Just show them a picture of a homeless person next to a beautiful celebrity and ask them with whom they’d like to hang out with.
Depending on their age they probably are already familiar with the concept without realizing it
Part of that is how friendly they are. Part is how pretty they are. Part is how smart they are and how able they are to help others. But part is how much they can afford to throw fancy parties, go to expensive schools, or get good health treatments.
The more friends you have, and the more friends your friends have, the more you can get done in society. If you want to start a business, get elected, or other things that require a lot of other people’s support, having lots of friends helps.
Sure it’s not fair. What you can do is figure out how to be a good friend to those around you and work well with others. This includes things called “allyship” and “solidarity” as well as just being nice to people and having useful skills.
That is much simpler and kid friendlier way than I could come up with. Kudos! A minor nitpick is that use the word friend implies that they are a peer, which in the case of role based status like a teacher doesn’t really fit.
I guess what I am looking for is a way to explain the double standard where its thought of as okay teacher or parent to yell but it is frowned upon if a kid does it.
I guess what I am looking for is a way to explain the double standard where its thought of as okay teacher or parent to yell but it is frowned upon if a kid does it.
Oh, well that’s not social status as such. It’s also “okay” in mainstream society for a police officer to yell at a corporate VP situationally, even though the VP has more buddies and more money and a better health plan and a hotter partner than the police officer does.
I would only if they ask me, or if I see a clear and worrying behavioral problem. Children should do as teachers say, within reason- if the teacher is abusing their position in any way, I don’t see how knowing social status helps a child. It’s more important they know their rights.
To answer the age part of your question at least, if the child understands what kings and princesses are about (very popular in children’s stories and play pretends, I’m not a royalist) then they are old enough to understand what social status is imo.
I never said that you do. I asked how you could explain it.
I think it would be very helpful to help a kid understand why some behaviors are only okay in certain contexts. IE It’s okay for a parent to yell at a kid but if a kid yells back they get in trouble. If a kid can understand that authority is not always justified, then it can help them by ensuring they don’t blindly follow authority figures when they are wrong or acting maliciously.
Sure, that’s why there is so much talk about fairness, and I mentioned it’s more important they know their rights. It’s easier to explain a child they need to be treated fairly by everyone, and/or that nobody has the right to touch their body if they don’t want to for example, than to go about explaining abuse of authority.
If you are after an ELI5 on social status I’d say it’s more like a ranking of likeability and authority. The more authority you hold, the higher your status, and the same goes for being likeable. If nobody likes you and you have no authority over anyone… or anything, then you are going to be very low in status.
Well first its not “social status” your describing but authority. Thats the word your looking for. I feel like authority is pretty cut and dry, those people have the ability to punish you if you don’t comply.
Have you ever considered that that is just an improper and wrong world view. Like literally what the fuck Are you actually out here judging people based on their jobs and or economic backgrounds and using that to decide how you interact with them. Everyone should be treated equally until they have proven they do not deserve to be treated with such a level of respect.
Have you ever considered that that is just an improper and wrong world view.
I agree that it is theoretically the wrong way to view the world. However it is how the world works, if you treat a cop like some people treat a service worker like a waiter you could easily be shot.
Are you actually out here judging people based on their jobs and or economic backgrounds and using that to decide how you interact with them
Personally, I do try avoid ranking others via social status but it is pervasive in society. If you don’t understand that people unfairly judge you based on your income, class, gender, role, or any other factor, it makes dealing with issues like sexism and racism a lot harder.
Seemed like it was more about how to react to authority and who has that authority in which situation. If some random dude told me to show my license and registration I’d ask him how that’s his business and to kindly leave me alone, if a cop asks that it’s a good idea to comply.
I’d differentiate between “social status” and “authority”.
Social status = social hierachy/worth inside a group, e.g. a class where you have “losers” and popular kids. Or inside a shop where sometimes employees serve people very differently regarding their appearance (Client with much money? Client looking poor?).
Authority = rolls given by system/government/laws, e.g. Police that have authority over citizens
The first is more invisible and vague, while the second is something that is tangible.
Thats at least my take :D
Also, your kid might already know these concepts, at least unconsciously. I’d try to teach them modesty and repaying kindness with kindness and not weighting the social status too much but also consider the personality. The most popular kids in class aren’t the kindest in most cases.
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