Hearing about double standards within genders has been common for a while now, the topic is openly augmented and many are able to spot them in society with ease. What has recently become more talked about is the double standards that are entwined in the social classes.
This concept is better known online as “things that are classy if you’re rich, but trashy if you’re poor”, the name is quite straightforward, the same acts or behaviors reflect the social classes in completely different ways.
One of the examples is deeply rooted in the very personality that makes up an individual, it stirs up the debate of being eccentric vs deranged. A “funky” persona is endeared by the public when the person has enough money to not be considered a threat to society. The majority that are in a lower class bracket are seldom viewed in this manner, their strange habits don’t manifest into them becoming a “creative genius” but they are a selling point for the wealthy.
This is most commonly found in celebrities, while some outliers don’t blindly accept the brash behaviors that public figures like Lady Gaga and Johnny Depp express most find it attractive.
Bilingualism is an example that is particularly upsetting because of the neo-racism that is deeply rooted in the double standard. When a lower-class citizen presents the skill, ignorant individuals take it as disrespect and don’t value the intelligence needed to be able to comprehend and speak multiple languages. In the United States, some even go as far as to expect everyone to speak English and only English.
The rich aren’t treated as harshly in this aspect, they are heralded for their “courage” to take on another language. When they venture out to another country with a different language origin and attempt to speak that language they are meant with nothing but praise for their bravery. When you’re well off, being bilingual means you are cultural, when you aren’t it is anticipated.
Recently, the young Britain Princess Charlotte was reported to speak two languages and the media went wild. This energy is not reciprocated by the young children of immigrants who are born learning two languages by force.
Camping/ Trailer park life falls victim to the contradictory standard, this has become even more popular with the new “purposeful van-life” trend that has hit social media. Trailer park life has been referred to as trashy for years, so much so that the popular term, “trailer park trash” is used in a derogatory way.
Being a part of the middle or lower class while also getting caught not paying taxes practically means you will be chased down with torches and pitchforks. When the rich find ways to avoid the tax situation they are seen as crafty and creative, the behavior has become a bonding experience for the class bracket. Some even view it as a competition of who can do it the best.
Even drug usage is perceived differently, when less fortunate people have apparent drug issues they are judged and faced with comments such as, “If they would stop doing drugs they could have a second shot at life” and other less compassionate phrases.
There is one double standard that I find acceptable given the circumstances, it falls under the subject of having children. There is a difference between the past examples and this one, those were all unfairly assigned and had no valid explanations for why the double standard exists. But, when people willingly bring multiple lives into the world with the knowledge that they can’t support them there is an issue.
Wealthy people can offer support to their children, whether they provide that support is a different topic, but they don’t inflict financial struggles on their children that cause a poorer quality of life.
The inequality in the U.S. is not hard to see, it is blatant and can easily be summed up as the fact that the rich are “unable” to do wrong while the poor must walk on eggshells to avoid judgment.