The "C" word
I'm working on my very brief introductory comments for my World Lit class as we enter a unit on "Class, Race, and Ethnicity".
Here is my working draft. Your comments are very much wanted.
I've always found it rather amusing that we are a culture which will discuss, promote, and visually present most any sexual behavior or detail and yet can hardly manage to acknowledge class, much less discuss it.
Many factors contribute to class: income, education, boundaries of what is considered appropriate for public behavior, civility or the absence thereof, syntax and diction, race, ethnicity, geography of address, religious participation or absence thereof, education level and occupation of parents and siblings, wardrobe choices, height/weight ratio, hair & grooming choices, body alternations, and [what else, gentle reader?].
All of these factors contribute to class or social standing via an intricate and highly-personalized formula. Factors that weigh heavily in my book my be irrelevant in yours and visa versa, yet we all (even if we won't admit it nor discuss it) use class categorizations to help us navigate our contact with others.
In this unit we will be reading a variety of selections that hold up to our attention class concerns [ blah blah blah ].
Along with whatever else you have to say, please think about, and let me know what details matter to you in assessing class.
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