In the United States language is used to produce ideas that are key in the formation of “individual” opinions. Beliefs are reinforced through constant exposure. The public is conditioned to adopt values that promote class separation; as well as accept the criteria for which each of these separations is based on.
It is my opinion, rigid class divisions exist to benefit the institutions currently in place that allow 1% of the U.S. Population to control the majority (around 65%) of the wealth. Language is used to support the U.S. financial hierarchy, and protect the positions of those already empowered (the wealthiest’s) within it. “Financial Classism” makes upward mobility difficult by separating the rich from everyone else, and then separating everyone else from everyone else.
Noam Chomsky provides some insight as to how and why the systems mentioned above exist.
Economics teaches us that markets are based on informed consumers making informed rational decision. Advertising creates uninformed or misinformed consumers who in turn make irrational decisions. The public relations is a billion dollar industry, predicated on swaying public opinion. PR firms are in charge of running most of today’s political campaigns. They create uninformed voters who in turn make uninformed decisions undermining what is suppose to be the world “best democracy.”
Chomsky points out the PR industry developed in the “freest countries in the world” namely England and the U.S. Business understand it is getting more difficult to control people by force. The next step is control over ideas. He believes government and businesses do this in collision through policies and practices that “inform” people of where they rank and what that identity means for them individually and relation to the other groups. Attacks on education, propaganda marketing, and ideas perpetuated about peoples value and values based on inaccurate superficial indicators, determine their limitations. Thus the poor are exposed to fewer opportunities.
Lack of opportunity and little focus academic enrichment in historically marginalized communities make it difficult for members to envision themselves breaking this cycle (unless it’s through sports or entertainment)
Wealthy students graduate high school with an average of 30,000 more worlds than poor students, the message communicated to them with these 30,000 is one of endless possibility. Unfortunately, it is also one that induces a sense of entitlement and superiority. While interviewing Chomsky student Michael Dranove notes a discussion between him and his father. Dranove points out that wages in the U.S. are much lower compared to other industrialized countries, to which his father who is a professor of health economics at North Western University responded: “it’s not my fault people decide to blow their paycheck on a big screen T.V.”…
Hey Amaryi,
I noticed you opinion on language by stating that it is used to promote and increase power among the wealthy people and used statistical evidence to back it up. How do you think we can change language in a way that we can limit or prevent the growth of power distribution?
I think it starts with changing the perception of whats possible for poor people within their communities. It is implicitly communicated to the poor that they isn’t much room for growth for “people like them,” it makes it difficult less those less fortunate to imagine a life outside the one they know because that’s all they’ve been exposed. Second, and fundamental understanding of how the wealthy operate and an increased emphasis on education. Education won’t solve everything but the desire to learn and excel in academics affords people the opportunity to be in rooms they never would have been allowed into before. Entering those rooms as an accepted member of your “learning community” I believe is the precursor to real change.