The psychology of social class argues that people’s personal and social identities result from the conditions in which they grew and lived. The data on the socio-economic status of people living in a given region affirm this proposition. For instance, the impoverished neighborhoods are prone to crimes and are subject to limited upward mobility, while the higher class regions are more prosperous and luxurious (Manstead, 2018). The minorities mainly live in marginalized areas with poor hygiene, such as industrialized areas, wastelands, and next to mining areas, due to house affordability. Social class affects people’s psychology throughout their developmental stages based on their traditions, culture, values, and family perspectives. The books “The Dreams of Two Yi-Min” and “Philip Vera Cruz” illustrated the lives of two male immigrants from Korea and the Philippines into the United States as they navigated the disparities and immigration challenges. Their social backgrounds influenced their work conditions and choices, social relationships, and economic activities. For instance, since Filipinos ranked their social class based on clothing, their higher-income status in the United States permitted them to live flashy lifestyles (Sharlin & Villanueva, 2000). Overall, people’s social class and background influence their decisions and determine their socio-economic status despite migrating to new places.
The social background of Kwon Do In and Philip Vera Cruz influenced their decisions from their time of arrival and caused them to live different lives, as evident in their jobs and social life. Kwon came from Korea after Japan invaded them and required a job for sustainability. He arrived as a young, energetic man dedicated to improving his well-being and socio-economic status regardless of his age, nationality, and language barrier. He sought work in the sugar plantations but failed because he was seventeen: underage, and unfit for employment (Pai, 1989). Additionally, Japan had abruptly cut the emigration of Korean laborers before Kwon traveled, which prevented him from finding a job on his arrival. However, his social background emphasized the importance of education, enabling him to pursue education earnestly. Unfortunately, he graduated in the second position, yet only one person could qualify for a scholarship. His hardworking background and the solid educational foundation gave Kwon the zeal to work diligently on every project, leading to the creative inventions that supported him (Pai, 1989). On the other hand, Cruz came from the Philippines after the United States had assumed colonial rule in the area and introduced its education system. The curriculum hugely disregarded Filipino culture and taught them American history, social constructs, and heroes (Sharlin & Villanueva, 2000). The destruction of the Filipino culture encouraged them to embrace the American lifestyle and elevated their desire to visit America and achieve a better status. Cruz was among the immigrants who arrived in 1926 and sought work in the plantations. Reportedly, the education system that built Filipino’s anticipation to visit the United States affected their lifestyle by causing their craving for a higher social class (Sharlin & Villanueva, 2000). They become more focused on consuming than creating wealth. As a result, Cruz strived to adapt to the hardship and took a longer duration to achieve upward economic mobility than Kwon.
Kwon shows tremendous maturity, hard work, and dedication to the long-term goals than Cruz due to their social backgrounds and class. After arriving in Hawaii, Kwon immediately sought a plantation job. He had suffered the Japanese invasion, and only the top school performers could proceed with education after securing a scholarship (Pai, 1989). Therefore, all the education Kwon had acquired and became position two would go to waste unless he utilized them effectively. During his early years, the Korean shifted between activities, including plantation work, small-scale cultivation, and businesses. His small wage could not afford him a decent house. As a result, “he asked his boss if he could rent and farm a piece of land adjacent to his property” (Pai, 1989, p. 3). The young man was always busy and strived to improve his expertise, which required him to learn a new language. Impressively, Kwon spoke better English than all other immigrants and even learned the accent with commendable mastery. As a result, his business thrived since he could market the products and create a rapport with the customers. Additionally, Kwon started a family aged 24, enabling him to settle and focus on his work (Pai, 1989). As a result, he experienced faster upward mobility than Cruz since his social background valued education, hard work, and family, motivating him to achieve his goals.
Cruz followed a different trajectory from Kwon after arriving in the United States due to their unique arrival times and diverse social backgrounds. He came to the United States from the Philippines in 1926 and lived in California since most Filipino immigrants settled there (Sharlin & Villanueva, 2000). Besides, the state has large plantations that would offer adequate jobs to the immigrant. Cruz’s arrival coincided with the elimination of Korea from the labor force, allowing him to secure a job. However, the conditions were not as favorable as he expected, causing him back complications and preventing him from working. Such outcomes resulted from the unique notions that the American educators planted in their minds, expecting a land full of opportunities and fun (Sharlin & Villanueva, 2000). Their background was supported by the new American education system and encouraged them that the United States could offer them a novel lifeline to improve their family’s well-being on traveling back. Furthermore, they experienced discrimination, as evident in the statement, “You goddamn brown monkeys have your nerve, marrying our women. Now get out of this town!” (Scharlin & Villanueva, 2000, p. 1). They could not intermarry due to discrimination, yet only males immigrated to the United States. The harsh conditions hampered Cruz’s economic progress during the early days. He lived in cheap labor houses before gaining fortunes through farming and buying houses. His determination enabled him to succeed in the foreign land despite the numerous obstacles.
Overall, the life stories of Kwon and Cruz affirm that social backgrounds influence the socio-economic status of a person by determining the preferred economic activities, expertise, and interpersonal skills. Kwon obtained considerable education since his community urged children to pursue education. His academic excellence turned him into a life-long learner, innovator, and successful trader. He quickly learned English and American accent, lifestyles and desires of consumers, and means of linking with them. As a result, he experienced faster upward mobility than Cruz. Specifically, Cruz did not have sufficient practical skills since the U.S. education programs focused on the U.S. social constructs. Additionally, he obtained wrong perceptions of the country since the curriculum misled them. Further, their discrimination due to flashy and fun-loving traits limited their socio-economic integration into the new culture. Therefore, Kwon and Cruz’s social class and backgrounds led them to different socio-economic practices, affirming their impacts on people’s decisions and means of livelihood.
References
Manstead, A. S. R. (2018). The psychology of social class: How socio-economic status impacts thought, feelings, and behavior. British Journal of Social Psychology, 57(1), 1-25.
Pai, M. K. (1989). The dreams of two Yi-min. University of Hawaii Press.
Scharlin, C., & Villanueva, L. V. (2000). Philip Vera Cruz: A personal history of Filipino immigrants and the farmworkers movement. University of Washington Press.