3 ms·

I think it's more along the lines of Katy's own sudden perceived elevation of status is jarring to her. "The wealthy" as a group come with a lot of stereotypes,

I think it's more along the lines of Katy's own sudden perceived elevation of status is jarring to her. "The wealthy" as a group come with a lot of stereotypes, responsibilities, & judgments. Katy doesn't think of herself as wealthy, but having hired help is generally a sign of considerable wealth in the USA. So, Katy is unsettled by how her social status seems to have changed out of the blue, and how she now needs to behave. Particularly, there is a pervasive stereotype of the wealthy mistreating or dehumanizing hired help, so any suddenly-wealthy middle class person is going to be panicking, "Oh shit, how do I not become that wealthy person, I've never done this before" I don't think judgement of the worker was even on the radar.

campers 12y ago
Good points, the discomfort as the article put it is a better way to describe it than inferior. Also true that not everyone feels comfortable in the elevated position of being able to afford to hire other people to do what they might consider menial tasks.
danans 12y ago
There's another, perhaps US-specific dimension to the discomfort: The self-sufficiency and egalitarianism of doing one's own chores used to be a note of middle class pride, at least in the once strong middle-class industrial areas of the country. These values were further facilitated by the post-war boom in home-labor saving appliances (washing machines, etc.) Many of us who grew up in such a cultural context have a more difficult relationship with others serving us, and we don't feel it gives us an increase in status, but rather it feels almost like a moral failing. Of course, with the ever busier nature of our lives and the availability of low-wage workers, it's quite hard to stick to those morals, hence the inner conflict. People I know who grew up in US cities or other countries where a significant service-employed underclass exists don't seem to have issues with being served. From what I've seen, being able to afford service labor in those places is actually a status symbol that people strive towards.

campers 12y ago

Good points, the discomfort as the article put it is a better way to describe it than inferior. Also true that not everyone feels comfortable in the elevated position of being able to afford to hire other people to do what they might consider menial tasks.

danans 12y ago

There's another, perhaps US-specific dimension to the discomfort: The self-sufficiency and egalitarianism of doing one's own chores used to be a note of middle class pride, at least in the once strong middle-class industrial areas of the country. These values were further facilitated by the post-war boom in home-labor saving appliances (washing machines, etc.) Many of us who grew up in such a cultural context have a more difficult relationship with others serving us, and we don't feel it gives us an increase in status, but rather it feels almost like a moral failing. Of course, with the ever busier nature of our lives and the availability of low-wage workers, it's quite hard to stick to those morals, hence the inner conflict. People I know who grew up in US cities or other countries where a significant service-employed underclass exists don't seem to have issues with being served. From what I've seen, being able to afford service labor in those places is actually a status symbol that people strive towards.