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Sociological Interactions In America

The world is full of cultural artifacts and archetypes. America provides primary examples of modern, rapidly-developing culture. The media, entertainment and social attitudes of a society are largely reflected in social artifacts. People project their thoughts and social relationships into their respective social circles. On a national scale, this means the projection of the most cherished and popular of these social theories, constructions or ideas. In this sense, the items provided below deliver hints about the operations and mechanics of contemporary American society.
Children’s toys are not often seen as symbols of social stratification and class divisions. Ironically, how much parents can invest in their childrens’ leisure tells the observer a lot about the status of the buyer. Not all parents can afford collectible toys or Power Wheels® for their children. Just as rich adults use cars and houses to express their riches, children’s relation to their parents’ wealth can be expressed in playthings.
Electric cars, train sets, motorized scooters all exemplify a wealthy lifestyle for a family. But, perhaps a better “toy indicator” of wealth are collectibles. Collectible dolls and play set parts are typically expensive to begin with. However, they have accessories, multiple parts and components. Only parents with a “respectable” income can afford these for their children. The item presented, the an antique GI-Joe set with figurines represents this kind of toy. The approximate cost is a few hundred dollars for the set: How does this personify social status? The answer is because it highlights a powerful social construction: materialism. In America, the wealth of an object is no longer the intrinsic value of that same object, but rather the amount one can accumulate. A poor family might be able to afford only one or a few of these toys, while a richer one might be able to purchase entire sets of them, which mount up to hundreds of dollars in costs.
The larger...