The New Class System

The global economic crisis has uprooted the traditional class system, according to a recent British study. Gone is the idea of a three-tier -- upper, middle, and working class -- designation. Modern society has become a cornucopia of identities.

The study was conducted by professor Fiona Devine and a team of sociologists at Manchester University. Devine discovered that the British social stratosphere contains such denominations as "emergent service workers" and the "technical middle class." Seven total, up from three.

Experts contribute the paradigm shift to fluctuations and changes in the global economy. Tradesmen with specific skill-sets now earn more money than undervalued and ill-experienced college graduates. The income dynamic has led many to seek secondary-educational opportunities (i.e. tech schools that offer specific skills) in order to stay competitive in the job market.

Backed by the BBC, Devine surveyed over 160,000 people about their background, level of education, income, lifestyle, and ambitions for the future.

According to Devine: "Many people think that the problem of social and cultural engagement is more marked in poorer class groups, but the survey shows that our levels of social and cultural capital don’t always mirror our economic success."

Affluent households no longer take pleasure in traditional "middle class" activities, the survey found.

“The ‘technical middle class’ score low for social and cultural capital, but are quite well off," said Devine. "While the ‘emergent service workers’ score highly for cultural and social capital but are not very prosperous.”

A person's occupation no longer dictates his or her social standing. In fact, the social landscape is just about as complex as our economy, which relies on a network of seemingly indeterminable variables that ebb and flow like a river. How much we make doesn't seem to translate into specific entertainment choices anymore, either. Instead, the economic crisis has, in a sense, leveled the playing field by creating a diverse spectrum of individuals comfortable with the quality of their lives.

As this new class system solidifies, people will have unheralded opportunities to invest in their aspirations. One of ours at NRGLab has been to bring affordable energy to the developing world. But we can't do it alone. We need other visionaries to help bring our dream to fruition. If you consider yourself a visionary, visit our website at nrglab.asia and learn more about how you can become a part of NRGLab's exclusive Research Council.