The Shower as Class Metaphor

Despite the fact that America has become the most class stratified, the least socially and financially mobile, society in the developed world, we still cannot talk about class transparently. We don’t even have an accepted language for dicussing social and economic class in this country. And merely raising the issue almost assures that you will be characterized as a Leninist class warrior.

Or maybe we have a language emerging. Complete with soap.

This week, social class in America emerged from the shower:

Here’s Ed Schultz, a new MSNBC host, describing his politics:

I’m gonna be the guy who represents people who take a shower after work. I’m gonna be that guy who’s gonna be there for the working folk of America. I’m a staunch supporter of unions. 

And here’s United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard complaining this week on Huffington Post about the structure of the federal bailouts:

The message here could not be more clear: Washington will bailout out those who shower before work but not those who shower afterwards.

So. Stay clean America! I suppose this conversation has to start somewhere. Even in ridiculous and obfuscating metaphor.