A better understanding -- Adilbrand Noblesword's Hall of Warriors

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Date Posted: 12:41:56 06/27/02 Thu
Author: Adilbrand
Subject: A better understanding
In reply to: mt. healthy mountaineer 's message, "Re: I don't get it...." on 09:18:19 06/27/02 Thu

I had to take some diversity training toward better understanding the culture of the lower classes. Much of their lifestyle is based on survival and physicality, thus the displays. The urban lower classes simply have a different culture than you and I (country-bred middle class) have. Although I don't have the inclination to write a huge essay here, you might do well to do some research toward that particular culture. Since that is where IBC draws most of its students, I have had to learn a lot about the lower classes in order to better understand and so that I can reach them better.

The cultural differences between the Upper classes, the middle classes, and the lower classes are surprisingly vast - almost as vast as the cultural differences between America and any given foreign country.

Largely the bare-chestedness is a display, often used for survival (intimidation) or mating (sex). There may be other cultural reasons that I am unaware of. If you have ever seen the various Cop programs on TV, surely you have noticed that 75% of the males arrested on those shows are shirt-less.

If they are behaving in a lower-class manner, then it could well be that they belong to that income bracket. That is their culture. There are some fine books written on the subject that may lead you to understand the behaviour. There certainly is no reason to condemn it or make fun of it. Believe it or not, we (as middle class citizens) do a lot of strange things that both the lower class and the upper class find very odd.

For example - some upper class citizens may find that your steps of driving a car to be completely strange - such as driving it yourself instead of having a servant drive it.

Anyways, don't make fun of people because they don't have money. They have cultural adaptations that may seem strange to you, but, for them, it is a matter of survival.

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Replies:

Well put. -- mvd, 13:23:11 06/27/02 Thu
- More comments -- Adilbrand, 13:41:56 06/27/02 Thu
  - I agree. -- mvd, 13:48:07 06/27/02 Thu
    - Re: I agree. -- Adilbrand, 14:07:33 06/27/02 Thu
      - For the last time, I get it! (NT) -- mvd, 14:17:25 06/27/02 Thu
  - Re: More comments -- Bill, 05:53:22 07/12/02 Fri
    - income & class are not necessarily related - haven't you seen Caddy Shack?(Dangerfield character) (NT) -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 16:44:20 07/12/02 Fri
    - Re: More comments -- Adilbrand, 18:26:44 07/12/02 Fri
Re: A better understanding -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 21:36:01 06/27/02 Thu