Existing caste system and classism in the 21st century.

[Dreadboost]

Before I start I'll would like to tell the Indian brothers that this topic is presented through the experience of John Kiriakou. Thank you. THE STORY

In brief, Caste system is a social structure where a person's status is assigned at birth and is usually very difficult or impossible to change. While Classism is prejudice, discrimination, or unequal treatment based on a person's social or economic class.

I was going through a podcast today and came across John Kiriakou speaking about his experience when he visited India. He spoke of the caste system still existing and how limited for someone with lower status to transition.  

The caste system does not help society to grow because it affects who these people marry, where they get jobs, medical treatment, education, etc. I am not supporting classism, but I think it is much better to caste system.  

Caste system is inherited by birth, while classism is due to economic and social factors. In classism, the individual is subject to move to an upper class after attaining higher education, outstanding career opportunities, or being a successful entrepreneur, and through inheritance. The setbacks people still affected by the caste system face are that, even if they want to change their status, the system doesn't let them. If they can't go to a good school, how will they get higher education? If they can't get good jobs, how will they afford to get professional medical care and pay for tuition fees?  In other words, from generation to generation to come, a family under the lower status will forever be in that status/poor forever.

The experience of John Kiriakou, which he shared in that video, made it clear to us how the caste system and classism have had a lasting influence on the  economical and social life of the current generation and the next generations to come if it is not stopped.

[Swordsoffreedom]

Classism create very strong barrier. A poor person, regardless of caste, will find it very difficult to achieve social mobility if he does not get good education or opportunities.

I do not know what the situation in India but the most important thing is to create a society where the value of a person will never be determined by his birth or family. It will be determined by his character and work. Historical injustice need to be addressed but at the same time policy should be such that truly poor and backward people benefit most.

[RGBTC]

The experience of John Kiriakou, which he shared in that video, made it clear to us how the caste system and classism have had a lasting influence on the  economical and social life of the current generation and the next generations to come if it is not stopped.

If their leaders have to "survive" with such a system, don't expect it to be abandoned. I thought this system was only practiced by people who adhere to certain religious teachings and the way to escape was by converting, but apparently not.

Caste is traditionally associated with Hinduism, but is more pervasive in extent: an estimated 98% of contemporary Indians, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains, identify with a caste system.

They really need to leave the country (if only they have access to interstate crossing facilities). I hope I'm wrong.

[Mpamaegbu]

In brief, Caste system is a social structure where a person's status is assigned at birth and is usually very difficult or impossible to change. While Classism is prejudice, discrimination, or unequal treatment based on a person's social or economic class.

Nigeria also has the obnoxious caste system among those in the eastern part of the country. Most people who still practise it till date may not even know the origin of such cultural idiocy. I say it mildly by calling it idiotic. While I may understand that people can discriminate others on the basis of wealth or class, it beats me hallow that they can do that based on people's birth. Nobody chooses where they're born or into what family they're born. It's the same attitude with some members here against others they perceive are from underdeveloped or "lesser" countries than theirs.

Back to Nigeria – By caste birth, I'm not referring to something as royal birth. People get stigmatized because they're born into a family with such stigma of birth, and the circle keeps repeating itself. In Nigeria, it's called Osu system. Those who even discriminate against them, in most cases, aren't even better than those they're discriminating against. Anyway, that Osu practice isn't as strong as it was a few decades ago. Modernism is having its influence gradually on it now.

[Benhouse]

Before I start I'll would like to tell the Indian brothers that this topic is presented through the experience of John Kiriakou. Thank you. THE STORY

In brief, Caste system is a social structure where a person's status is assigned at birth and is usually very difficult or impossible to change. While Classism is prejudice, discrimination, or unequal treatment based on a person's social or economic class.

I was going through a podcast today and came across John Kiriakou speaking about his experience when he visited India. He spoke of the caste system still existing and how limited for someone with lower status to transition.  

The caste system does not help society to grow because it affects who these people marry, where they get jobs, medical treatment, education, etc. I am not supporting classism, but I think it is much better to caste system.  

Caste system is inherited by birth, while classism is due to economic and social factors. In classism, the individual is subject to move to an upper class after attaining higher education, outstanding career opportunities, or being a successful entrepreneur, and through inheritance. The setbacks people still affected by the caste system face are that, even if they want to change their status, the system doesn't let them. If they can't go to a good school, how will they get higher education? If they can't get good jobs, how will they afford to get professional medical care and pay for tuition fees?  In other words, from generation to generation to come, a family under the lower status will forever be in that status/poor forever.

The experience of John Kiriakou, which he shared in that video, made it clear to us how the caste system and classism have had a lasting influence on the  economical and social life of the current generation and the next generations to come if it is not stopped.

Good topic. I agree with the distinction, but I'd push back on how mobile class really is. On paper class is open. In practice the OECD found it takes four to five generations for a poor family to reach average income in most rich countries. So "study hard and move up" is true for individuals and mostly false for populations. The gate isn't locked, it's just very heavy.

Where you're right is the marker. Money eventually erases class. The second generation gets the school, the accent, the network, and nobody knows where the family started. Caste doesn't work that way. The surname and the village stay attached to you whatever you earn, which is why a wealthy Dalit is often still treated as one.

That's also why it travels. The Cisco case in California in 2020 put caste discrimination in a Silicon Valley HR complaint, ten thousand kilometers from any village. Class doesn't do that.

Not my place to say how India should fix it. But I've never heard anyone argue they'd rather be born into the caste version.

[Hypnotizer]

-snip

It’s very pathetic that something like this still exists in today's society. Both classism and the caste system are certainly not a good thing to start with but for the caste system it’s would definitely hinder economic and society growth and development in such areas that still practice it.

With the lots of changes that occur in India because of the British influence, I’d thought this system isn’t supposed to still be in existence in India again.  Your birth place or family shouldn’t determine who you’ll become in the future.

Classism might push someone obsessed with moving to the next social circle to start a business or career that might succeed though, I’ve heard of  cases like that but generally it’s a bad thing for a society and sadly most countries especially in Africa (from what I know) have classism, thereby limiting some potentials in their youths from the lower classes.

[Fortify]

It really does seem a bizarre and alien concept to most people outside of India, especially to those in places like Europe and the Americas. Classism is sometimes connected with the choices of our parents, in terms of whether they were clever or capable enough to move up the financial ladder with all their years to do so. It feels from your description like the caste system doesn't even offer the most basic opportunities, if you're from a certain caste you may never get an education in childhood which could doom you for life to work a certain type of job. That is absolutely disgraceful really and the Indian government should make it their sole mission to break down this system, at the very least by offering and even enforcing a better level of education. That at least would give kids a fighting chance of breaking free from such shackles.

[Zlantann]

After listening to John Kiriakou briefly, I am pained that this kind of inhumane treatment still exists in India. And the worst part of it is that it is happening in a country where these so-called lower-class people are also citizens. It is tolerable for someone to be discriminated against when he is not a citizen of a country.

From my observations, these restaurant managers identified that the driver was from a low caste due to the colour of his skin. People with lighter skin are treated better and have more opportunities than others in some countries. It is believed that those with dark skin should work outdoors because their skin can withstand harsh conditions. While those with lighter skin are destined to work in high-paying and less stressful indoor jobs. What it means is that, regardless of how hard a dark-skinned person works or how educated he might be, there is some level he might never attain. This will lead to lose in ideas and creativity since many talents would not be allowed to grow as the system limits the growth of a certain class.

I have never read about a dark-skinned prime minister or president of India.

[Mr Reporter]

I do think the main difference is that classism, although unfair, allows improving lives with education, businesses, or even hard work, and the caste system is harsher because it decides one's status from birth. And no matter how valuable and capable they may be, they might be refused by society.

In some parts of the Osu System in Nigerian they do similar practices, but over the years it has become less common to practice. I do belive that no one should be treated or judged base on the family they were brought up from or into. Character should speak for an individual let it be valued for what they do contribute for the society, not over what they do not have control over.

[Byebyebtc]

The experience of John Kiriakou, which he shared in that video, made it clear to us how the caste system and classism have had a lasting influence on the  economical and social life of the current generation and the next generations to come if it is not stopped.

I saw this topic and i got to make more researches about it. I would say that both are bad, but you still have a chance to do better in classism, but for caste  system you are limited right from child birth, So with that knowledge you get to understand that caste is whey worse than classism.

You know sadly classism unknowingly is like a norm in today's world, people are being discriminated every day as a result of the persons social or financial class, and some how it has turned to a way or motivation to those individuals to try harder, so in this present generation i will not look at classism to be too deep.
But caste system is on another different level, the fact that you are limited as a result of the family you came out from is diabolical. and i got to know that government are doing things to stop it, but i really feel they should get serious about it, because whether they like it or not it will still affect the country at large and limit them as well.