Interesting...
Was doing some work for my intern class, and we were reading material by and about Dr. Ruby Payne, who puts a great emphasis on the different social skills and expectations of the different socio-economic levels. She points out that schools are a middle class institution, and that children from a family that has been in poverty for several generations often don't understand the expectations of the school environment. I found the mini quiz under the cut below moderately fascinating...
Could you survive in poverty? Check each item that applies.
I know how to ...
_____ find the best rummage sales.
_____ locate grocery stores’ garbage bins that have thrown-away food.
_____ bail someone out of jail.
_____ physically fight and defend myself.
_____ get a gun, even if I have a police record.
__x__ keep my clothes from being stolen at the laundromat.
_____ sniff out problems in a used car.
__x__ live without a checking account.
__x__ manage without electricity and a phone. I could... wouldn't want to, but could.
__x__ entertain friends with just my personality and stories. Come on, we're broke college students. What do you THINK we do?
_____ get by when I don’t have money to pay the bills.
__x__ move in half a day. Haven't had to do it myself, but have helped someone else do it.
_____ get and use food stamps.
_____ find free medical clinics.
__x__ get around without a car.
__x__ use a knife as scissors Yay for things learned in the bakery. What the hell kind of grocery store dosn't have scissors?
Could you survive in middle class? Check each item that applies.
I know how to ...
__x__ get my children into Little League, piano lessons, and soccer.
__x__ set a table properly.
__x__ find stores that sell the clothing brands my family wears.
__x__ order comfortably in a nice restaurant.
__x__ use a credit card, checking and/or savings account.
_____ evaluate insurance: life, disability, 20/80 medical, homeowners, and personal-property.
__x__ talk to my children about going to college.
_____ get the best interest rate on my car loan.
_____ explain the differences among the principal, interest, and escrow statements on my house payment.
__x__ help my children with homework and don’t hesitate to make a call if I need more information.
__x__ decorate the house for each holiday.
__x__ get a library card.
__x__ use the different tools in the garage.
__x__ repair items in my house almost immediately after they break, or I know a repair service and call it.
Could you survive in wealth?
Check each item if you …
_____ can read a menu in French, English and another language.
_____ have favorite restaurants in different countries around the world.
_____ know how to hire a professional decorator to help decorate your home during the holidays.
_____ can name your preferred financial advisor, lawyer, designer, hairdresser and domestic- employment service.
_____ have at least two homes that are staffed and maintained.
_____ know how to ensure confidentiality and loyalty with domestic staff.
_____ use two or three “screens” that keep people whom you don’t wish to see away from you.
_____ fly in your own plane, the company plane, or the Concorde.
_____ know how to enroll your children in the preferred private schools.
_____ are on the boards of at least two charities.
_____ know the hidden rules of the Junior League.
_____ support or buy the work of a particular artist.
_____ know how to read a corporate balance sheet and analyze your own financial statements.
Ok, so now we know that Karen would run screaming if she had to function as wealthy. I'll stick to middle class, thanks.
The various articles were quite interesting as well, if anyone's interested I'll dig up the links.
Could you survive in poverty? Check each item that applies.
I know how to ...
_____ find the best rummage sales.
_____ locate grocery stores’ garbage bins that have thrown-away food.
_____ bail someone out of jail.
_____ physically fight and defend myself.
_____ get a gun, even if I have a police record.
__x__ keep my clothes from being stolen at the laundromat.
_____ sniff out problems in a used car.
__x__ live without a checking account.
__x__ manage without electricity and a phone. I could... wouldn't want to, but could.
__x__ entertain friends with just my personality and stories. Come on, we're broke college students. What do you THINK we do?
_____ get by when I don’t have money to pay the bills.
__x__ move in half a day. Haven't had to do it myself, but have helped someone else do it.
_____ get and use food stamps.
_____ find free medical clinics.
__x__ get around without a car.
__x__ use a knife as scissors Yay for things learned in the bakery. What the hell kind of grocery store dosn't have scissors?
Could you survive in middle class? Check each item that applies.
I know how to ...
__x__ get my children into Little League, piano lessons, and soccer.
__x__ set a table properly.
__x__ find stores that sell the clothing brands my family wears.
__x__ order comfortably in a nice restaurant.
__x__ use a credit card, checking and/or savings account.
_____ evaluate insurance: life, disability, 20/80 medical, homeowners, and personal-property.
__x__ talk to my children about going to college.
_____ get the best interest rate on my car loan.
_____ explain the differences among the principal, interest, and escrow statements on my house payment.
__x__ help my children with homework and don’t hesitate to make a call if I need more information.
__x__ decorate the house for each holiday.
__x__ get a library card.
__x__ use the different tools in the garage.
__x__ repair items in my house almost immediately after they break, or I know a repair service and call it.
Could you survive in wealth?
Check each item if you …
_____ can read a menu in French, English and another language.
_____ have favorite restaurants in different countries around the world.
_____ know how to hire a professional decorator to help decorate your home during the holidays.
_____ can name your preferred financial advisor, lawyer, designer, hairdresser and domestic- employment service.
_____ have at least two homes that are staffed and maintained.
_____ know how to ensure confidentiality and loyalty with domestic staff.
_____ use two or three “screens” that keep people whom you don’t wish to see away from you.
_____ fly in your own plane, the company plane, or the Concorde.
_____ know how to enroll your children in the preferred private schools.
_____ are on the boards of at least two charities.
_____ know the hidden rules of the Junior League.
_____ support or buy the work of a particular artist.
_____ know how to read a corporate balance sheet and analyze your own financial statements.
Ok, so now we know that Karen would run screaming if she had to function as wealthy. I'll stick to middle class, thanks.
The various articles were quite interesting as well, if anyone's interested I'll dig up the links.