What factor is the most responsible for divisions in U.S. society?

[modest mouse]

Class is the obvious choice for me. Its an undercurrent to nearly all social interaction. Taking into account education, intelligence, and world view. In the US we seem to deny the existence of a class structure as our very foundation is partly based on the destroying of rigid classes.

Race, gender, and class are interconnected so the distinction is not entirely clear. From my POV people tend to have friends and people in their life from different races and gender far more frequently than they venture out of their social and economic class, myself included.

 

[WriterDom]

Math is responsible for most divisions in U.S. society.

 

[darrenfate]

For me it's the willingness to work for what you will receive from life. I see so many people around me with an entitlement mentality. They are the ultimate losers and they can be found in all walks of life. Sure there are barriers as to how far a person can go based on education, money - class issues. The fact is that everyone can seek to better themselves no matter how they start in life.

So I voted "other".

 

[Calamity Jane]

I think it depends largely on your location as to what divides you. For example, there are no black people living in this town. So, I have few black friends.

Most of my close friends seem to be in the horse oriented community, which encompasses a rather broad economic base. I count as friends people who I would never cross paths with in my non-horse daily life. People who think nothing of importing Stallions from Ireland, as well as people who ride horses that were rescued off meat wagons, and can barely afford to keep them, but feel they can't live without them.

I fall somewhere in the middle, not wealthy, but not nearly as poor as I was growing up.

I would agree though, that in society as a whole, rather than the cross section I am a part of, that class is the largest dividing factor. Though this may have more to do with the need for shared experience among friends than an actual economic difference.

 

[T.H. Oughts]

If people did not class, there would be no divisions. Unfortunatly it happens in 99% of cultures. I try very hard not to judge a book by its cover.

I think if people in the USA did not sue each other for every little thing they would relax around each other a lot more and enjoy more. Instead of worrying about if someone was going to take them to court.

 

[JazzManJim]

I'm gonna sound very conspiratorial here, but I think the largest cause of divisions on our country isn't caused by any actual race, class, or social distinctions, but by people purposefully exploiting those distinctions for their own personal advancement. This happens on the political left and right (though, to be fair, much more fromt he left), and it's an absolute plague on our society.

 

[daughter]

I'm with pagancow

Where's Mellon? I'm sure she could give us an academic, solid argument about why we categorize, draw distinctions and act on these classifications.

I joked once with a friend that even when you're all white, you'll discriminate on something else like religion. Yes, we do the same so don't anybody get a wedgie.

Race, gender, and class are interconnected so the distinction is not entirely clear. From my POV people tend to have friends and people in their life from different races and gender far more frequently than they venture out of their social and economic class, myself included.

My experience mirrors yours mouse. My social circle is based more on social and economic class than race. Of course, by the same token, whenever I am with a mixed crowd, yes there is an unspoken connection with other blacks. We gravitate to that which is familiar. Given my personal tastes, I'm always drawn to fringe groups like sexuality forums for instance.

I'm fortunate. I grew up in a metropolitan area. My friends and associates have always been mixed, to what degree has been the only variance.

Personally, I say let's keep mixing and having all these beautiful children. It's harder to hate when someone is your blood. I think we have bigger issues to tackle instead getting caught up in debates about color and race. I wish we celebrated diversity. In truth, we have more important things in common.

Peace,

daughter

 

[girl]

Re: I'm with pagancow

I voted and my views have been well represented by others here, so I just wanted to say:

Personally, I say let's keep mixing and having all these beautiful children.

I agree! I think mixed children are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. I have a very good friend who has a son whose father is African American and he is one of the most gorgeous little boys...he's going to be a heartbreaker when he gets older.

Not meaning to hijack the thread.
girl

 

[kotori]

I went with economic class as well, but I think Writer Dom really has a point, if you expand that to "education." Education is the great equalizer, and equal access to good quality education will go a long way to solving problems of divisiveness.

 

[Thumper]

Money..

simple as that.

As far as children are concerned...we need to have lots of them and let them play together and we as adults just sit and observe them and learn.

Hate is learned/taught not genetically encoded.

Kotori...aye, there's the rub..."equal access"

 

[koalabear]

The Metric System

If we had switched, then everyone would have at least one thing in common.

 

[SINthysist]

People

Get rid of 'em, then blammo, no more divisions.

 

[Southern37]

I'm gonna sound very conspiratorial here, but I think the largest cause of divisions on our country isn't caused by any actual race, class, or social distinctions, but by people purposefully exploiting those distinctions for their own personal advancement. This happens on the political left and right (though, to be fair, much more fromt he left), and it's an absolute plague on our society.

You sir..are correct!

 

[christo]

"Opportunity" could be the difference in our society. Your race, economic class, and education can all limit your opportunities. A poor kid is going to have a much harder time becoming CEO of a corporation than a kid whose dad is, well, the CEO of a corporation. Not that the poor kid has no chance-- Jack Welch came from humble stock. But you've got a much better chance of getting to the top if you're rich, white and a Harvard MBA than poor, black, and a dropout from a crummy high school.

I'm not a big fan of affirmative action, I think it makes people think that the only way black people can get ahead is by fixing the game, and it sometimes screws over people who deserve a job but happen to be white. But before we get rid of affirmative action, there should be a law mandating that every kid in the country has access to a certain, high level of education. No more kids going to school in bombed-out buildings with metal detectors and no computers. It's bullshit to say that these kids have the same opportunity as kids who go to schools with lush campuses and wireless Internet connections and ice rinks.

How we go about doing that I don't know, but we should be trying a hell of a lot harder than we are right now.

 

[Cheyenne]

I said race, because I think it still often is a dividing factor between people even if class/education/wealth/other factors are the same.

Example: a fairly nice neighborhood of all white people even in this day and age has a good chance of getting all upset at the though of a black family moving in. Even if that black family is actually in the same class as far as wealth and education as the white families, they will still "hurt the property values" just by being in the neighborhood. Yes, I've heard that argument out of the mouths of people I previously thought were reasonable neighbors.

Another example: Don't blacks differentiate between themselves based on lightness/darkness of skin? And this is done even among people within the same economic class?

 

[Marxist]

I said race, because I think it still often is a dividing factor between people even if class/education/wealth/other factors are the same.

Example: a fairly nice neighborhood of all white people even in this day and age has a good chance of getting all upset at the though of a black family moving in. Even if that black family is actually in the same class as far as wealth and education as the white families, they will still "hurt the property values" just by being in the neighborhood. Yes, I've heard that argument out of the mouths of people I previously thought were reasonable neighbors.

Another example: Don't blacks differentiate between themselves based on lightness/darkness of skin? And this is done even among people within the same economic class?

Don't steal my lines!

 

[modest mouse]

There are some great replies here, though I know more people have something to say. Its a topic worthy of a little thought, with no definitive answers.

I agree with christo regarding education, it is what ties each issue together and its repercussions are inescapable.

 

[Unclebill]

The quest of some for political power to dispose of the lives and property of others for their own benefit, the collectivists.

 

[Todd]

I'm gonna sound very conspiratorial here, but I think the largest cause of divisions on our country isn't caused by any actual race, class, or social distinctions, but by people purposefully exploiting those distinctions for their own personal advancement. This happens on the political left and right (though, to be fair, much more fromt he left), and it's an absolute plague on our society.

You stole my line.

If it werenot for governmental power ploys there would be no question of race, gender or class.

When people of all three of the afore mentioned groups are dropped together in situations soon work out thier difference and begin to work together with out government interference. But the moment Government gets its ugly little face invovled all gehenna breaks lose.

 

[Neotragii]

This seems to tie into another thread here about cliques on the board. Humans nature is to seperate into groups. The wealthy are better than the middle class, the middle class are better than the working poor, the working poor are better than the homeless. The PhD is better than a masters, masters better than a bachelors, etc... There is always going to be a dividing line somewhere, even if there wasn't someone would invent one. Money, education, race, gender, locale, whatever there will always be a line. As far as the vote I voted money, it seems to be the biggest division these days.

 

[modest mouse]

RE: Govt @ Fault

It is naive to think the Govt is responsible for dividing US soceity. Divisions arise in small groups that have no involvement of Govt influence, its a simple scientific precept.

I am dissapointed by those who lay blame with Govt, you obviously gave the question little or no thought, I expected more.

 

[Lost Cause]

I voted 'other' due to my belief that division comes from the individual mind, not society. Division is a catchy label people place on any thing/person/society to blame for their own shortcomings. I am in my situation due to...me! I don't look for barriers, I don't have time to 'Oprah' about the way things are, I go around them. Any of the choices in the poll are moot..unless you want them to be significant factors in why you don't get what you set out for. Race, Gender, Class? I can give a hundred answers that contradict that arguement, but, someone out there will have a excuse for the people I cite. (Like, he/she got where they are because he's/she's a; 1. Uncle Tom 2. In the back pocket of big business 3. She slept her way to where she is )
Division is a handy thing to use when trying to mask a person(s) own greed, envy, and hatred.

 

[alltherage]

I agree with Jazz. Politician's view us all as part of some group or another which can be exploited in one fashion or another. The lack of education amoung the majority of Americans makes them easily exploited. No one seems to see past the next five minutes and only rarely do they look further back than that. Swaying that group is as simple as placing ads in prime time. It is frightening to think how easily swayed we are.

I lived in florida for a time. I lived in Volusia county and the police their were profiling drivers on I95 looking for drugs. That is bad enough but they confiscated other things besides drugs. For example, if you were stopped and the cops found a large sum of money they took it. The assumption was that it was drug money. Mind you, there needed to be no evidence of drugs in the vehicle.
Now the fun began.

You had to prove to them beyone there doubts that you were not involved in the drug trade to get the cash back. So you would hire a lawyer and engage these "law officers" in court. No one blinked about this for the longest time. The war on drugs as it was termed was something the masses had accepted as being necessary. So they turned a blind eye. No matter of course that the vast majority of those stopped for searches where people of color. No matter of course that carrying cash is not a crime. No matter of course the the cops were funding themselves with their gains and therefore had an economic incentive to take you belongings.

There are two many examples of the mob being swayed by the powerful manipulation of current events for it to be denied. Its happening now. The hell with the constitutions division of powers. Dubya wants the exective to be judge jury and executioner of terroists. Oh well. But this is a special case they say. They are not citizens they say. We would never....... they say. Tell that to the Japanese who were interred during WW2. The mob sleeps until it can be used again.

 

[Starfish]

I had voted seperation by class, but I change my answer now to 'other'.....

It's clearly the 'overall assholes' vs. the 'overall non-assholes', that is the undenialble truth for the cause of the matter.

 

[Unclebill]

Originally posted by Neotragii
This seems to tie into another thread here about cliques on the board. Humans nature is to seperate into groups. The wealthy are better than the middle class, the middle class are better than the working poor, the working poor are better than the homeless. The PhD is better than a masters, masters better than a bachelors, etc... There is always going to be a dividing line somewhere, even if there wasn't someone would invent one. Money, education, race, gender, locale, whatever there will always be a line. As far as the vote I voted money, it seems to be the biggest division these days.

I find it interesting that you see the differentiations you identify as making one group better than another. How does wealth make one better, for example? The wealthy get there by any of several means. Some are more creative, more productive, more imaginative, more fortunate, others merely by inheritance, i. e., by accident of birth, e. g. the Kennedy's. But none of those circumstances confer superiority in any manner that I can see.

Monetary holding is a measure that is often used as one means of comparison but to say it infers any superiority I find extremely shallow and narrow visioned.

Originally posted by modest mouse
It is naive to think the Govt is responsible for dividing US soceity. Divisions arise in small groups that have no involvement of Govt influence, its a simple scientific precept.

I am dissapointed by those who lay blame with Govt, you obviously gave the question little or no thought, I expected more.

While this was not specifically addressed to my response, my response could easily be misconstrued as attributing it to government.

In fact, my response attributes it more to politicians who seek to use government as the means to inflict their ideas on others without the necessity to obtain consent to do so. That government is the tool of the immoral and criminal career politicians who use it does not put government per se at fault any more than the gun used to commit a murder is at fault for the death.

But I must also reserve some of that blame for the immoral and irresponsible people who elect these thugs to office with the idea that they will somehow benefit from the plundering of stolen property by the politicians whose behaviors they are endorsing with their vote in support via the election process; the thug who seeks the unearned by voting for the political thug who promises to deliver it.

The collectivist mentality uses whatever tools are available to achieve its ends. And creating divisions between people within a society and pitting one group against another is a very effective and utilitarian means of subverting freedom which is the essence of collectivism.

Using this approach, collectivist politicians have confiscated and squandered TRILLIONS of dollars from the American citizens who earned them and redistributed them to those who did not. This Democrats' War on Poverty has achieved absolutely no gain in eliminating or even reducing the number of people living in poverty in the U. S.

The fact that there are as many if not more people living in poverty today than at the outset of this idiotic War does not make any impression on the thieves administering it. It is not to their advantage to discontinue it, thus despite its abject failure, it will continue until and unless Constitutional restraints on the Federal government are observed.

Originally posted by alltherage
. . . Dubya wants the exective to be judge jury and executioner of terroists. Oh well. But this is a special case they say. They are not citizens they say. We would never....... they say. Tell that to the Japanese who were interred during WW2. The mob sleeps until it can be used again.

I find it interesting that everybody is all over Bush about this idea which precedent was set by the darling of the Democratic Party, FDR, the father of American Socialism, a man who, if he ever read the Constitution, certainly did not respect the restraints it placed on government.

From FDR's behavior in office, it seems he was more guided by the Communist Manifest than by the United States Constitution.

And, BTW, the word is interned, not interred.