The philosophical laboratory of retail....and other surreal musings.

Retail is a curious world. I have had the (mis)fortune of working in this field for the last 14 years, which for some may be insane...myself included. However as I enter my 15th year of "serving" the raw masses I can't help but reflect on what I have learned. Unlike the "focused public" (which is a group that enters an establishment with a goal in mind (i.e. bookstores tend to draw in more intellectual people) the "raw public" focused store tends to draw in people from all walks of life; truly a sociologist's dream. I have worked in stores that have both an upper-middle class and a poorer class to them...which makes things even more interesting. Overall, I really believe that one can learn just as much at work as they can anywhere else...you just have to look for the lessons yourself as there is no syllabi to direct you.

I decided to put most things in point form for both brevity and to entice discussion. I don't intend for most of these points to be negative in nature; the reader may have a different interpretation of what is meant by these different points. I will add points to the post from time to time as well as answer any replies if possible...I will probably post in short bursts as opposed to a lengthy rant. I think that it would be kind of neat if people actually expand on some of the points either supporting or disproving said point. Some points aren't meant as generalizations, but are just little things that I noticed....any thoughts would be welcome.

There are a few reasons why I keep the public at arms reach (pushing outward). Hopefully some of these points will help to explain why there are quite a few retail workers that are of similar mind. Working with the public is tiresome. Even moreso with the raw public. If one is an introvert, dealing with people is draining anyway, much less dealing with strangers. However we do all have to be social at some point, so working with the public is a way for some of us to get our social fix and then return to the proverbial cave. That being said, if the person that escaped from Plato's cave worked in retail....he might seriously consider going back. So from my cave to yours...here it is.

1.People in the middle class tend to be far more judgemental than people in the lower classes; however people in the lower classes tend to care less about what others think of them
I don't know why this is, but I noticed that more of the lower class is more "as is" than people of the upper middle classes. Who knows maybe the middle class person might see someone from their church. Better get dressed up just in case. I think this is in part due to the probability that the lower class would be more understanding of their fellow classmates. After all, two people on disability are probably making the same amount...what is there to judge. On the other side, the middle class perhaps has more to lose with a lowering social standing if they go out in their PJs perhaps? Which brings me to my next point....


2.People in the middle class suffer from anxiety more than the lower classes...which likely suffer from depression.
More to lose? Anxious about whether or not they are going to keep their job? Will they be forced to go out in their PJs if they become poor?

Great to see this, Dave! I have always enjoyed conserving with you about the sociological microcosm that are "unfocused" retail stores.

I agree with your observations on the Middle Class (MC). When you are 'middle class', especially lower-middle , the terrors of returning to poverty are very real - and being socially mistaken for 'lower class' is a step towards returning there. The Middle-Class has something to lose (and no bail-outs are waiting them unlike the upper classes).

The MC believe capitalism works because it momentarily worked for them and thus tend to be heavy believers in the 'Protestant Work Ethic' that was beaten into them from early ages. Those who are poor will always be seen by many MCs as being immoral - though the 'poor=immoral' equation is at the heart of much modern Protestantism.

When a MC looks at a LC they see an hedonistic Id-driven Child and fearing that their own inner Id/Child might be bolstered by seeing this, they quickly engage their inner SuperEgo Parent and pass harsh moral judgement. The idea that larger economic forces might actually be a major determinate of social wealth is not really considered (there is a high to being morally judgmental, while abstract reasoning does not give an immediate ego boost).

The Petit-Bourgeoisie (small-business MC people, MC professionals and better-off farmers) has long be recognized as a fairly right-wing social strata and unfortunately North American media has lionized this class to the point that their 'scapegoat' politics have become the norm (Kill Welfare-Queens! More Prisons! More Whippings!).

This is not often noted but right-wing politicians like Ron Regan, Mike Harris, Steve Harper were outsiders to the traditional elite ruling-classes (including Wall-Street & Bay Street to some degree), they core mass appeal was to the dark-side of the Petit-Bourgeoisie: More spanking for the poor! More spanking for the poor's liberal enablers!

I often think of Max Weber when I go to work. The store is often dead on Sundays and I am sure Neitzsche is rolling in his grave except for the stat that religious attendance is on the decline in the west.

As for the whippings and otherwize BDSM like thought processes, I often chalk up that to conservative-like mentality. Perhaps a power (or lack of) trip that is striving to be released....or maybe they are trapped in the first circuit.

I often think that because the lower class often (in my experience) care less of what others think of them is what entices the media to make them the scapegoats in the political arena. It is absolutely true that the MC are trapped in an anxiety cul de sac....or whirlpool as they are focused more on their anxieties than they are branching outward.

Here are a couple more points:

Poor people are more apt to be social to strangers than their wealthier counterparts
Perhaps trying to increase their social net or trying to feel more human. I often think that the middle class often avoids the lower class because they either (a) dont want to be constantly bombarded with requests for help or they (b) see them as sub-human or incapable somehow...I think perhaps a little of both.

Civil servants dont want you to know that they work for the government after hours
I am not sure why this is, but everytime a civil servant walks into the store with a necklace nametag on they instantly turn it around. When I went to talk to someone that didnt turn their nametag around once, they instantly tucked it inside their shirt as if they were caught with their pants down. It happens so often that for the longest time I thought that it was policy. Again I wonder if it is because they dont want to be bombarded with questions about their job or they have an us vs them mentality when it comes to the government.

Most important of all....NEVER ASSUME
There have been many times that a dingy older man (per se) comes into the store only to pull out a wad of bills the size of my fist in order to pay for a pack of cigarettes while there have been a few times that the MC and UMC have had their purchases declined due to insufficient funds (yes we do see it on our screen). There was a bank worker that used to come into one of my stores for lunch who said once that one would be surprised as to how little is in some MC and UMC accounts. I myself am not surprised.

A higher number of domestic crimes are comitted in rich neighbourhoods...often times higher than in poor neighbourhoods.
More than one paramedic has told me that one. Stress from the market going down perhaps or maybe the wife decided to go out in her PJs one fine day.

The Poor are more likely to be 3 day millionaires while the MC will spend throughout he month...both often lead to the same result
I assume you know what I am talking about when I say 3 day millionaires. Well the middle class will tend to do that too, except that they spend their money on the same items that cost more money (brand loyalty)...I am not saying that all people in said classes do this, but overall if it is there regardless of class it will be spent; parsimony is no longer a virtue.

That is it for now....I will have more later.

BTW I agree totally that people like their quick fix for being morally judgemental...perhaps this ties in somehow with the instant gratification that we have all been conditioned to accept. We are all guilty of it to some extent, but at least for myself I do my best to catch myself doing it and correct myself afterwards.

And a few more while I have a couple of minutes:

By and large, poorer people are far more resiliant and adaptable than other classes which appear more entitled
Probably out of necessity and experience; you either graduate from the school of hard knocks or you dont....the latter has more severe personal consequences it seems.

Oddly enough (the jury is still out)...middle class people seem to lie more and are better at it
I can elaborate on this later, but if a transaction is NSF then you are more likely to get a story from a MC and UMC person then you would from a lower class person who wouuld more than likely say that they are broke until payday. I guess if you live in a pseudo-realistic world it is important to keep up appearances.


....more later

Although I agree with most of the points you have made I would disagree that a higher number of domestic crimes happen in wealthier neighbourhoods. From what I saw in the ER there would be a significantly higher number of domestic crimes in people of LC. Some of this maybe a result of higher levels of addiction and probably mental illness, both of which often lead to a significantly lowered income and especially with addiction lead to more domestic crimes.

Also I don't know that I would say poorer people are more resilient and adaptable than other classes. I would think that a lot of this has more to do with personality than class. Some people will feel sorry for themselves regardless of what is happening and others will take whatever is given to them. I am not sure this is a can be attributed to class.

However, I agree with everything else you have said here. There does appear to be certain traits that tend to manifest themselves by class.

Excellent observations, Dave. I'm enjoying this.

On the domestic violence question: I know MC people are less likely to call the police over domestics because of social embarrassment - thus such crimes are under-reported in police records; so ER/paramedic anecdotes are nice to have.

One counter-intuitive fact I discovered in MC v. LC domestic assaults is that LC females often have stronger social networks and have their own jobs which makes them less dependent on males then their MC counterparts. In fact, in some inner city LC neighborhoods males are the typical victim of domestic abuse not the female.

Also with domestic violence the MC has more available resources perhaps. If someone wanted to leave a domestic violence situation they may have the resources for a hotel or another place to leave where with LC they may be more likely to use a shelter and as you mentioned the MC crime would go unreported.

Just from my experience in healthcare I would say LC have a higher number of domestic violence cases (but could be again under reported MC crimes). I can certainly say I have witnessed verbal abuse to be more common in the LC both towards family members and staff.

One thing that I was pondering is whether or not the term domestic violence can be agreed upon by everyone in society. Would the middle class be dismissive on an instance of domestic violence out of embarrassment or just not see it as an instance of domestic violence.

Regardless, the radio here constantly has ads about domestic violence and what can be done to prevent it....I could take it to mean that a few people up top have fianlly conceded that the economy is shit being the root cause....but that would be too optimistic.

I agree with you both that a large number of DV cases go unreported by both sides. An unfortunate reality, but nothing is new under the sun as the saying goes.

I managed to pick up a copy of Eliot Aronson's The Social Animal and its compendium. Instead of lying, I think the middle class uses more of a self justification mechanism to reinforce held beliefs and norms....more on that later.

On this, and generally speaking, the middle class is about holding up appearances whether or not they can actually sustain it. Any dissonance is expressed in a number of ways it seems, domestic violence being one of them. There is nothing wrong with wanting some sort of structure, but if the proverbial ship is sinking maybe it is time not only to look for another boat to travel on, but to build your own.

As far as adaptability and class goes, perhaps I misspoke here. I meant to say that the poorer class seems to be able to handle more setbacks better than if the same thing were to happen to a middle class person. (e.g. a poorer person getting evicted will likely handle that situation better than if a MC person gets their house foreclosed on.) I agree with you that it is based on personality....but personality is varied and created through a variety of circumstances with economics being only one of them. It all boils down to the software they are programmed with (or choose to program themselves with) as well as the hardware they are wired with.

I might leave the economic / class genre for a moment and give you a couple more points that are of worth...again always up for discussion.

People who are overly friendly tend to be hiding something...which is likely a higher rate of mental illness (i.e. depression)

Natives don't commit as many crimes as society believes
I have never had any problems with native people be they sober or drunk...well there was this one guy that kept bumming a smoke off of me about 5 years ago.