Upper Class and Unethical Behavior – Then and Now

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, there are many conflicts that arise between the different social classes showing just how much of a difference having “old money”, “new money” or “no money” can make in the way people behave. The numerous interactions between them throughout the book show how the different classes behave. Each class is portrayed to have different attitudes and personalities. People think that with money comes power. However, we will learn that is not always correct. Like it is said, money is the root of all evil.
Social class, or socioeconomic status (SES), refers to an individual’s rank vis-à-vis others in society in terms of wealth, occupational prestige, and education (2, 3). Abundant resources and elevated rank allow upper-class individuals increased freedom and independence (4), giving rise to self-focused patterns of social cognition and behavior (3). Relative to lower-class individuals, upper-class individuals have been shown to be less cognizant of others (4) and worse at identifying the emotions that others feel (5). Furthermore, upper-class individuals are more disengaged during social interactions—for example, checking their cell phones or doodling on a questionnaire—compared with their lower-class peers (6). (Piff 1)
In The Great Gatsby, which takes place in the 1920's, there are three social classes defined, much like today’s society. There is ‘old money”, ‘new money” and the “poor”. Old money refers to the people born into money. There has been money in their families for, sometimes, decades and will continue to be money for years to come. This class of people had to do nothing to become wealthy. New money is the people who were born into a family that perhaps lived comfortable or was poor. These people are now somewhat wealthy, or at least comfortable, but had to work very hard to get what they have. The poor are exactly that, they really have no money to speak of and continue to work hard just to stay where they are. There are places that separate three different social classes, East Egg, West Egg and The Valley of Ashes. East Egg is the highest of all three social classes, this where the people who were born into money live, like Tom and Daisy Buchannan. West Egg is where the people that recently came into money live (Jay Gatsby) and The Valley of Ashes is where the people that have very little money live, George and Myrtle Wilson. The towns of West Egg, East Egg, and The Valley of Ashes physically separate the social classes in The Great Gatsby. In today’s society we refer to people as “upper class”, middle class” and “lower class”. Upper class people may or may not have been born into money, but nonetheless, have money now. They have money to spend on whatever they want, but don’t necessarily need. Middle class are the group of people that, for the most part, live at least comfortably but have worked hard for, and appreciate, what they have. These people most likely won’t spend frivolously on things that aren’t necessary. If they want something they will probably have to save up to make the purchase. Finally the lower class people generally have no money really to speak of. Often this class of people may live on welfare. Most are thankful for what they have because it has not come easily to them.
In a series of studies done by a group of psychologists from the University of California Berkeley and the University of Toronto in Canada we learn how deviant the upper class really do react to laws and ethical decisions vs. how the middle and lower class react to the same tasks. In parts 1 & 2 they observe peoples driving habits, such as obeying a 4 way stop sign and observing pedestrians in a crosswalk. (Piff 4-5) Classes were determined by make of vehicle, age and physical appearance of drivers.. They also looked at the gender of the person driving the vehicle. The drivers did not know they were being observed for this study.
In part 5 they put people in a hypothetical negotiation situation. (Piff 5-6) The negotiation was based on the participant being an employer looking to fill a job position. They were given information that the job would likely be eliminated in 6 months, but all of the applicants were looking to stay in the position for a minimum of 2 years. This study will test the participants’ business decisions regarding ethics and overall honesty. This was a computer simulated test on a website that collects online data for different studies.
The final portion of the study that we will be looking at is part 6. (Piff 6) This part of the study is also computer simulated and will focus on cheating to get ahead. The participants would hit a button on the keyboard and one side of a six sided dice would appear and they were to record that number. They would do this a total of five times. They were told the higher the number the better the prize would be. There was no indication as to what the prizes would be for them in the end. They also did not know that the computer was set to give them a total of 12 with all 5 rolls. They would then turn in their recorded number to redeem their prize.
Taking a look at the old money class from then, and the upper class from now, they tend to be a little more abrasive and take things to the limits. Sometimes thinking that because their families have had money, perhaps for decades, and will continue to have money for years to come they may live a little recklessly. These people are more likely to be very superficial, think they are superior, even over other rich people and can be very judgmental, living like they are above the rest. They neglect to look at all people as equals. In the study, part 1, upper class drivers were more likely not to yield to other drivers at a busy 4 way stop sign intersection. In part 2 of the study, upper class drivers were less likely to obey pedestrians in a crosswalk. (Piff 1-2) In the book, The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchannan comes from old money and tends to drive recklessly as well as Jordan Baker, also old money. Both show a prime example of careless driving. The Great Gatsby, (pg. 63)
It was on that same house party that we had a curious conversation about driving a car. It started because she passed so close to some workmen that our fender flicked a button on one man’s coat.
“You’re a rotten driver,” I protested. “Either you ought to be more careful or you oughtn’t to drive at all.”
“I am careful.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Well, other people are,” she said lightly.
“What’s that got to do with it?”
“They’ll keep out of my way,” she insisted. “It takes two to make an accident.”
“Suppose you met someone as careless as yourself.”
“I hope I never will,” she answered. “I hate careless people. That’s why I like you.”
Jordan Baker is upper class and is a careless driver, Nick Carraway, who Jordan insinuates is not careless belongs to the middle class.
Daisy Buchannan hits Myrtle Wilson with Jay Gatsby’s car and doesn’t even stop to check on her to see if she is even alive or dead.
Myrtle Wilson’s body wrapped in a blanket and then in another blanket as though she suffered from a chill in the hot night lay on a work table by the wall and Tom, with his back to us, was bending over it, motionless. (Pg.146-147)
“What happened – that’s what I want to know!”
“Auto hit her. Ins’antly killed.”
“Instantly killed,” repeated Tom, staring.
“She ran out ina road. Son-of-a-bitch didn’t even stopus car.” (Pg.146-147)
Both of these examples from The Great Gatsby fit right in with the findings of the study from modern times of upper class being careless behind the wheel.
Looking at the second part of the study regarding business ethics. Upper class people were less likely to be honest with the prospective employee about the length of the job because the prospective employee is willing to take a lower pay with a verbal agreement being made regarding job stability. If the interviewer does not fill the position with a qualified candidate in a timely manner with the lowest pay possible, it will reflect on his/her yearly review and end of year bonus. (Piff 9) Essentially this is taking money out of their pocket. This is reflected in the book, The Great Gatsby (Pg. 74)
“So I took one look at him-“said Mr.Wolfshiem, shaking my hand earnestly, “And what do you think I did?” “What?” I inquired politely.
But evidently he was not addressing me for he dropped my hand and covered Gatsby with his expressive nose. I handed the money to Katspaugh and I said,
“All right, Katspaugh, don’t pay him a penny till he shuts his mouth.”
He shut it then and there.
The Great Gatsby (Pg. 77-78)
“Who is he anyhow-an actor?”
“No.”
“A dentist?”
“Meyer Wolfshiem? No, he’s a gambler.” Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly: “He’s the man who fixed the World’s Series back in 1919.”
“Fixed the world’s series?” I repeated.
Jordan Baker and her cheating in her golf Tournaments is also cheating at work as well. These all exhibit unethical behavior in business.
Finally looking at part 6 of the study, focused on cheating. Participants were invited to participate in an online game for the chance to win a $50.00 gift card. The game was rolling a dice by the click of their mouse. They were told for every 5 points they got they would receive one credit toward the gift card. They were also told that there was no way for the computer total their rolls so they were supposed to record each roll and turn in a total at the end of their rolls. That number would then be rounded either up or down to the nearest multiple of five. What they were not aware of was that the rolls were actually predetermined and would give them a total of 12 at the end. (Piff 6) This would mean that they should receive a total of 2 credits plus the one they received for playing. The decision of whether they cheated was simply if they turned in a total higher than 12. At the end of the study it was determined that 31 out of 195 people turned in totals of more than 12. (Piff 6) That is actually a pretty low percentage, but nonetheless people cheated for their personal gain. In the book, The Great Gatsby (Pg. 23) I knew now why her face was familiar-its pleasing contemptuous expression had looked out at me from many rotogravure pictures of the sporting life at Ashville and Hot Springs and Palm Beach. I had heard some story of her too, a critical, unpleasant story, but what it was I had forgotten long ago. Jordan Baker and her cheating in her golf tournaments is unethical. The Great Gatsby (Pg. 62) When we were on a house party together up in Warwick, she left a borrowed car out in the rain with the top down, and then lied about it-and suddenly I remembered the story about her that had eluded me that night at Daisy’s. At her first big golf torment there was a row that nearly reached the newspapers- a suggestion that she had moved her ball from a bad lie in the semi-final round. The thing approached the proportions of a scandal-then dies away. A caddy retracted his statement and the only other witness admitted that he might have been mistaken. She was incredibly dishonest. In all instances people are being unethical by cheating to make a personal gain for themselves.
More unethical behavior in the book is that Tom Buchannan is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson. This is an example of old money having an affair with no money. Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchannan are having an affair as well. This is new money having an affair with old money. No matter what social class you are in, cheating on your spouse is very unethical behavior in general everyday life. As you can see from this example it kind of follows suit with the wealthy making unethical choices. You have two people from old money, one from new money and one from no money all participating in this behavior. While the reason each of them has made the choice to participate in the affairs is not clear, it is still unethical. Proving that is not just the rich that live unethically. As we all know having an affair is very unethical. Two wrongs do not make a right. Tom breaks Myrtle’s nose with his open hand because she disrespects him. (Pg.41) This is a crime by all accounts, however there was no repercussions from his actions. Myrtle certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone that Tom had done this because in her mind she is hoping maybe something may come of this affair and Tom knew this. Just because he is old money does not make it ok for him to hit a woman and get away with it. In Tom’s mind there appeared to be nothing wrong with this action. People driving while intoxicated and driving off into the ditch and not caring. (Pg. 58-60). This too is a crime but because it is someone of old money doing this there will be no consequences for the actions.
Tom Buchannan, lived in East Egg, born into money and had his families money now. Went to New Haven and was a Polo player. His family was enormously wealthy-even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach-but now he’d left Chicago and left east in a fashion that rather took your breath away: for instance he’d brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest. It was hard to realize that a man in my own generation was wealthy enough to do that. (Pg.10)
Nick Carraway came from a very wealthy family. Although now as a young adult he was on his own and was not given any family money at this time. He lived in West Egg and actually had no money, just happened to find a good deal on a house, “A weather beaten cardboard bungalow at eighty a month.” (Pg.8) his house was an eye sore compared to the rest that went for twelve to fifteen thousand a season. He graduated from New Haven and was in the bond business.
Nicks description of Tom: He had changed since his New Haven years. Now he was a sturdy, straw haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining, arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggres-sively forward. Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body. His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he con-veyed. There was a touch of paternal contempt in it, even toward people he liked. “Now don’t think my opinion in these matters is final,” he seemed to say, “just because I’m stronger and more of a man than you are.” (pg.11)
In the end Tom and Daisy always end up in East Egg, the highest of the classes. After every-thing went wrong, Myrtle, George, and Gatsby dying, Tom and Daisy ended up where they started off, East Egg. The highest class reign superior.
Of all the studies that were discussed, across the board, the bottom line was upper class people were more likely to behave unethically. Whether it was driving, business decisions or everyday life decisions. All in all it was personal gain for them. This is not to say that all upper class people are reckless and unkind or that all lower class people are safe and friendly. The kind of behavior from back in the 1920’s is still happening today based on the studies. It is still true that the rich end up on top, in the finest houses and the fanciest neighborhoods.

Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, and Matthew J. Bruccoli. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1996. Print

National Science Foundation "Upper Class People More Likely to Behave Unethically." Science Daily, 7 Mar. 2012. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.

Peterson, Christopher. “Social Class and Unethical Behavior” Psychology Today. 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.

Piff, Paul, et al. “Higher Social Class Predicts Increased Unethical Behavior” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 26 Jan. 2012. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.

“Upper Class People More Likely to Cheat." Phys.org. 27 Feb. 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.