Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success. –Napoleon Hill
POVERTY MIDDLE CLASS WEALTHY
|
Possessions |
People |
Things |
One of a kind objects, legacies, pedigrees |
|
Money |
To be used, spent |
To be managed |
To be conserved, preserved, invested |
|
Personality |
Is for entertainment. A sense of humor is highly valued. |
Is for acquisition and stability. Achievement is highly valued. |
Is for connections. Financial, political, social connections are highly valued. |
|
Social Emphasis |
Social inclusion of the people they like |
Emphasis is on self-governance and self-sufficiency |
Emphasis is on social exclusion |
|
Food |
Key question: Did you have enough? Quantity important |
Key question: Did you like it? Quality important |
Key question: Was it presented well? Presentation important |
|
Clothing |
Clothing valued for the individual style and expression of personality |
Clothing valued for its quality and acceptance into the norm of middle class. Label important |
Clothing valued for its artistic sense and expression. Designer important |
|
Time |
Present most important. Decisions made for the moment based on feelings or survival |
Future most important. Decisions made against future ramifications. |
Traditions and past history most important. Decisions partially made on basis of tradition decorum |
|
Education |
Valued and revered as an abstract but not as a reality |
Crucial for climbing success ladder and making money |
Necessary tradition for making and maintaining connections |
|
Destiny |
Believe in fate. Cannot do much to mitigate chance. |
Believe in choice. Can change the future with good choices now. |
Noblesse oblige |
|
Language |
Casual register. Language is about survival |
Formal register. Language is about negotiation |
Formal register. Language is about connections |
|
Family Structure |
Tends to be matriarchal |
Tends to be patriarchal |
Depends on who has the money |
|
World View |
Sees the world in terms of local setting |
Sees the world in terms of national setting |
Sees the world in terms of an international view |
|
Love |
Love and acceptance unconditional, based upon whether or not an individual is liked |
Love and acceptance conditional and based largely on achievement |
Love and acceptance conditional and related to social standing and connections |
|
Driving Force |
Survival, relationships and entertainment |
Work and achieve |
Financial, political and social connections |
Taken from Chapter 3, “Hidden Rules Among the Classes” by Dr. Ruby Payne
About Wendi
I am an author and consultant with Dr. Ruby Payne’s group at aha! Process Inc. The grid you have shared includes some of Dr. Payne’s hidden rules of class. These are unspoken cues and habits that undergird class environments, and are only one part of a much larger body of work. Schools, organizations, employers and communities use the larger understanding to address not only individual efforts, but organizational culture and systemic change at all levels. Dr. Payne’s book, Hidden Rules of Class at Work is used by employers, and Bridges Out of Poverty, (Payne, DeVol, Dreussi-Smith) addresses both private and social sector structures and community initiatives. There are a growing number of community coalitions in the U.S. using Bridges Out of Poverty concepts as a poverty reduction tool. Within this rich experience and practice, many are using Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’ By World, a workgroup curriculum that has been shown to be an amazing and positive experience for building resources with individuals transitioning out of poverty. There is a process to build social capital between classes called “Circles”. You can access the full continuum of understanding class at ahaprocess.com.