Throughout my life, I have gone through many changes, brought about many changes, and seen ideologies come and go among generations. Considering the fact that I am yet but 30, I find this to be rather unique situation I find myself in.
In all civilizations, there have been Caste systems in place. Whether rigidly enforced, or applied by economic, political, or geographical means, they have always existed. Even in todays society, a moderate caste system is in place. I was born in lower-middle or middle-middle class system. I have since strived to better myself, those around me, and those I have worked to help.
With the introduction of the Internet, a new breed of entrepreneur has been introduced, and has been given the ability to provide services and goods to a global marketplace, eliminating geographical isolation as a factor in economic growth. This global marketplace allows business persons to maintain that cutting edge growth potential, with the ability to control and maintain a high quality staff, something that was never possible before. This has provided an economic boom, and filled the coffers of countless, faceless entrepreneurs from all walks of life, with the means to better themselves and their living arrangements easier than ever thought possible. They are the nouveau-riche.
The nouveau-riche, unlike their financial equivalents (sometimes called “old-money”), are from a wide variety of backgrounds, and social circles, all intent upon improving their standard of living, and integrating into a new level of the caste system that was unobtainable before. This pushing through boundaries had provided for an interesting cross-section of cultures in society.
The cross-culture that was created has forced the lines drawn between the levels of a caste system to become very gray, and fuzzy, creating some harsh feelings by some and resentment by others. But the classical protagonist-antagonistic battle between the haves and the have-nots, maybe have shifted to a grudge match between the have-nots and the used-to-have-nots, still asking the question “what about me?”
For that question, there is no easy answer, only more questions as to who has social responsibilities, what happened to the Social conscious, and how does the social edification needed by society come about?
I, myself, would probably be considered nouveau-riche by some, rising from a lower middle background to my current place in society. But it has always been my philosophy that it isn’t where you are from, and it isn’t where you are going, it’s how you get there that really matters, and who you help along the way.