How TV Frames the Working Class

View the film Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class.

The video uses 3 specific dimensions to measure social class. Be sure that you can define each. Do these dimensions sound closer to Karl Marx or Max Weber perspectives on inequality? Explain your answer.

Economic class Political Class Cultural Class

What is class consciousness? Why would it be important for the working class?

Provide 2 examples of the “working class buffoon” depicted in this film.

What role did advertising play in television storytelling?

What is the “myth of meritocracy?” How do media images reinforce this myth? Use examples (such as the depiction of worker intellect, laziness, “moving on up,” dysfunctional values, bad taste, etc.) from the film to support your answer.

According to the video, what happens when race, gender, & sexual orientation intersect with social class in terms of TV representation? Use a plethora of examples for gender, race, and sexuality discussed in the film.

Briefly discuss two things from the video that you found most interesting and were NOT covered by the prompts above.

Keep in mind, this question is not looking for your “opinion,” but instead to demonstrate a sociological perspective on this very complicated issue. Be sure to use concrete evidence and course materials to “sociologically” analyze your response to each prompt.