In my experience, the higher their status in and the longer people have belonged to the American middle class, the more individuality, competition, the pursuit of public excellence, and having power over others figure significantly into what “feels right.” I have found a fair amount of agreement about this among scholars (for example, Bourdieu 1984; Heath 1996; Lareau and Conley 2008; Peckham 2010). Individuality, standing out, and competition are central cultural features of middle class life. Since Bernstein and others first described them, these characteristics have become increasingly
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