Hidden Values In Classes

POSSESSIONS
Poor:People.
Middle: Things.
Wealthy: One-of -a-kind objects, legacies, pedigrees.

MONEY
Poor: To be used, spent.
Middle: To be managed.
Wealthy: To be conserved, invested.

PERSONALITY
Poor: Is for entertainment. Sense of humor is highly valued.
Middle: Is for acquisition and stability. Achievement is highly valued.
Wealthy: Is for connections. Financial, political, social connections are highly valued.

SOCIAL EMPHASIS
Poor: Social inclusion of people he/she likes.
Middle: Emphasis is on self-governance and self-sufficiency.
Wealthy: Emphasis is on social exclusion.

FOOD
Poor: Key question: Did you have enough? Quantity important.
Middle: Key question: Did you like it? Quality Important.
Wealthy: Key question: Was it presented well? Presentation important.

CLOTHING
Poor: Clothing valued for individual style and expression of personality.
Middle: Clothing valued for its quality and acceptance into norm of middle class. Label important.
Wealthy: Clothing valued for its artistic sense and expression. Designer important.

TIME
Poor: Present most important. Decisions made for moment based on feelings or survival.
Middle: Future most important. Decisions made against future ramifications;
Wealthy: Traditions and history, most important. Decisions mode partially on basis of tradition and decorum.

EDUCATION
Poor: Valued and revered as abstract but not as reality.
Middle: Crucial for climbing success ladder and making money.
Wealthy: Necessary tradition for making and maintaining connections.

DESTINY
Poor: Believes in fate. Cannot do much to mitigate chance.
Middle: Believes in choice. Can change future with good choices now.
Wealthy: Noblesse oblige.

LANGUAGE
Poor: Casual register. Language is about survival.
Middle: Formal register. Language is about negotiation.
Wealthy: Formal register. Language is about networking.

FAMILY STRUCTURE
Poor: Tends to be matriarchal.
Middle: Tends to be patriarchal.
Wealthy: Depends on who has money.

WORLD VIEW
Poor:Sees world in terms of local setting
Middle: Sees world in terms of notional setting.
Wealthy: Sees world in terms of international view.

LOVE
Poor: Love and acceptance conditional based upon whether individual is liked.
Middle: Love and acceptance conditional and based largely upon achievement.
Wealthy: Love and acceptance conditional and related to social standing and connections.

DRIVING FORCES
Poor: Survival, relationships, entertainment.
Middle: Work, achievement.
Wealthy: Financial, political, social connections.

HUMOR
Poor: About people and sex.
Middle: About situations.
Wealthy: About social faux pas.


Source: Ruby Payne, A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc., 1996, pp. 42 - 43