Why does society hate lower class persons?

[Ainland]

In the UK (where the class system is very different, dated, often complex, and not always tied to money), the majority are 'working class'. Middle class really means quite wealthy (inherited), private education, etc. But you often hear people be very proud of being working class. Especially those who have made it to well paid professions, such as celebrities, or doctors or solicitors, senior management, will often tell you proudly that they are working class.

[Astral Traveller]

I think OP's opinion is based on assumptions. ''Poor people'' are the majority, if not the biggest minority, of society. It would make poor people have self-hatred and I doubt this is the case. I also find it highly unlikely ''society'' hates poor people. Individual opinions do not reflect the whole of society.

[Adamede]

I think OP's opinion is based on assumptions. ''Poor people'' are the majority, if not the biggest minority, of society. It would make poor people have self-hatred and I doubt this is the case. I also find it highly unlikely ''society'' hates poor people. Individual opinions do not reflect the whole of society.

The poor aren’t a monolith. They’re a collection of different cultural and pork so forums that don’t all get along just because they’re in a similar financial boat.

[Astral Traveller]

I think OP's opinion is based on assumptions. ''Poor people'' are the majority, if not the biggest minority, of society. It would make poor people have self-hatred and I doubt this is the case. I also find it highly unlikely ''society'' hates poor people. Individual opinions do not reflect the whole of society.

The poor aren’t a monolith. They’re a collection of different cultural and pork so forums that don’t all get along just because they’re in a similar financial boat.

Yes, this is the case as well. But being poor can be roughly defined as having less than average income. Again it begs the question of whether society hates poor people.

[Adamede]

The poor aren’t a monolith. They’re a collection of different cultural and pork so forums that don’t all get along just because they’re in a similar financial boat.

Yes, this is the case as well. But being poor can be roughly defined as having less than average income. Again it begs the question of whether society hates poor people.

Over all I wouldn’t say it hates them but they’re looked down upon. And certain poor groups are hated/detested, or at best the but of jokes by society.

[Astral Traveller]

Yes, this is the case as well. But being poor can be roughly defined as having less than average income. Again it begs the question of whether society hates poor people.

Over all I wouldn’t say it hates them but they’re looked down upon. And certain poor groups are hated/detested, or at best the but of jokes by society.

What defines society? All people in a country? Do all non-poor people look down upon poor people? A majority, minority? And if certain poor groups are being looked down upon is it because of their lack of financial means, or other factors? Again, OP has an assumption in his question which is problematic.

[Saiwania]

I think OP's opinion is based on assumptions. ''Poor people'' are the majority, if not the biggest minority, of society. It would make poor people have self-hatred and I doubt this is the case. I also find it highly unlikely ''society'' hates poor people. Individual opinions do not reflect the whole of society.

Most people aren't poor unless we're talking globally speaking. But in a developed economy, most people are middle or working class. Which is only differentiated by if the job they're working is more blue or white collar in terms of tasks. There is only the illusion that there are more poor people because more people on average, have been able to become rich or upper class, or became poorer because their skills/prospects lost out during the era of globalization and neoliberalism, and such people now have to do something else as a career or to take something that pays less. It also doesn't help that wealth became more concentrated (at least in the US and perhaps some other developed nations).

If there is any hatred of the poorest people in society, it is simply because they're seen as a tax burden or are a social issue that's too difficult and complex to actually solve. It is just out of frustration that such people can't or won't carry their own weight, whatever the reasons might be.

[Postauthoritarian America]

If we're talking about US Capitalist society, then it's because we all know that we're one medical emergency, job loss or natural disaster away from becoming just like them. The disgust and disdain is a defensive reaction.

[Sundiata]

Most poor people are being failed because we've got a society that doesn't value service over amassing money. We don't praise acts of service enough. We complain about the greedy bourgeoisie but when a capitalist does something kind our society doesn't lavish them with praise. Instead we praise the worst parts of their character, their greed and excessive displays of wealth.

We love our greedy millionaires and billionaires, praise them for it, and then complain that there's no good billionaires out there. You want a compassionate society? You want merciful society? Then don't praise the devil and complain when you live in hell.

Changing the conditions of the lower class means that we've got to praise those who give to the poor instead. Unfortunately, our values are so broken that we convince ourselves it's not our fault.

People who serve the poor don't even cross our radar. There's people who do and have done so much excellent work for the poor but they just don't register because they're not flashy or obnoxious.

The truth is, our society doesn't want rich people who serve them. They want rich people who are cruel, narcissistic, lacking in virtue, rich people who ignore their pleas for help. The moment a rich man is kind to the poor, culturally, he means less to us. Our society sees him as lesser. We ignore him, or worse, mock him.

Don't praise and reward sociopathic behavior then turn around and complain when you get treated like trash by people with more money than you.

[Greater Cesnica]

It's not society. It's the state and the upper class that act in concert with authority that hold contempt for anyone below them, but especially the lower class.

[Sundiata]

It's not society. It's the state and the upper class that act in concert with authority that hold contempt for anyone below them, but especially the lower class.

It's all classes of people.

[The Lone Alliance]

A lot more young people are being signed on as contractors. They work for themselves and see their path forward as a consultant of some kind or others. The pattern is different than working class. More jobs are creative, there was not as extensive of a "creative class" than before. They don't see themselves as working class. Information workers are service workers. The identity is different. The whole concept of a working class is shattering with increasing automation.

And unfortunately this comes with an elitist view that the working class are backwards and unenlightened and they should just "Learn to code" like the rest of them.

It's ironic that it leads to people who would normally subscribe to progressive social values to adopt a "Bootstraps" mindset.