The hottest Social Class Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

Redneck Cosmopolitanism

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 898 implied HN points • 09 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Social Class Music Personal narrative Philosophy Art
  1. Class is complex and doesn't just depend on income; it's about background, education, and feelings of belonging too. People can feel insecure about their class, even if they seem to be doing well.
  2. A person's past and family history can deeply affect their current sense of security and identity. This can create a feeling of always being at risk of losing what they've gained.
  3. Striving for personal meaning and supporting others can help combat feelings of insecurity and give life a richer purpose. It's about finding fulfillment beyond just financial success.

Who Keeps the Castle Clean?

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 6439 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Social Class Authenticity Cultural Appropriation Social Mobility
  1. Cultural appropriation discussions can reveal biases and assumptions about privilege and background. It's interesting how people can judge others based on where they think they come from, showing how stereotypes work in social settings.
  2. Many students at elite universities share similar backgrounds and can co-opt the struggles of marginalized communities. This idea highlights the complexities of privilege and how some people may navigate identity to fit into their social environment.
  3. Upward social mobility carries challenges as it can create a disconnect from one's original community. People often have to balance their new experiences with their roots, which can lead to feelings of guilt or not belonging.

Apparently, A Lot Of Aspirational Elites Think Working At Chipotle or Panda Express Is Beneath Them Even Though It Absolutely Is Not

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 3181 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Work ethic Social Class Employment Perceptions
  1. Many wealthy or aspiring people look down on jobs at fast food places like Chipotle and Panda Express. They think it's not a good job, but that's not true.
  2. Working in fast food can actually be a valuable experience, teaching important skills and work ethics.
  3. Everyone should respect all types of work, no matter the job's status or pay, because every job has its own importance.

On Aristocracy

Castalia • 759 implied HN points • 14 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Social Class Education Inequality History Identity
  1. Aristocracy means being part of an elite class in society, often due to having a prestigious education or social connections. It's not just about wealth but also about how you maintain your status.
  2. The new aristocracy focuses on things like high-status jobs and education rather than old wealth. Families aim to pass on their advantages through schooling instead of inheritance.
  3. This modern elite tries to seem open and merit-based, but still, the same types of people tend to succeed. It's like a game where the rules make sure they always win.

Sometimes Readers Prefer Paperbacks

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 965 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
📚 Literature Books Memoirs Reading Social Class Publishing
  1. Many people still enjoy reading physical books like paperbacks. There's something special about holding a book compared to digital formats.
  2. The author highlights key themes in their book, such as social class and upward mobility. These topics are important for understanding today's society.
  3. The author faced challenges with book promotion, including bias in bestseller lists. This shows how difficult it can be to gain recognition in the publishing world.
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Producers and Parasites

In My Tribe • 759 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Political Ideologies Social Class Political elites Political Activism
  1. Political elites can be divided into two groups: producers who create goods and services and parasites who rely on those producers for income. This distinction helps understand their political leanings.
  2. Some professions, like lawyers and government workers, can straddle the line between being productive and parasitic. Not all roles in these fields are equally beneficial to society.
  3. There is debate about the Woke movement. Some see them as part of the parasitic group, while others argue that many symbolic professionals also contribute positively to society.

It’s Easy To Love New York When You’re Rich

Sparks from Culture by David Roberts • 1375 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture New York City Personal Reflection Social Class
  1. Childhood environment can deeply influence a person's perspective and attachment to a place.
  2. Living in contrasting environments, like from a luxurious childhood home to a more humble college dorm, can lead to reflections on personal identity and values.
  3. Relationships and life changes can shift priorities and redefine what home and belonging mean to someone.

My Two Summers in a Factory

In My Tribe • 622 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Work Life Social Class Manufacturing Personal narrative
  1. Working in a factory exposes you to hard, repetitive tasks that can be boring and sometimes unsafe. Many people today don't have this experience, leading to a disconnect between blue-collar work and white-collar jobs.
  2. The author highlights how different backgrounds can affect perceptions in a factory setting, showing that coworkers accepted him despite his different upbringing.
  3. Political talk about the glory of manufacturing jobs often misses the reality of those jobs, which can be unpleasant and unhealthy. It's important to recognize both the challenges and the necessity of these jobs.

"Striving For Upward Mobility Without Background"

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 3011 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Higher education Social Class Literature
  1. Some elite college professors have a habit of starting sentences with lowercase letters and abbreviating words randomly.
  2. The discussion about Harvard Extension School's legitimacy brings to mind the concept of clinging to social prestige.
  3. There is a recognizable psychological type of individuals who are intelligent enough to attend prestigious universities but not exceptionally bright.

Links to Consider, 11/24/2024

In My Tribe • 273 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Philanthropy Sustainability Science Social Class Bureaucracy
  1. Banks face significant costs when forced to divert funds away from profitable fossil fuel loans to support unprofitable green energy ventures. This often results in financial burdens on depositors and can lead to bank failures.
  2. Scientific research is becoming risk-averse due to heavy reliance on citation metrics, which encourages safe, incremental work and often ignores innovative, high-risk projects. This can slow down advancements in science.
  3. Higher education significantly influences social class in America, creating a unified culture among graduates. In contrast, those without a college education often lack a sense of community and solidarity.

The Haves and the Havents Part 7

Carefree Sketches • 59 implied HN points • 11 Apr 22
🎭️ Culture Wealth Social Class Fashion Society
  1. Indecent displays of wealth can cause suspicion and contempt among different social classes.
  2. There are typically two reactions of the poor upon acquiring wealth: becoming miserly or spending extravagantly, both with their own consequences.
  3. The interplay between the rich, the newly rich, and the poor creates a complex environment of social dynamics, mutual respect, and practicality.

Rob Henderson and Lorenzo Warby on Elite Beliefs

In My Tribe • 1 HN point • 11 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Beliefs Social Class Psychology Education
  1. Elites often live in an epistemic bubble that separates them from the majority of ordinary citizens, influencing their beliefs and attitudes.
  2. Power tends to concentrate in the hands of people skeptical of freedom, creating a complex system where fewer individuals amass power.
  3. Elite beliefs can be shaped by factors like parental status and class loyalty, while Post-Enlightenment Progressivism is viewed by some as having religious undertones.

La Petite Bourgeoisie

Neosapien’s Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🎭️ Culture Sociology Social Class Politics Fashion Education
  1. La Petite Bourgeoisie is a distinct social class with characteristics that separate it from the bourgeoisie.
  2. Members of the Petite Bourgeoisie are not as closely connected to political power as the Grande Bourgeoisie.
  3. The Petite Bourgeoisie is a heterogeneous social class that includes new rich, foreign bourgeois, fallen Grande Bourgeoisie, and long-standing bourgeois.