What is class-passing?

**Joseph Chance** (0:04)
What is class passing?
Thanks for asking.
Everybody loves a rags to riches story, but the reality is social mobility is far from easy. Class passers are those who manage to successfully improve their status and navigate their new life as part of a higher socioeconomic group. To understand class passing, let's first discuss the idea of social classes. Within our societies, people are divided according to factors like their family background, education, wealth, occupation, and income. Most commonly, these categories are described as the lower, middle, and upper classes. A person's life path and opportunities are often defined by their social background. For example, just 26 percent of poorer school pupils in the UK went on to higher education in 2017, compared to 44 percent among their better off peers.
Is there a surefire way to climb the social ladder, or do I just need to hope for a lucky break? Social climbing doesn't just happen overnight for most people. There are a number of routes, like higher education, work, marriage, or moving abroad, for example. However, in some cases, people join the world of the rich and famous in a sudden fashion. Think of actors and sports stars who often emerge from obscurity to be thrust into the limelight. Public figures like Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, and Britney Spears have been referred to as class passers because they claim different socioeconomic classes as their own. Class passers often talk about their embarrassment or shame at not fully fitting into their new class. This is known as class neurosis, and it can have a deep psychological impact. They may struggle to learn certain codes or unspoken conventions which convince others they belong, like how to hold cutlery, where to go on holiday, or what kind of clothes to wear. At the same time, they may also be seen as traitors by their original class. Shouldn't class passers be proud to have made it? Well, that's the optimistic way of looking at things, seeing society as a meritocracy.
In the United States, much of the population still believes in the American dream, which suggests there are no limits to what anyone can achieve if they work hard and put their minds to it. While class passers are sometimes cited as proof of this, in reality they are the exception rather than the rule. Research has shown that in addition to starting out at a disadvantage, poor people are less confident in their ability to succeed. On the other hand, their wealthier counterparts are more likely to feel entitled and self-confident. This helps to maintain the status quo, making it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Social mobility has been slowing since the 1990s, and equality is actually on the rise. It's feared that the COVID-19 pandemic could further widen the gap between rich and poor. There you have it.
Now you know what class passing is. In under three minutes, we answer your questions. What would you like to know about? Use the comments section to ask your questions on the podcast platform.