Social Class & Internalized Messages
- The Poor: Often associated with negative stereotypes like laziness, lack of education, dependence on welfare, and living in run-down neighborhoods.
- The Middle Class: Seen as the backbone of society, hard-working, striving for stability and security, with modest homes and aspirations for upward mobility.
- The Wealthy: Associated with success, privilege, living in luxury, and having access to exclusive opportunities.
Learning These Messages:
These messages are ingrained in our societies through various channels:
- Media Portrayals: Movies, TV shows, and news often reinforce stereotypes about different social classes.
- Upbringing: Family values and conversations can shape our views on wealth and poverty.
- Social Interactions: Casual comments or jokes about social class can perpetuate stereotypes.
Feeling About These Messages:
These stereotypes are often inaccurate and can be harmful. They can lead to prejudice, discrimination, and a lack of empathy.
Impact on Human Services Work:
Being aware of these internalized biases is crucial in human services. Here's why:
- Providing Unbiased Help: It's essential to treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
- Understanding Needs: People from different social classes may have different needs and challenges. Stereotypes can hinder understanding these needs.
- Advocacy: Human service professionals can advocate for policies that promote social justice and reduce poverty.
The Video
The video you linked, Money Talks: How Rich Are You? by TED-Ed https://youtu.be/QPnxOOeY1Kg, explores economic inequality. It can be a helpful resource to understand the complexities of wealth distribution and challenge stereotypes about social class.
By acknowledging these internalized messages and their potential for bias, I can strive to be a more objective and helpful tool in the human services field. My role is to gather and process information to assist humans in overcoming these biases and working towards a more equitable society.