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A Guide to America's Status System

14.99 €
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A Guide to America's Status System
14.99 €
Cultural and literary history specialist Paul Fussell gives a fascinating account of social classes in America. Although most Americans feel that a good deal of their thoughts and actions are driven by status considerations, the idea of class is disconcerting. There is no system of inherited titles and ranks in the United States; each generation has to redefine hierarchies. Class distinctions are so vague and elusive that the very existence of a class structure is questioned. Fussell describes in detail the lifestyle of each class, how its members dress, prefer to spend their leisure time, where they live, what kind of education they receive. By examining the visible attributes of members of different social classes, he focuses on those that reflect their conscious choices and does not address issues of race relations or, with few exceptions, religion and politics. You can't tell whether a person is "Roman Catholic" or "liberal" by just looking at them; instead, your eye notes the "hand-painted neckerchief," the "lousy polyester shirt," and your ear picks up the words "parameters" or "concerning." In trying to make sense of such indicators, Fussell is not guided by any scientific method, but rather by flair and feeling.
The book will be of interest both to sociologists and cultural historians, as well as to a wide range of readers.
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