The Caste System

I have always wonder how the Caste System ever came to be? It seems to me it has been a long, traditional, practice in many cultures.

However, I didn't realize this system gets practiced among so many families.

For the longest time, I thought this elitest structure only existed in my family. Growing up, it was always well-known that my Gradmother came from "old money". Meaning, that her family became very wealty many moons ago. However, after my Grandmother decided to marry below her "class", her parents' limited their contact with her.. i.e., made her surivive on her abilities, while her parents provided more of an appropriate lifesytle for their other children.

As time moved on from this "controversey" (in other words, her parents' passing), faded, her brothers and sisters began to have contact with her. They often invited us to annual Christmas parties and graduaions, etc. However, each time we went there, we were reminded of how poor we were, and how we never "measured up" to them.

This family often would make remarks, and often belittled my immediate family. It was rather infuriating, and often caused me and my brother many self-esteem issues.

Things became so bad that one of my distant cousins came up to us one year at a Christmas party in front of my mother, and said to me "You're part of the poor side of the family." Which was followed by mother telling this cousin that he was part of "the ugly side of the family."

After that moment, we weren't invited to another "family event" for 7 years.

When I became an adult, I told myself that I would never go to one more of their events, or allow myself to be made to feel inferior toward these people. However, I failed to realize that my Father would want for me to go to these events, and how much is feelings would pull on my heart strings.

So, I decided, like an idiot, to go the latest family event this extended family decided to have. Partly because many years ago, my brother and I made a secret agreement that we would take turns going to them by ourselves (and my turn was up), and because I felt it was the right thing to do.

As soon as I arrived, it was a disaster. We were ignored, and comments we made where either met with deaf ears, or perplexity. For instance, my immediate cousin told my grandmother's sister that her brother graduated from college last year. Which was repeated many, many, many times. "College, really, College, really, College.. hmm"..

WHAT A BITCH.

This reminded of a flashback by another relative's response when I told him that I graduated college. The response was, "you graduated high school". My response "College, you know that thing people go to after they COMPLETE high school".

Maybe I am having many flashbacks to my childhood and the helpless I felt when I was in their prescence. However, I can't help but let their ignorance get to me once again. Although this time I didn't display it, I can honestly say that I wanted to.

I realize their ignorance and feelings of superiority will never fade. However, I can't help but to wonder how they can walk around each day making people feel less than they are.. .

What I do know for certain is that their posture and their conscious can't be very good.