Comments on "Class: by Pria Pria Viswalingam

This was first aired in 2002 and I found a copy at my school library on video. It was interesting to watch it now and see how much hasn't changed....

See here for the link about the series Class
4 Part Documentary Series aired on SBS in 2002

I made some notes:

Ep. 1 - The Establishment

Originally the power brokers/holders - upper class/elite in Australia were the squattocracy - those who owned land. They have now almost entirely lost this power and it have been superseded by those in the corporate world. Formerly this elite - where rigid hierarchies existed, were the models - offered a standard for society. The farmers who came to Australia may not have been rich but they were given land and were able to make sizable incomes from agricultural pursuits. Now, the way of the land is that you need to get bigger, get out or diversify (into tourism for example) to exist. The power of old money has shifted to new money. And the funny thing is, is the new money is going back to the country....sea change etc.

Status is now related to success - money can make success easier - Sir Laurence Street (Ep.1)

Hawke - it is counterproductive to try for equality, but rather you should strive for equality of opportunity (Ep.1)

Sol Encel (Sociologist/UNSW) - no tradition of philanthropy in Australia (unlike America) the giving back the the community that is expected of those in the elite.

Episode 2 - Arts & Kulcha

New money apes old money - through symbols, behaviour, possessions (antiques), cultural pursuits (e.g. ballet/opera)

Interesting interview with catering staff who said that people generally fell into the following categories:
Rich/Elite - used to service/expectation of service - treated staff well
Nouveau Riche - rude and dismissive of staff
Working/Middle class - embarrassed by being served

Being in a class is like being a member of a club - a common language is understood between the members - it operates to include and exclude. There is a value in products because there is a secret language regarding them (e.g. Hermes handbags, Ferrari cars etc)

Rowena Danziger (Ascham School) - Behaviour indicates class. Sense of 'false egalitarianism' - in Australia - 'manners don't matter, presentation doesn't matter, dress doesn't matter' - by modeling this or extolling this we are actually being condescending.

Traditional Aboriginal culture - power and authority were clearly defined but not by economic means. No rich and poor - high and low status, but now class is more defined by the dollar. High status leaders distributed/shared with lower status individuals/groups - but now the lines are blurry because individuals can purchase their own goods.
Indigenous people are effectively outside the class system and have suffered because of it - underclass?

David Williamson - "ethics of individualism is the prime culprit' for the state of society - increasing anxiety and decreasing happiness.

Ep. 3 - Corporate

The key to social mobility is through education but the inequality is growing larger.

Private schools in Australia's past had a sense of value - in the sense that some people sent their children to private schools even for just one year so that it could be on their record (p.s My grandparents wanted to send me to a private school for my final two years of school - I refused, after attending state schools all my school life). It was seen as an investment. Now qualifications/grades/exams are more a determinant of success.

Private schools - students inherit their class positions.

Private schools - Traditon / Values / Duty / Facilities
Very strong emphasis from those involved in private schools talking about developing the 'whole person' - personal and social values.

• Increasing importance of cultural activities
• Increasing importance of academic achievement
• Decreasing importance of sport - macho image
• Increasing importance of extra-curricular activities (ps. this can still be divisive in that not all students attending these fee paying schools can afford to attend all the EC activities esp when they involved overseas travel etc)

Development and maintenance of cliques - this can then move straight to the workplace or similar codes can determine such cliques according to background/class/education etc, Old boys clubs, etiquette and manners, codes and symbols.

Dr Janet McCalman
If you fail at school you are not valued. It used to be that if you did fail, at least you had your physical prowess...but this is no longer valued. There is no place for young men in this case.
Marriage - people not getting married - Working Class Young Men & High Achieving Middle Class Women.

It is certainly interesting that Australia prides itself on the 'fair go' and egalitarian ideals, but it seems more an more obvious that we are following the US model where individuals are punished or exalted for their success on the basis of very individualized behaviours. The cult of individualism means that if you are successful, you worked hard to get where you are and deserve it, but if you have not achieved all you should have achieved, you are to blame - this idea comes into play in this documentary but also in Status Anxiety (Alain de Botton). I don't believed in the 'victim mentality' - you have to take responsibility for yourself, but it is ridiculous to believe that some people don't have a better start (middle and end) than others. The aim should be to raise the bar higher not put the bar in the middle and divided society into two halves - the haves and have nots.
There is an embedded class system in Australia and in terms of education, the division is getting wider. When you consider, as a friend of mine said, that in Canada, the overwhelming majority of students attend public school (and they are well funded) and education is considered a high priority, you wonder what we are doing...to be further investigated.