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0What does it take to be a class passer?
Everybody loves a rags to riches story, but the reality is social mobility is far from easy. Class passers are those who manage to successfully improve their status and navigate their new life as part of a higher socioeconomic group.
To understand class passing, let's first discuss the idea of social classes. Within our societies, people are divided according to factors like their family background, education, wealth, occupation and income. Most commonly, these categories are described as the lower, middle and upper classes.
A person's life path and opportunities are often defined by their social background. For example, just 26% of forest school pupils in the UK went on to higher education in 2017. Compared to 44% among their better-off peers.
Is there a surefire way to climb the social ladder? Or do I just need to hope for a lucky break?
Social climbing doesn't just happen overnight for most people. There are a number of routes, like higher education, work, marriage, or moving abroad, for example. However, in some cases, people join the world of the rich and famous in a sudden fashion.
Think of actors and sports stars who often emerge from obscurity to be thrust into the limelight, public figures like Oprah Winfrey, Donald Tr.ump, and Britney Spears have been referred to as class passers because they claim different socioeconomic classes as their own.
Class passers often talk about their embarrassment or shame at not fully fitting into their new class. This is known as class neurosis. And it can have a deep psychological impact. They may struggle to learn certain codes or unspoken conventions which convince others they belong, like how to hold cutlery, where to go on holiday, or what kind of clothes to wear. At the same time, they may also be seen as traitors by their original class.
Shouldn't class passers be proud to have made it?
Well, that's the optimistic way of looking at things—seeing society as a meritocracy. In the United States, much of the population still believes in the American dream, which suggests there are no limits to what anyone can achieve if they work hard and put their minds to it. While class passers are sometimes cited as proof of this, in reality, they are the exception rather than the rule.
Research has shown that in addition to starting out at a disadvantage, more people are less confident in their ability to succeed. On the other hand, their wealthier counterparts are more likely to feel entitled and self-confident. This helps to maintain the status quo, making it a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Social mobility has been slowing since the 1990s, and equality is actually on the rise. It's feared that the COVID-19 pandemic could further widen the gap between rich and poor. There you have it.
词汇表
a rags to riches story [ræɡz] 白手起家的故事，从贫穷到富有的故事
social mobility [məʊˈbɪləti] 社会流动性，社会阶层流动
class passer 阶层跨越者（成功提升社会地位并融入更高阶层的人）
navigate [ˈnævɪɡeɪt] vt. 驾驭，成功应对，顺利处理
socioeconomic [ˌsəʊsiəʊiːkəˈnɒmɪk] adj. 社会经济的
class passing 阶层跨越
better-off adj. 境况较好的，更富裕的
surefire way [ˈʃʊəfaɪə(r)] 万全之策，可靠的方法，绝对有效的方法
lucky break 好运，意外的机遇
in a sudden fashion 突然地，以突然的方式
obscurity [əbˈskjʊərəti] n. 默默无闻，无名
be thrust into the limelight [θrʌst][ˈlaɪmlaɪt] 被推到聚光灯下，成为公众焦点
class neurosis [njʊˈrəʊsɪs] 阶层神经症（因无法完全融入新阶层而产生的焦虑或羞耻感）
code [kəʊd] n. 行为规范，规矩
unspoken conventions 不成文的惯例，默认的规矩
cutlery [ˈkʌtləri] n. 餐具（刀、叉、勺等）
traitor [ˈtreɪtə(r)] n. 背叛者，叛徒
meritocracy [ˌmerɪˈtɒkrəsi] n. 精英统治，精英管理制度
counterpart [ˈkaʊntəpɑːt] n. 对应的人或物，地位对等者
entitled [ɪnˈtaɪtld] adj. 有资格的，自以为应得的，有优越感的
self-fulfilling prophecy [ˈprɒfəsi] 自我实现的预言（因相信某种结果而导致其成真）
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