Michael R. H. Swanson, Ph. D.
Office GHH 215
Hours: M: 9:30 11:00 T, Th 11:00-12:00
Phone: (254) 3230
Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz.
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends.
So oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz
Oh lord won't you buy me a color TV.
Dialing for dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until 3.
So oh lord won't you buy me a color TV.
Oh lord won't you buy me a night on the town.
I'm counting on you lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round.
Oh lord won't you buy me a night on the town.
Everybody....
Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends.
So oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz.
Today, we'll turn our attention to the other end of the social spectrum and take our first look at the upper and upper-upper classes. Chapter 9, will take a look at consumerism, and changing habits of consumption. Keeping up with the Jones was a phrase which originated in England--the idea being to show that one's social class was better than one's neighbors through the clothes one wore, the baubles, bangles, and beads, etc.
The chapter indicates that as time goes by the use of consumption to demonstrate one's upper class position has not changed. The old cartoon, below, shows what happens when one tries to outdo the Joneses Click on it to see the book, courtesy of Internet Archive.
Several years ago, which I taught this course I had a student who actually had lived in Alpharetta Georgia, In addition to reading this chapter, I'd like to you to a little snooping around. Below the map is a list of "neighborhoods" in Alpharetta, Georgia--a stopping place on the life journey of those Class Matters calls the "relo class". Click on the map to reach Alpharetta on Google Maps. The table below the map will take you to the City-Data Page for Alpharetta. Here's what I'd like to have you do (I'll try to demonstrate in class). First Click on the general Alpharetta Map. Use the link at the top of the list. You'll notice that there is data about recent home sales and home prices. See if you can find some interesting houses or streets on Google Maps. "Exclusive" neighborhoods tend to have less streets included, but you may get lucky. You'll be able to spot some photographs, at least. Put these among your resources.
This week and part of next we'll conclude our look at the uppers, the upper-uppers, and the very upper-upper uppers. For the conclusion, we'll look at a film of some young people, Born Rich. This will happen a week from Monday if all goes according to plan