1. Do you notice any similarities in the way social class is discussed in readings 4.1 and 4.2? Do you notice any differences in the way these two readings DIFFERENTIATE between social classes?

In reading 4.1 and 4.2 , I noticed they both focus on your income . The difference I noticed in both reading is , in 4.1 it was talking about your knowledge , race , and income to place you in a social class . Whereas in 4.2 , it talked about the subways and how much each makes in income.

2. Pick the station closest to where you live. Using the concepts from Reading 4.1, what social class tends to live in your neighborhood? Are you surprised (or not) by the answer? Do you feel it is an accurate representation of the people living in your neighborhood?

The station closest to me is A train . The social class I tend to live in is the working class , I’m not surprised by the answer . To me , it’s somewhat an accurate representation on the neighborhood I live in .

Based on Reading 4.2, do you notice a general pattern about social classes in NYC?

The pattern I noticed is , that Manhattan is more of a Upper / Middle Class . While Bronx , Brooklyn , And Queens are Lower / Working Class .

1–There are five different social classes upper  , upper middle , middle ,working and lower.  Yes I do notice a difference in the readings . Like in reading 4.1 explains how the income we make has a effect on the social class . And how the analysis shows how people subcategories themselves into the social class that fits them the most . In article 4.2 shows us different train lines in New York and different stops and what’s the neighborhood make as income 

2. The train station that is near me is the number 1 line at 191 street the income is 38,994  . I am not surprised to this number it is a fair number I feel like it is accurate because in the Washington heights it is mixed with middle and working class there is not s lot of projects here in fact in the heights the rent is becoming so high that the people who can’t afford leave and people who can afford it move in . For example just 5 years ago the building we are in was full is colored and Hispanics now it is only us and white people and Jews in the building 

3- I do notice a pattern in the city where there is parts that are high and parts that are for low . 

1. The main similarity between both articles is how they both use income/wealth to point out the disparities between the highest level of wealth and the lowest level or wealth for individuals and how that shapes how and where someone may live. The differences between the two articles is how 4.1 focuses on many different variables to which one may identify within a social class (subjective class) as well as the variables in which most people are placed within a social class (objective class). The article gives specific examples of some of these variables (i.e income, education, family background, age, etc) and how each variable may influence where one may fit (or where they think they fit) into a particular class. Article 4.2 has a simpler approach to simply use median income in a particular location to make distinctions as to how income defines social class as well as to highlight how most locations in NYC have inhabitants that have similar income levels and in turn more than likely fit into the same social class based on income and wealth.

2. The closest stop to my apartment is on the 6 train and it is Westchester Square- East Tremont. The median income level is around $32,000. Using the chart from 2.1, the majority of the neighborhood has individuals who would fit into the working and middle class. Those two classes make up at least 75% of the population. I am a little surprised but not really, because on one hand the section of my neighborhood is more of an affluent neighborhood (Throggs Neck), so I did believe the average income would be a little bit higher than $32,000. That being said, I have seen some streets along the East Tremont area that do stretch to some areas that aren’t as developed as where I currently live, so it was not a complete surprise.

3. The reading pretty much confirmed what I kind of already knew (assumed to be true), which is the majority of the middle upper to upper class tend to migrate to parts of Manhattan (specifically the lower east side). There are large blocks of lower to working class citizens live in parts of Brooklyn and The Bronx. It sheds a light on how most of these locations do not have a large range of income levels, meaning in most cases people with similar income and wealth levels tend to live in the same areas of the city, with some exceptions of course.

1.Do you notice any similarities in the way social class is discussed in readings 4.1 and 4.2? Do you notice any differences in the way these two readings DIFFERENTIATE between social classes? . In both these readings there exist similarities in terms of factors involving in determining social class differences. It is mentioned in both readings that social class difference relay on the income of any family which decide in which class it fits the best. But there also exist a difference in these readings as the average incomes in both are different for determining social class but in both readings it is clear that social class difference is highly dependent on variables other than income also. When the factors like Americans’ political group affiliation, philosophy, family status, as well as gender are taken into account, have no effect on how individuals identify themselves . There exists a lower class and an upper class in modern American culture, very few people, regardless of their wealth or degree of education, choose to conceive of themselves as belonging to such categories.

Pick the station closest to where you live. Using the concepts from Reading 4.1, what social class tends to live in your neighborhood? Are you surprised (or not) by the answer? Do you feel it is an accurate representation of the people living in your neighborhood? The average of my neighborhood is 55k, that means that my neighborhood is a middle social class. Honestly, I thought the amount would be a bit higher because in my neighborhood there are only houses, and people’s lifestyle looks very comfortable.

Based on Reading 4.2, do you notice a general pattern about social classes in NYC? Yes, there exist a general pattern about social class in New York city as income of a family with $205,192 lies under highest median and with the average income of $12,288 comes under lowest median class. The income of $191,442 determines the large range in median income class and so on. In the same way different classes are present in NYC and the difference is based on the income variable. Particularly higher income level Americans regard themselves as upper-middle class instead of upper class, although quite poor social and economic rank Americans are probably to perceive themselves like a middle income or working level as they are as inclined to perceive as lower class. 

1. I do see the difference in both readings about how social class was discussed. Overall, my understanding is some people don’t tend to view social class or also don’t pay much mind to it. While others do and simply see themselves more as a Middle or Working class. Yet, little do we know it’s more lower and working class than anything.
2. In my case, I am slightly shocked about what I saw on the chart for my location. Although, I consider my area to be mostly working class. There is still a lot of property owners in my area. Yet again, there is also a lot of people who rent and are constantly working hard every single day.
3. Personally, I do see a general pattern about social classes in NYC. I’d say for example, when taking the train, you see the difference from one train station to another. Along with, when walking on the Upper East Side to what is walking through the Lower East Side. Let alone with all the gentrification , we would be lying if we said otherwise.

In readings 4.1 and 4.2, I noticed the huge role of income in determining people social classes. Income is used a way to separate and represents social classes in society, because tend to place their self in a social class, (upper, middle, etc.), by the amount of money that they make. One difference I noticed is that while reading 4.2 focuses on only the annual income in representing social classes, and what neighborhoods the social classes can be found, reading 4.1, shows other ways social classes are determined. For example, reading 4.1, show how other factors like race, neighborhood, education etc., plays a role in determining social classes. Non-whites people are most likely to identify with a lower social class, than white people, people who live in suburban area are most likely to identify with a higher social class than people in rural neighborhood, and people with a high education level are more likely to identify with a higher social status than those with like a high school degree.

But even with all these other factors, income is still the most important determining factor in social classes.

2. With an annual income of $39,837, I would say the social class that tends to live in my neighborhood are working and middle class. I’m not entirely surprised by the answer because there are a lot of nice apartments, a few government projects, some fancy restaurants, and a lot of businesses and markets. But I’m viewing this based on what I see and observe today, this statistic was taken 11 years ago, and a lot can change in 11 years.

3. I noticed a general pattern about social classes in NYC. As you move from one borough to the other, the social classes change. In Brooklyn, there’s the middle to working class, then when you go into Queens there’s the still middle to working class, but a few upper-middle class too, then as you move to Manhattan, there’s the upper-middle and upper class, and a few middle classes, , and finally, as you into the Bronx, you see a lot of lower class and a few middle classes. What this means is that the upper-middle and upper classes tend to live in Manhattan, the working and middle class tend to live in Queens, Brooklyn, few in the Bronx, while the more lower-class population tend to live in the Bronx.

Veronica Gonzalez

POL 100 (0504) – Intro. to American Govt. – Fall 2022

Discussion Board 4.1

Q1.  Several similarities with regards to social class discussed in “What Determines How Americans Perceive their Social Class?” (R. Bird and F. Newport) and “Democracy for the Few” (M. Parenti) are the following: 1) Income. According to R. Bird and F. Newport, “income is a powerful determinant to the social class into which people place themselves, (pg.2) “. How much money labor (the employee) earns and how much money the owner (the wealthy) makes is seen as a marker of their social class standing in society. 2) Labor (the employees) have the opportunity to increase their income to the point where they can change their economic and social class by being promoted to higher positions within their employment ex.: promoted to managers, district supervisor.  3) Employees can also have the opportunity to become part of the owning class where factors such as furthering of education can lead to work promotions that cause a change in salary which can then provide the employee with income that they are now able to invest and in turn produces another source of income that is based not on their direct labor. 

There is differentiation in how social class is approached. Objective and subjective classes exist where the first takes into consideration a person’s income as well as other outside factors such as education, wealth, power, behavior and prestige while the latter has individuals categorizing themselves into a social class. Social classes as we know them tend to be labeled as “low”,”working”, “middle”, “upper middle” and “upper”. Yet according to M. Parenti, there are only two social classes that exist, the owning class which “live mostly off investments, which include stocks, bonds, rents, mineral royalties, and other property income, (pg. 27)” and employees who “live mostly off wages, salaries, and fees. (pg. 27)”. In my perspective, the importance of income will always be the first driving factor that is looked at when others, and even we ourselves, use to determine what social class we are put in or we put ourselves in. 

Q2. The D line train stop closest to my neighborhood shows a concentration of low, working and middle social classes. In my opinion this concentration of social classes does reflect this grouping however I agree more with the fact that the low and working class tends to be somewhat of the majority within the neighborhood. The Bronx has always been seen as being a “poverty stricken borough” and although there is still a lot of inequality that exists in many areas (housing, education, employment), there is a population that is striving more towards being a part of the middle class.  

           Q3. A general pattern about social classes in NYC that I notice would be that there continues to be huge gaps between the social classes with regards to income however there is again a push on the part of the working class to become part of the middle class.

Do you notice any similarities in the way social class is discussed in readings 4.1 and 4.2? Do you notice any differences in the way these two readings DIFFERENTIATE between social classes?

The Similarities in the way social class is discussed in readings 4.1 and 4.2 is that they both measure the education and money of a person to determine the social class they are placed under. The differences that I did notice in the way the two readings differentiate social classes is that one may think that people of higher social classes do not exist around them but clearly with the mapping of the train lines you can see that they do. Which is quite surprising.

Pick the station closest to where you live. Using the concepts from Reading 4.1, what social class tends to live in your neighborhood? Are you surprised (or not) by the answer? Do you feel it is an accurate representation of the people living in your neighborhood?

I was most definitely surprised by the social class distribution in my neighborhood. For I only thought I lived in a neighborhood that is predominantly poor and working class. But based off the train map some make almost 200,000 in my train line area. Which can be inspiring and encouraging for the youth that there is potential. They may not stay stuck in the hamster wheel forever. With proper education and a wise career path along with some smart investments you too can see your way out of the ghetto. The question really is do the households that have the kids of our future teach and make ways for our future kids to succeed in society today. Or are most of the kids and teenagers now a days stuck like some of us older adults struggling and trying to make ends meet for our struggling parents in either single head of households or struggling working class house hold? It makes you wonder whether failure in society can also be a product of your upbringing and parent’s current social status. I would advise everyone to try to not be a product of your environment and always strive to succeed so that you can go from a poor or working middle class to the upper middle- and upper-class percentile.

Based on Reading 4.2, do you notice a general pattern about social classes in NYC?

A general pattern I noticed about the social classes in NYC is that the highest amount earned is always in Manhattan. No matter what train line you click on the highest amount of money earned is always in Manhattan.

1. Do you notice any similarities in the way social classes are discussed in readings 4.1 and 4.2? Do you notice any differences in the way these two readings DIFFERENTIATE between social classes?

4.1 was about determining social classes and the differences between them whereas 4.2 was a specific explanation of the wealth distribution throughout the city.

2. Pick the station closest to where you live. Using the concepts from Reading 4.1, what social class tends to live in your neighborhood? Are you surprised (or not) by the answer? Do you feel it is an accurate representation of the people living in your neighborhood?

the closest public transportation is a bus but the nearest train is the L 3rd Ave stop. It says a median income of 90,000. that seems accurate to the area I suppose. I don’t really have a good frame of reference for wealth though. it’s hard to answer this question in a way that feels completely valid. Sure the household income is 90,000, and that makes sense, but that doesn’t address the homeless population for example which call Alphabet City their home.

3. Based on Reading 4.2, do you notice a general pattern about social classes in NYC?

The wealth of the city is a donut. The hole of the donut is the most wealthy, and the neighboring boroughs (as well as jersey if you think about it) are slightly poorer. Then you move further out to the Bronx and long island city queens etc, and it’s much much poorer.