Upper class emulates lower class -- empire is declining.
Considering that the media and certain rich kids believe it's both cool and fun to be impoverished crime-ridden inner city minorities, the current state of "class" indicates we a nation in free-fall.
This has NOTHING to do with.... "THE HARRY POTTER RELIGION"....of magic ANARCHY?
I can totally understand what you are saying with the whole hip-hop and gangster rap culture (that make it ok to be on welfare, sell drugs, commit acts of violence, beat women, etc.)
However, I have notice that very lately, some of the newer TV are starting to celebrete wealth or at least the upper class. (The OC, Laguna Beach, Who Wants to be a Hilton).