Class Is a Topic That Is Not Commonly Discussed Among

question 12

Essay

Class is a topic that is not commonly discussed among most people in the United States, and yet it is a system of stratification that continues to affect peoples' daily lives. How often and in what context do you talk about class issues with family and friends? In what class position would you classify yourself and your family? How do you know what category to use to identify your class position? Does your class position differ from that of your parents or grandparents? Why or why not? Does your class position differ from that of your friends? Why or why not? What types of efforts do you make to increase your social mobility, and do you think the efforts will indeed help you increase your class position at some point in your lifetime? Given what you know about your own class position, why do you think that class is not commonly talked about in U.S. society? What other types of social stratification are more commonly discussed in public, and how might they be drawing attention away from class issues?

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Definitions:

Market Penetration

The degree to which a product or service is known and used by customers in a particular market.

Below-market Prices

Prices that are set lower than the current market value or standard pricing for similar goods or services.

Employee Stock Ownership

A program where workers own shares of their employer's company, often used as an employee benefit plan.

Control

The power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.