How important is marrying within your own social class?

Question

I am conducting research for an argument paper for my English 102 course. My paper is on marrying within one's social class, and I was hoping to get people's opinions on this issue, and why you think it is or is not important. Also if you have any online references you think would be helpful in my research, those would be appreciated as well. Any information used will be cited! Thank you!

Oh, and I am posting this same question in a few different categories to ensure more answers.

Answer 1

First of all social classes are institutions that are made to keep us together.  They are regulated by government and by people who don't even realize they are doing this!! It starts way back in day care then school, and so on!! It is BS!!!! Loving one another doesn't have anything to do with having a rich great great great grandpa!!!! WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!

Answer 2

That would imply that I identify with a particular social class.  I am what I am, and I don't care what labels society would place on me.  Yes, I have certain criteria for the person I would marry, but most of them have everything to do with being a decent, well-rounded human being and nothing to do with social class.

Answer 3

Obviously most people will say that love must prevail no matter what. That´s romantic, but not sociological.

From a sociological point of view you must consider that there are many social and cultural constrains that will guide you to choose a partner from a narrow category of people and find love within those potential partners. Not all options are open.

If you consider "class" as a social category that has an objective existence, then it will serve as a barrier to keep some in and others out. There are loopholes that might give you the chance of getting to know someone from a different class (meeting is not enough. You meet them everyday and barely wink at them) but most likely you will not feel comfortable with "their ways" so "love" will not stand a chance.

Romantics believe that love has no cause, no limits, so no objective circumstance favors or disfavors it. But after the initial rush, when daily routine takes the biggest cut of a couples relationship, then class or other origin or background characteristics will have a great importance in the couples outcome.

The "call girl" or "maid" that marries the rich guy is good for Hollywood, but bad for reality.

Answer 4

important for me? no because il marry whoever i love.  it may turn out that i know more people in my social class but i dont exclude others from my life who arent.  important for my family? possibley because they all lived during apartheid but i dont really let teir opinions effect me.

Answer 5

In this day and age it's all about falling in love [at least it is in America]. Who really cares about your social class anymore? It's not taboo like it used to be.

Answer 6

I don't think that people in love care about social class. However, if there are ramifications associated with marrying out of one's social such as being disinherited or disowned, there are really only two choices, surrender love for money or, have the courage to follow your own path.

Answer 7

I think that most parents (especially fathers) would want their daughter's to marry in the same or higher social class. This is because they expect (even today) that a man will have enough money, financial know-how, resources, etc. to take care of their darling girl and her potential offspring. They want to make sure the girl and their grandkids will always have a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Even thought it is not right to judge like that and to be PC now, that is what many people secretly feel in today's society and is what is valued by society as a whole. They won't say it out loud in order not to hurt anyone's feelings, but it is what they feel.