Blog 4

After reading the essay "The Just-Add-Water Kennedys and Barbecue Bread Violence" by Polyestra, I think her humor within it is quite amusing. She has a better attitude about the way her parents are trying to shape her and her sister than her sister's response. Instead of getting upset about not being accepted into the higher class standards, she jokes and is not upset when the boy says she will never marry into his class.

The American dream and "class jumping" are interrelated depending on how you interpret the American dream. Everyones measure of success is different, there fore achieving the american dream is more possible for some than others. If one's American dream is to be billionare when you are middle class, then that might be harder than the American dream of having a successful and happy life. "Class jumping" to Polyestra is starting out middle class and being raised to be upper class, just like her parents did. It is trying to make more money, marry into the higher class, and go to college.

I think the best word to describe Polyestra's situation is "status inconsistancy" according to sociology. This happens when your goals, ideas, and cultures are not consistent to each other according to class orders. In her case, she thought like a middle class person, but when her parents got rich, her materialistic world suddenly became upper class. The two clashed and it put her in a tough situation. For her parents, it was the opposite. They thought and dreamed like they were upper class, and in reality, they were still middle class. That is why it was easier for them to adjust to their sudden wealth from the reality business.

I have known a family who has "class jumped" from middle to upper class very recently. It became more evident of their instant wealth because they started accumulating nicer cars, remodeling their house, and eventually moving to a bigger house just like in Polyestra's case. I have also known families who have "class jumped" from upper class to middle class which also happened later on in the essay. There attitude was still of the rich and better off, though their material possessions and debt showed other wise.

Personally, my parents are middle class and proud. My dad is in the military and my mom is a pre-school teacher. Both are happy with what they have and where they are in life. They raised me to follow my dreams and aspirations on what I like and not what they want for me. I am content to stay in the class I was born, big houses and luxury items like boats do not interest me as it did Polyestra's family. I plan to become a high school teacher, live in a suburban area, and live a simple happy life. (It's kind of ironic I found this photo after posting the same one on my other blog. This couple portraying "American Dream" do not seem to be too happy either.)