U.S Soldiers and Prestige

The reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable attributes. This is Webster’s Dictionary definition of prestige. Although this is true, that achievement and rank are weighed into prestige, the thing that Americans look at the most to describe prestige is money and success. For many years we have thought someone has prestige if they make the most money or live in the biggest house. We put the people with most things on a pedestal and compare ourselves to them. We define prestige with money and the job we have. 

Even though we just defined prestige with money and the high class jobs you have, there is one job that does not pay the best, but comes with a lot of prestige. In America our soldiers have more prestige than most people. The average U.S soldier makes $40,00- $65,000 a year. The average CEO of a Fortune 500 company makes just over a million every year. Although U.S soldiers would be considered middle class citizens, in most cases they are treated like the most prestigious people in our country. In most cases money and wealth shows how prestigious you are. The only thing that changes that view is if someone goes above and beyond the average citizen. In cases like this we break the norm of the definition because of our appreciation for the individuals.

In sociology we looked at many jobs and ranked them for what we thought there level of prestige should be. Out of 5 the class gave soldiers a 3. I disagreed with this decision and thought they deserved a 5. Our class proved that we judge based on wealth and success instead of what they our doing for our country.

             In this picture it shows a homecoming for U.S soldiers. They have a huge welcoming. They are honored because of what they do for us, not how much they make.