Anything & Everything

In today’s media-driven world, we’re constantly being fed stories of success and influence. Whether we’re scrolling through TikTok or watching the news, it’s easy to feel like power and control belong only to the rich and famous. But as society begins to acknowledge class consciousness, we collectively begin to understand awareness of our place in the social system and this leads to changes in our perception. Ultimately, we need to remember: WE ARE NEVER ALONE IN OUR STRUGGLES.  

In a recent survey, when individuals were asked about the connection between class consciousness and the media, one surveyor said, “Social media is driven by algorithms. I feel that theoretically expanding our social network should also expand your exposure to alternative perspectives to your own. I see that as a rise in class consciousness.” But do we as society truly understand the depth of class consciousness and our connection to one another?

When people step out of the norm to speak their truth and we truly listen, we begin put the class conscious puzzle together, we realize that the working class isn’t powerless. In fact, it holds incredible power. We’ve just been conditioned to see things in a distorted fashion. 

Class consciousness helps individuals recognize that their struggles aren’t personal failures, they’re the result of larger systems designed to benefit a small few while keeping everyone else working harder for less. Many of us experience the pressures of low wages, student debt, or juggling multiple jobs, but we’re taught to blame ourselves instead of questioning the system. 

The media often plays a role in reinforcing this mindset. News stories about poverty and crime rarely go deep into structural issues. Instead, they focus on individual choices, turning systemic inequality into personal inequality.

Ultimately, social media can have both a negative and positive connotation. On one hand, it spreads harmful messages about hustle culture, glorifies consumerism, and promotes the idea that success is just one post away. 

On the other hand, it’s also where labor organizers, community leaders, and everyday people are sharing their stories and organizing for change. In my life time, I have come to understand the effect of collective consciousness.

We’ve seen the world stand up for Palestine, Congo, and Sudan by understanding their collective struggle and their oppression by colonizers. We’ve seen dock workers unionize and demand fair wages and benefits as well as unions and organizers using platforms like TikTok and X to connect across cities and industries. These events expose how the working class is more connected than ever; that’s powerful.

What class consciousness offers is a sense of clarity and solidarity. It helps people see that they’re not alone. You’re not the only one struggling to pay rent, or burning out in a job that barely covers your bills.

When enough people recognize that their struggles are shared it can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself and your community. Through collective bargaining, and new ways of demanding fairness, we are able to understand where we stand in society. This is where the true power of the working class lies: in its numbers and its ability to withhold labor, create community, and tell its own stories.

Image courtesy of @meg.arcadia on instagram

We’re often told to look up to celebrities and popular figures, but we gain more when we look around and see the people beside us. Understand that class consciousness doesn’t make you bitter; it makes you aware. Awareness is the first step toward change. The moment you realize the system is rigged and everything from colonization to capitalism is connected, you also realize that it doesn’t have to stay that way. We live in a progressive world, always changing, always progressing in a different direction. But we must remember, the working class has power. WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD, it just starts with you and your awareness of the world around you. Ultimately, we must not only realize who we are as a community, but also as an individual and as a united front.