues, than day to day person to person discrimination in which the parties may not even see their own class positions.

Answer 6

Oh yeah, go watch the sales people at the jewelry stores or the car sales men.  See who they zone in on when they are trying to pick out customers.  Not the frumpy looking housewife or the weirdo hippy lady, or punk teenager.

It is so funny to see.  My parents are loaded but they do not ever dress like it.  They are not flashy they dress for comfort.  They actually wear very nice clothing if you know your brands, $300 shoes $200 shirts etc. just nothing flashy and especially trendy.  When they walk into a car dealership or jewelry store they are ready to buy and usually with cash.  However, they usually don't get waited on for a while.  Other seemingly "wealthy" young trendily dressed, heavily made up, latest hairstyle, couples are shown around while my parents calmly wait.  Often my parent's will ask for the newest sales person in retaliation for this and walk out with a new vehicle or several new pieces of jewelry/watches etc.

Likewise my hubby and I are what people around here refer to as "granola" in our style.  We have trouble getting seated in restaurants at times and the like.  However if I put on my "trendy clothes" and go out on the town with my nieces I am in like Flynn.  So yes it is very sad but true!

Answer 7

I think so.

Answer 8

yes. Though as a progressed society we would not want to think it, we still put the Rich ahead of the rest of the class earning citizens. Reason: if you are a Bell hop who lugges bag to rooms for Guest , your more likely to move quickly for someone who would tip $ 50 than someone who would tip $5 to maybe nothing. Your wealth determins your standing in society, and how you are treated by others. Just think about how a homeless person is treated by a average person. They are shun, no one caters to them. Why... lower class.

Answer 9

Yes it does. But I have the grim satisfaction of knowing that most rich people cannot do for themselves, especially in times of stress. They resort to having lower class people doing things for them because they are unwilling to learn how to fix a car, repair a wall, locate food or water if lost. Self resourcefulness is not the way of the rich.

I have seen it in the automotive field. In one lane a man rolls in with a classic Mustang and he is asked to wait patiently while another man rolls in 15 minutes later in a BMW with a nice suit on.

A rich kid with a name, a perfect face will always get job priority over a combat veteran with scars on their face.

On the other hand, some wealthy people that go to a church have a tendency to severely look down on those in the same church with used cars or a much lower income.

Answer 10

YES it absolutely does and has since civilization began- the president gets treated better because of his status and money, the rolling stones get free food when they go to restaurants- basically if you're famous, rich or powerful you do get recognized and get more special treatment, but alot of times people don't know in the us whether you're rich, poor or middle class. But I'm sure that if the waiter/waitress of a restaurant knows you are loaded, they will probably give u way better service than if you're not- that's just in general, some people actually try to treat everyone equally which is a good thing. Class discrimination exists, but I think it's mostly how friendly and nice you are that determines how you'll be treated in life in the long run- not how much money you have. there are alot of rich people who aren't happy and alot of happy people who aren't rich

Answer 11

Considering that what you see on the evening news are scruffy-looking people killing, raping, robbing, etc., the logical conclusion would be that the well-dressed, well-groomed person would be less likely to shoot you, or rob you at gunpoint, or grab you and rape you in an alley.

This is not class discrimination, but "If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck....." Logical conclusions.

It is not the "rich" or "flashy" that gets good treatment, but the person with class, good taste, and refinement.

We have always gotten a good table at nice restaurants, and been treated well, because we conduct ourselves in a civilized manner. (And, because my husband always calls and makes reservations!)

Answer 12

For sure. In the ghetto where people can't afford medical insurance, they only have access to nonprofit health clinics that don't have up-to-date technology or medication. In poor neighborhoods schools don't get the funding they need to buy better books and school supplies. Poor medical patients' complaints and concerns aren't taken as seriously by doctors that they would be if the complaints were coming from more affluent patients. Sucks or what.