What is social class? It is defined as a large group of people who rank closely to one another in property, power, and prestige. These elements separate people into different lifestyles, giving them different chances in life, and provide them with distinct ways of looking at the self and the world(page 188, Henslin).In the United
States about 15-20 percent are poor, lower class; 30-40 percent are in the working class; 40-50 percent are in the middle class; and 1-3 percent are in the rich, upper class (page197-198, Henslin).
If I had to pick which social class I would consider myself to be I think I would say lower middle class. The lower middle class is about 34 percent of the population. "People from this class have jobs in which they follow orders given by members from the upper class"(Page197, Henslin). Members of this class can afford mainstream lifestyle but struggle to maintain it. The lower middle class is often made up of less educated people with lower incomes, such as managers, small business owners, teachers, and secretaries. Their education consists of high school or college, with occupations semiprofessional and lower managers, craft people, foremen (Page 196, Figure 8.5, Henslin).
Some consequences that i encounter because of the social class I stand in are the struggles to afford a mainstream lifestyle causing my physical and mental health to diminish. Since I have to constantly worry and work harder than those of the upper class, the persistent stress I face seem to cause my body to wear out faster. Even though I am tired most of the time I have to keep pushing to afford what I have. Obviously the rich find life better since they have fewer problems and more resources to deal with the ones they have. This gives them a sense of control over their lives, a source of both physical and mental health. "Greater mental problems are part of the higher stress that accompanies poverty (Page 199, Henslin). Since the lower class have