1.In reading 4.1, it talks about how Americans place themselves in social classes, and what contributes to their scaling. It also mentions how the way in which they place themselves could often be wrong. In reading 4.2 it uses the different subway lines to show what class people typically are in rather than asking the people themselves. A similarity between the two articles is they both aim to classify people into a social class using their own methods.

2. The closest train to my house is the R train, and based on that I would say my neighborhood is mainly comprised of middle class people/families. I am not surprised by this answer since I am aware of the current issue of house pricing in my neighborhood, so it makes sense that it is made up of the middle class.

3. The reading outlines the different social classes broken up by the area in which you reside in. Places such as Manhattan have a higher social class than people who would live in the Bronx. It not so much about the subway you ride as much as it is the place you ride it to or from.

1. A distinct difference between employee and boss as seen in reading 4.3, is the gap in the benefits they receive. In the article, it mentions how the rich become wealthy by having others working for them, while people who only work for themselves hardly have enough funds for retirement. This creates a gap between the two. The boss is reaping the benefits of the employee, while the employee has to work harder for themselves.

2. In Adam Smith’s quote, he is emphasizing the importance of labor. Labor is the foundation of everything. In order to make something profitable, it requires labor. You could argue that many factors contribute to making an item profitable, but it all comes down to the work that is put behind it. Smith is telling us that selling products comes with money, but also labor.

3. In reading 4.4 when it mentioned “class structures are built around a close form of dependency”, it is referring to the ways you can build yourself up in the class structure. The wealthy are often high in the class structure because they depend on others to work for them, creating a dependency. An example of this goes back to the boss and employee dynamic, the boss depends on the employee to work for him so he can receive money.

1. A Repressive State Apparatus is meant to control behavior through acts of fear. Such acts could be through violence, threats, etc. through police, courts, and/or prison. The reason it is considered repressive is due to the fact that using fear as a motivator restricts peoples freedom. Not only is it not an effective long-term solution, but encourages people to behave for the wrong reason.

2. Ideology State Apparatus aims to control behavior without enforcement. This can be done through education, mass media, and politics. The main objective is to make people feel they have a choice in the matter.

3. The main difference between an Ideology State Apparatus and a Repressive State Apparatus is their motivators. A Repressive State Apparatus approaches with aggression, violence, and fear to motivate the desired behavior. On the other hand, an Ideology State Apparatus uses freedom, beliefs, and choice as a motivator to encourage the desired behavior.

4. An example of Ideology is journalism. Take photo journalism that reports on ongoing wars. You can tell what one’s ideology may be through the message they are trying to spread through the photos they are taking. This is a form of Ideology State Apparatus because it aims to tug at your heart strings, and make you feel empathetic without being forceful in its approach.

1a. Ideology are the beliefs and the ideas that one holds. Usually, they are political, or social based and may differ from person to person. This remains true regardless of whether they are affiliated in the same group or not. These beliefs shape the way they view the world.

1b. One example is conservatives and liberals. The two political groups are associated with a set of ideas that attract individuals who align with those same ideas. Low income families would align more with the Liberal Party while high income families are more likely to side with the Conservative Party.

1c. To me, ideology reveals what we hold most important. Our morals and ethics all contribute to our ideology. Our experiences shape our morals, and therefore impact our beliefs. Understanding your ideology comes with understanding yourself and your goals in life, and that is how I can understand ideology.

2. One of the main differences that divide the ideology between the conservatives and liberals is one values liberty, while the other values equality. The Conservative Party desire to move freely and do as they please, and the Liberal Party desire to be treated with fairness. These two distinct differences is what separates people into the two political parties.

3. Based on Althusser’s definition and view, Ideology is an internalized concept that everyone has. It stems from our experiences and our outlook and form without us realizing. Such experiences could be manual labor, the conditions we live in, etc.