The way that social class is portrayed in the media and in everyday life is, in my
opinion, the most fascinating component of the course theme. I've learned that a
person's class is influenced by a variety of factors, including their educational
background, geographic location, and even their cultural consumption habits, in
addition to their income or wealth. These differences are frequently communicated
through TV dramas, movies, or ads. Ads for luxury cars, for example, usually promote
not only the car but also the image of "successful individuals." On the other hand,
ads for some retailers focus on affordability and usefulness, obviously aiming to
appeal to the working class. My own interests are also in line with this. I like to see
how people's perceptions are influenced by the media. These ostensibly simple
marketing tools—ads, posters, and trailers—actually send messages about "who
belongs to which class." At times, they challenge conventional wisdom, and at other
times, they reinforce stereotypes.
This topic is important to me because "social mobility" is still a fundamental culture
in America. While everyone says that anyone can change their destiny with hard
work, in practice, this is much less possible due to structural barriers. We can see
how ads, magazine covers, and movies and television shows consistently influence
stories about class by highlighting inequality or stressing that "anyone can succeed."
Ads and movie trailers are the primary source materials I want to examine the most.
While these resources are easily understandable and accessible, they also distinctly
capture the social imagination of their generation. These resources are available on
YouTube, Google, in Duke's Ad*Access database, and in the digital collections of the
Library of Congress.
Images:
From:
https://medium.com/@mikel_pollard/the-social-class-in-todays-society-4442938ad8
e3
From:
https://visualrhetoric2011.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/a-reminder-of-social-class-a
dvertisements-in-american-culture/
From:
https://medium.com/@mikel_pollard/the-social-class-in-todays-society-4442938ad8
e3