Kay Steiger blogs about the decline in wages since 2001 for college graduates. Figure A shows that both men and women college graduates are earning less than they did in 2001. The wage gap between women and men has decreased, but only because men’s wages have been falling. To top it off, Figure B shows that a lower percentage of college graduates are getting health insurance and pension coverage.
Might this be related to the shrinking middle class?
Via Matthew Yglesias.
For our sociologist and sociologically-inclined readers:
As Wicked Anomie asks, “Sociologist and American are mutually exclusive categories?” Who knew!
She also notes:
…did you also notice that bit about “real issues,” and how they and racial/ethnic issues are mutually exclusive? So, we have the broader category of issues, then we have subcategories of racial/ethnic and “real.”
Indeed.
Via contexts crawler.
I use this set of engagement ring ads, though any set would do, to illustrate the way in which ads have to sell much more than just the product. To sell an engagement ring, these ads also are selling: monogamy and the pair bond; marriage as the proper way to cement that bond; love, and love as a basis for marriage; the need for a symbol of commitment and a ring (a diamond ring specifically, apparently platinum preferably) as that symbol; men’s role as financial provider and decider (in that he buys the ring and proposes); the importance of the proposal (it needs to be a surprise and an event in itself); the importance of an expensive ring (i.e., “Does he know how much I really love him?”); and… what else?
Text: “When you can truly be yourselves. Your love has just gone Platinum.”
Text: “Tacori: A symbol of unending love”
Text: “Never compromise… when asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you.”
Text: “Platinum. For a lifetime of love. Platinum’s purity endows it with a natural white luster which allows the true radiance of your diamond to shine. As uncommon as true love, platinum is 35 times rarer than gold. Like the bond between you, platinum will hold your diamond securely now and for always.”
She asks: “Does he know how much I really love him?”
Under the image: “With love comes questions. The right diamond shouldn’t be one of them.”
Text: “For one moment the world is spinning around her.”
Here’s an ad for earrings that has the same message about love:
From the website of The Maid Brigade, a housecleaning service offering “green” cleaning services.
Who hires house cleaners (or as they put it, “who needs a maid?”)?
Who cleans houses?
When I went through the whole site I was able to find one picture of a white, non-Hispanic-appearing woman cleaning and one picture of a somewhat dark-skinned homeowner, but the overwhelming pattern is what you see here.
And no, there were no male maids. Do you really even have to ask?
Anyway, it’s an interesting example of class, the commodification of housework, and the ways that class and race separate women, such that upper-middle-class white women often free themselves from the second shift of housework by hiring other poorer, often non-white women to do it.
NEW! (Jan. ’10): Sara L. sent us another example:
Found here.
I found this Rolex ad in Metropolitan Home magazine. Pair with this ad series that plays on the idea of “generations” of class. Or this ad for Patek Philippe ads, also using the generations theme. Then compare to this Acura ad that ridicules “trust-fund,” old-money types. It could also lead to an interesting discussion about the ways in which we use the word “class” both as an economic group and as a personal characteristic (i.e., “She has class”) and the way “classiness” is here turned into something you can buy for yourself.
I found this ad in Rolling Stone and thought it was an interesting take on class. The text at the top says:
This isn’t trust-fund luxury. This is start-up, do-it-yourself, this is gonna be the next big thing luxury. A new generation has arrived.
At the bottom it says:
Introducing the all-new Acura TSX. Forget silver-haired luxury. This is modern, i-VTEC, ELS Surround Sound luxury. Luxury that innovates, with features like the most advanced on-screen weather information and alerts. And luxury that thrills, with an aggressive new body style, a re-tuned engine, and a sport-minded suspension. The TSX with Technology Package. It’s luxury for a whole new generation. See it at acura.com.
So they’re playing on the idea of the self-made man–he creates the “next big thing,” he “innovates.” And he’s young and “modern.” And “aggressive.” All in contrast to those who inherit wealth, who are “silver-haired” and, presumably, not aggressive or brave enough for this car. This could be useful for a discussion of social class, in particular the old-money/new-money divide, as well as different ideas of masculinity.
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