Changing social classes: How Barack did it; how Sarah didn't

By Conservative Professor via Buyer Behavior

I also teach marketing. Yesterday, in a consumer behavior class, I used Obama as an excellent example of how people can change social classes by 1) getting the right education -- Columbia/Harvard in his case; 2) pursuing an occupation with prestige -- Congressman, Senator; 3) living in the right type of house in the right location (that's why Obama HAD to get that Chicago mansion -- no matter what); and 4) earning a salary -- not wages -- with other sources of income (Obama didn't have investment income, so he wrote two books). As well, Obama had to move to a location where he did not have a history -- so that he could be a clean slate with his new-found credentials. Voila -- an upper-class, elite citizen.

As an aside -- so I told my students -- except for the occupation part, Sarah Palin failed on the other three requirements of social-class change, and she never really changed locations. She is Governor in the same state she was PTA president. So, the elite media was never going to give her a pass -- according to them, she's just plain old middle class, despite her election as Governor of Alaska.