Weird question about people

[ironfist]

I saw it mentioned in another thread something like (WARNING STEREOTYPES AHEAD) blue collar women were so high testosterone (estrogen?) that they could only date blue collar men. Something like they weren't even attracted to white collar men, or the white collar men couldn't put up with them or something.

Ok, so this made me think.

I have noticed, when you are in lower class areas, there is more importance placed on being TOUGH and looking POWERFUL. Everyone looks like a hard **** gangster.

When you are in upper class areas, this is less common.

I wondered what the reason for this could be.

The argument could be made, and I don't think this is correct, that higher testosterone limits your potential for a white collar jobs, and therefore higher testosterone people tend to gather in lower class areas. However, if higher testosterone elevates your propensity to not be able to concentrate and Hulk smash when you get mad, then maybe. I can't say I've seen too many thug looking people in corporate jobs, although there are a few. I also haven't seen too many "pretty fly for a white guy" types in manual labor type jobs.

Alternately, it could be said that the lower your wealth (relative to others) the greater your reliance on other means of showing dominance. So what is there? Being an aggressive looking guy.

If you're super affluent you probably don't care about a lot of things because, generally, you can pay for your way out of whatever problems you get in. Something breaks? Pay someone to fix it. Can't get dates? Purchase some sex. Safety? Buy a more secure dwelling with a fence.

If you're not, you can't rely on those things. So you fix things yourself (strength). Want to get laid? You better be attractive enough. Safety? The stronger and more aggressive, the safer.

Does anyone else notice this (the less wealthy areas are more aggressive-looking)? Or am I just making things up.

 

[Perry Staltic]

Life's tougher when you don't have a lot of money

 

[Luann]

So you're asking a chicken-or-the-egg question
Do poorer environments attract individuals who seem "thuggish" or do they create them?
I agree that social circles tend to be echo chambers. People tend to choose those they associate with based on a larger group of existing associates. Will my friends / coworkers / spouse like it if I bring this person around, etc.

 

[Sunny Jack]

I wonder if the blue-collar tendency to have children earlier in life (than white-collar couples do) leads to more robust, high-testosterone children?

It makes intuitive sense that women in the traditional childbearing age would have healthier offspring. In that case, the "toughness" you have noticed is a natural trait of healthy humans. This would tend to lead to a "culture of toughness" that would be self-reinforcing.