Whether or not we choose to accept the fact, the lives of the rich and poor, are not the same (at least in this society). In order to better grasp the different qualities of life, we resort to class. NYC amplifies class like no other city. Don’t think so? Perhaps a stroll down Midtown and then a stroll in Bedford-Stuy might change your mind. People mere miles apart live starkly different lives.Take a trip in the subway and your sure to find a guy asking for some change. In reality, stereotypes are simply judgements which are negative. They may not be politically correct, but oftentimes they are supported with statistics. The Diagram below demonstrates how income varies across various parts of the city. The areas with lower median income statistically correspond to higher crime rates. Its hard to say thats a coincidence. 
The films viewed this far seem to reinforce class structure. Taxi Driver shows low, middle, and upper class, even though some of the classes may not be clearly defined. Palantino would be considered part of the upper class. The stereotypical view of the rich was demonstrated once he got into Tavis’s cab, as he started saying how he should have taken a limo. His “double-face”, smooth-talking personality (stereotypical view of the rich) took over instantly once Travis proved to be a loyal supporter. Travis designates a lower class repeatedly through the film referring to the prostitutes and pimps on the street. Since Travis is neither rich nor “scum”, we can assume he is part of the middle class. It is interesting how the scum and the rich suffer from moral degradation, one of of dire necessity, the latter from pure greed.
I feel that the portrayal of class in the film to be especially true as my dad worked for a long time as a taxi driver and as a limousine driver. He has told me countless stories of low-lives and wealthy people riding with him, and I feel its safe to say that Taxi Driver did a good job of portraying the scum we often don’t pay attention to in NYC. Whether artists reinforce or breakdown class structure, they are simply judging the society in which they live in. In my opinion, artists role in defining class and promoting stereotypes is not as great as one other group. The Media. The Dirty Media and those who control it yield so much influence over the millions of sheep who subconsciously accept anything coming from a well dressed man on the news.
The last thing I want to point out is that reinforcing class structure is not inherently a wrong thing to do. By acknowledging that lower classes exist, we can do more as a society to help instead of sweeping the issue under the rug and forgetting about it. Its time to get over political correctness and focus on issues that really matter (I remember Mitt Romney in one of his speeches making a big deal about how Obama used the word “class” and how he shouldn’t have used it. Come on, grow up. Not saying that I support either candidate, they’re all the same talking-heads at the end of the day, but that point was ridiculous).
