In thinking about our discussion regarding Marx and his views of social hierarchies, I wanted to return to the idea of the "Binary Oppositions of the American Ruling Class". I think this juxtapositions are fascinating, especially in how they relate to wealth and achievement. The idea that social movement and success are tied to things like speed, relevancy, upward movement, and action are extremely capitalist concepts. These notions that success in society and a career require a person to work with such fury put a further emphasis on success being tied to financial achievement.
There is also an interesting comparison to the language of western societies versus eastern societies. Artist Yang Liu who was born in China but moved to Germany as a teenager, contracted minimalist visualizations of the contrast between the west (blue) and the east (red). Here are just a few of her images and their captions:
"Lifestyle: Independent vs. dependent"
"The boss"
"Problem-solving approach"
"Size of the individual's ego"
It's interesting to look at some of these comparisons with the ruling class binary. Where that system's binary seems to offer a preferred term/approach, these charts and their binaries are less absolute. From an American point of view, we're taught that the blue side is the way that things should be, because the best way to be successful is to advocate for yourself, tackle problems head on, and believe in yourself. With that mindset, the red side would seem weak; however, that would be completely ignoring the historical and cultural differences between the west and the east. Collective culture means that people are the most successful when they work as a part of a whole, and that's exactly what the red sign is illustrating. Is capitalism still the focus? Most likely. But the approach to achievement is different but not by any means wrong.
This idea that difference does not equal failure is something to keep in mind when examining the ruling class binary chart and trying to select which one is "right".
There is also an interesting comparison to the language of western societies versus eastern societies. Artist Yang Liu who was born in China but moved to Germany as a teenager, contracted minimalist visualizations of the contrast between the west (blue) and the east (red). Here are just a few of her images and their captions:
"Lifestyle: Independent vs. dependent"
"The boss"
"Problem-solving approach"
"Size of the individual's ego"
It's interesting to look at some of these comparisons with the ruling class binary. Where that system's binary seems to offer a preferred term/approach, these charts and their binaries are less absolute. From an American point of view, we're taught that the blue side is the way that things should be, because the best way to be successful is to advocate for yourself, tackle problems head on, and believe in yourself. With that mindset, the red side would seem weak; however, that would be completely ignoring the historical and cultural differences between the west and the east. Collective culture means that people are the most successful when they work as a part of a whole, and that's exactly what the red sign is illustrating. Is capitalism still the focus? Most likely. But the approach to achievement is different but not by any means wrong.
This idea that difference does not equal failure is something to keep in mind when examining the ruling class binary chart and trying to select which one is "right".
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