The 'Cultural Capital' thing finally codifies an unspoken message about how certain jobs - despite salary - are better than other jobs. For example, it's better to be a struggling writer at an arts magazine than a prosperous electrician. (better to some - you know what I mean). Growing up, I was subtly taught this message. This comes up in the Bobos book (which you might enjoy as a contrast), where the financially-struggling professional intellectuals are welcome in the circle of wealthy industry heads, much as a wandering musician might be welcome in the courts of the past. They are in the same class even though they can't afford the same lifestyle.
College was expected in my family (but we ALL had to pitch in - my dad told me if he had to pay for himself, so did I). However, my family emphasized that college must be used as the vehicle to financial success - go to college so that you can support yourself. I think there is a whole 'nother class of families who think education for its own sake is important. They encourage their kids to go ahead and do that graduate school thing in comp lit if they want to. Not us. Hence my degree in Comp Sci.
But my dad and my mom had to fight to go to college - my mom because she's female and was supposed to get married, and my dad because he comes from a family of farmers. I would like to read this book because I think my dad comes from this straddler group. He was an executive - a VP of sales at a large company - but he's a very simple man with simple tastes. Still a midwestern farmboy in a way. He ended up losing his job because he didn't know how to play the game and didn't want to backstab people. He just wanted to do his job and do it right. I might even give him the book, as he is at a crossroads in his career since he lost his job.
My dad's message is "work hard at what you love and you will succeed". My mom has that middle-class message you mentioned "You can be whatever you want to be if you set your mind to it." Good combination, although I don't believe in either of them - I don't think I can be whatever I want and I don't think that hard work always gets rewarded.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Definitions
Date: 2004-01-12 09:14 am (UTC)The 'Cultural Capital' thing finally codifies an unspoken message about how certain jobs - despite salary - are better than other jobs. For example, it's better to be a struggling writer at an arts magazine than a prosperous electrician. (better to some - you know what I mean). Growing up, I was subtly taught this message. This comes up in the Bobos book (which you might enjoy as a contrast), where the financially-struggling professional intellectuals are welcome in the circle of wealthy industry heads, much as a wandering musician might be welcome in the courts of the past. They are in the same class even though they can't afford the same lifestyle.
College was expected in my family (but we ALL had to pitch in - my dad told me if he had to pay for himself, so did I). However, my family emphasized that college must be used as the vehicle to financial success - go to college so that you can support yourself. I think there is a whole 'nother class of families who think education for its own sake is important. They encourage their kids to go ahead and do that graduate school thing in comp lit if they want to. Not us. Hence my degree in Comp Sci.
But my dad and my mom had to fight to go to college - my mom because she's female and was supposed to get married, and my dad because he comes from a family of farmers. I would like to read this book because I think my dad comes from this straddler group. He was an executive - a VP of sales at a large company - but he's a very simple man with simple tastes. Still a midwestern farmboy in a way. He ended up losing his job because he didn't know how to play the game and didn't want to backstab people. He just wanted to do his job and do it right. I might even give him the book, as he is at a crossroads in his career since he lost his job.
My dad's message is "work hard at what you love and you will succeed". My mom has that middle-class message you mentioned "You can be whatever you want to be if you set your mind to it." Good combination, although I don't believe in either of them - I don't think I can be whatever I want and I don't think that hard work always gets rewarded.