Civics...

[pfloyd]

Poll Questions:

1. Are you aware of class distinctions?

Oh hell yes. We see it every day with the kids at my wife's school. They live in one of the more affluent communities in the Worcester area, and believe me, it's flaunted.
Of course, where you live certainly changes the lines between classes. You could be upper middle class in one area, and then move to another and find yourself in lower middle class or upper lower class.

2. Were you born in the US?

Actually, no, I wasn't. I was born overseas thanks to the US Navy.

3. Were both your parents born in the US?

Yes they were.

4. How about your grandparents?

Yes.

5. What do you think the "American Dream" entails?

I think it means different things to different people. For some, it means "Whoever has the most toys wins." To others, it's a much more simple concept, like having a place to stay, enough to eat, somewhere old heroes shuffle safely down the street... where you can speak out loud about your doubts and fears, and no one ever disappears, you never hear the standard issue kicking in your door... where you can relax on both sides of the tracks and maniacs don't blow holes in bandsmen by remote control... where everyone has recourse to the law, and no one kills the children anymore. (Thanks, Mr Waters, for those words.)

6. Would you say that you are in the same class your parents were in at your age? How about your grandparents?

I would say so, yes, when it comes to my parents. I can't really say about my grandparents as they lived in different states.

7. Do you see the differences between Old Money and New Money?

I think so...
Old Money is definitely the Upper Crust/Class of society. The family has been making and spending money (hopefully wisely) for generations. I would also like to think that these are the types that would want to give back to society in some fashion. They may also tend to be more introverted amongst themselves.
New Money is, well, just that -- someone who's come into it only just recently, and is flushed with the excitement of having it. They may tend to be a bit more selfish with it, obtaining things that they most likely only want but don't really need (does anyone really need a diamond-encrusted pendant with their name written out in six-inch-high letters?). They may give something back to society, but they have to make a big show of it, just to say, "Hey, look at me, I'm rich!" They'll flaunt their newly-obtained riches without any regard.

8. It's being said that the Middle Class is disappearing, how do you feel about this?

To an extent, it is. If it does disappear in entirety, then this country will be in serious trouble. Any society is three meals away from a revolution. Look at late 18th century France -- whose heads were on the block then? I'm not saying we need to go to a communist society where one entity owns everything or things must be evenly distributed, but I think that things need to be fairer.
One step toward this is to raise taxes on the "Have Way Too Much" and lower them on the rest of us.

9. Do you think that a person reach a class above without education?

I think that today's society where pop stars earn far more than the more important professions (example: teachers), that point is proven. My wife can sing, and she sings well. However, that Frogbitch Celine Dion makes more by exhaling out of tune for one night than she will in a year.