Social class is something people don't like to talk about anymore. The other day my Strategy professor described first and second class as "differentiation within the plane" and I just had to state the obvious. "
This is not new!" I cried. I didn't know how to start explaining the history of human hierarchies. So here it is: it all started in year 20,000 BC (just kidding)...
When surveyed, most people in North America claim to be middle class. Yeah, right. Classes are hidden now, with the obvious exception of the homeless. Computer geeks worth millions marked the end of suits at work. It seems like the only people that are dressing up anymore are the guys selling ties at Tip Top and they are making less than everyone. Some activists wish that classes were more visible. If people recognized social class and the inequalities that go along with it, workers in The Gap and McDonald's may get fairer wages.
The best single indicator of social class is not income but occupation. The socio-economic index (SEI) measures status according to society's view of the class. Dentist and aerospace engineer are high on the list and housekeeper and auto mechanic are low. A professor is still considered higher class than a construction firm owner even though the latter is almost guaranteed to make more.