--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We used to call the 1% the ruling class…" description: "\"We used to call the 1% the ruling class, but America's never felt comfortable using that terminology. It was taboo to talk about class war. Americans a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/eric-drooker-12664_americans_we-used-to-call-the-1-the-ruling-class-b_2357776.jpg" --- # We used to call the 1% the ruling class, but America's… ![“We used to call the 1% the ruling class, but America's never felt comfortable using that terminology. It was taboo to talk about class war. Americans are okay talking about it like this; everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one…” quote by Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/eric-drooker-12664_americans_we-used-to-call-the-1-the-ruling-class-b_2357776.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/eric-drooker-12664_americans_we-used-to-call-the-1-the-ruling-class-b_2357776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/eric-drooker-12664_americans_we-used-to-call-the-1-the-ruling-class-b_2357776.jpg) > “We used to call the 1% the ruling class, but America's never felt comfortable using that terminology. It was taboo to talk about class war. Americans are okay talking about it like this; everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one wants to be part of the 1%.” [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how Americans avoid labeling the elite as a ruling class, preferring to identify with the majority and reject the stigma of being in the top 1% **In simple terms:** People dislike being seen as part of a privileged minority and instead align with the larger group Key Takeaway Recognize and discuss power structures openly Themes social critique identity politics Mood critical reflective Type observational analytical When to use this quote - political commentary - media analysis - public policy debates - education on inequality Key Concepts class analysis social stigma group identity Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape our perception of economic inequality? - What are the effects of avoiding class terminology in public discourse? A Different Perspective Labeling the elite can provoke defensiveness and silence honest dialogue ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Americans Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-okay-3016757/) [Class America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-america-564033/) [Class War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-war-389717/) [Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Ruling class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruling-class/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There isn't much discussion of ruling class in America even in Boston, probably one of the most class-conscious cities in the country?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-chang/there-isn-t-much-discussion-of-ruling-class-in-america-even-in-boston/) [Iris Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-chang/) > [We could tell Americans everything is okay and nothing is going to happen. The fact is, there is a very real threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/we-could-tell-americans-everything-is-okay-and-nothing-is-going-to/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [We don't use the term 'working class' here because it's a taboo term. You're supposed to say 'middle class,' because it helps diminish the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/we-don-t-use-the-term-working-class-here-because-it-s-a-taboo-term/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The poster art over the years, art with social critique in it, has always been on class war theme. It's been trying to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/the-poster-art-over-the-years-art-with-social-critique-in-it-has/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [“Mamaw apparently understood what would take me another twenty years to learn: that social class in America isn’t just about money. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/mamaw-apparently-understood-what-would-take-me-another-twenty-years/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [The black middle-class in America is a prosperous community that is now larger in absolute terms than the black underclass. Does its existence not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-horowitz/the-black-middle-class-in-america-is-a-prosperous-community-that-is/) [David Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-horowitz/) > [I'm convinced that Sanford and Son shows middle-class America a lot of what they need to know. The show doesn't drive home a lesson,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redd-foxx/i-m-convinced-that-sanford-and-son-shows-middle-class-america-a-lot-2/) [Redd Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redd-foxx/) > [There is a forgotten black middle class in America - a group which is huge but underrepresented in the media and in art. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/there-is-a-forgotten-black-middle-class-in-america-a-group-which-is/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [There is a middle class in America for only one reason: organized labor. If not for organized labor, where would you find a job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/there-is-a-middle-class-in-america-for-only-one-reason-organized/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [A more or less accurate measure of class in America is TV size: the bigger your TV, the lower your class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fussell/a-more-or-less-accurate-measure-of-class-in-america-is-tv-size-the/) [Paul Fussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-fussell/) > [The middle class in America has been devastated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-middle-class-in-america-has-been-devastated/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A strong, educated middle class is what made America the greatest country in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-chafee/a-strong-educated-middle-class-is-what-made-america-the-greatest/) [Lincoln Chafee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-chafee/) > [That which in England we call the middle class is in America virtually the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/that-which-in-england-we-call-the-middle-class-is-in-america/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [I'm convinced that Sanford and Son shows middle-class America a lot of what they need to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redd-foxx/i-m-convinced-that-sanford-and-son-shows-middle-class-america-a-lot/) [Redd Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redd-foxx/) > [The middle class in America is at a tipping point. It will not last another generation if we don't boldly change course now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-middle-class-in-america-is-at-a-tipping-point-it-will-not-last/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## More by Eric Drooker > [Everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everyone-wants-to-be-part-of-the-99-even-the-cops-are-like-no-no-man/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [I think for an artist there are so many things to make pictures of now, that everyone else may be suffering, but at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/i-think-for-an-artist-there-are-so-many-things-to-make-pictures-of/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [In the U.S., ironically, people work longer hours in the U.S. than they do in Europe or in any other industrialized country. They seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/in-the-u-s-ironically-people-work-longer-hours-in-the-u-s-than-they/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [Americans didn't really have any experience with something as basic as "community."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/americans-didn-t-really-have-any-experience-with-something-as-basic/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [The trick is not to look back, but keep on expressing where I'm at now. It's challenging to create something new, so it's crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/the-trick-is-not-to-look-back-but-keep-on-expressing-where-i-m-at-now/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [Street posters allowed you to have the last word. If you put them up in your neighborhood, you were speaking to your neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/street-posters-allowed-you-to-have-the-last-word-if-you-put-them-up/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [Art makes people do a double take and then, if they're looking at the picture, maybe they'll read the text under it that says,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/art-makes-people-do-a-double-take-and-then-if-they-re-looking-at-the/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [There's so much tragedy in people that we see every day that we don't have to make anything up. We don't have to invent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/there-s-so-much-tragedy-in-people-that-we-see-every-day-that-we-don-t/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [The unusual thing about doing street poster art - or something with a conscious social critique in it - is that the artist thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/the-unusual-thing-about-doing-street-poster-art-or-something-with-a/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [Everything you do is political, even if it's abstract. You're making a political statement even if it's unwittingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everything-you-do-is-political-even-if-it-s-abstract-you-re-making-a/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [By the time I was in my early-twenties and was living there on the Lower East Side, I was so surrounded by tragedy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/by-the-time-i-was-in-my-early-twenties-and-was-living-there-on-the/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [Street art is about as religious as I get - that's my faith, that even if people screen it out and didn't think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/street-art-is-about-as-religious-as-i-get-that-s-my-faith-that-even/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [Illustrators are usually illustrating something big or commercial if not outright advertising. It's a form of prostitution, but that's cool because we don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/illustrators-are-usually-illustrating-something-big-or-commercial-if/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [The problem with prostitution in my experience is that it's often unsatisfying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/the-problem-with-prostitution-in-my-experience-is-that-it-s-often/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [There's the fact that animation is extremely time-consuming, tedious, labor-intensive, and therefore, extremely expensive as an art form to really do it right, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/there-s-the-fact-that-animation-is-extremely-time-consuming-tedious/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) [Explore all 54 Eric Drooker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) ## More Americans quotes > [“People – Americans, mostly – realise how attached they are to material comforts when they arrive in India.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-william-roberts/people-americans-mostly-realise-how-attached-they-are-to-material/) [Paul William Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-william-roberts/) > [Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/music-has-an-intrinsic-value-that-touches-americans-they-love-their/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We Americans tend to be a prodigal lot. We are as careless with our personal resources as we are with the resources of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/we-americans-tend-to-be-a-prodigal-lot-we-are-as-careless-with-our/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. 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You love this country. Together we are entrusted with the principles that represent mankind's greatest political and social achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/you-are-americans-you-love-this-country-together-we-are-entrusted/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) [Browse all 1,536 Americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We used to call the 1% the ruling class, but America's never felt comfortable using that terminology. It was taboo to talk about class war. Americans are okay talking about it like this; everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, \"No, no, man. 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