Final answer:
Individuals may inherit positions such as social standing and lifestyle from their family, commonly referred to as ascribed statuses, which include career inheritance. Personal choice also plays a role, as seen in class systems where occupation is not strictly fixed at birth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The positions that individuals either inherit at birth or receive involuntarily later in life are known as ascribed statuses. These can include social standing, cultural norms, and the associated lifestyle which one naturally acquires from their family. A classic example of this in many societies is career inheritance, where children are likely to enter similar occupations as their parents due to the surrounding influence, expectations, and available resources.
On the contrary, in a class system, one's occupation is not strictly determined by their family or birth status. While family and societal models often guide individuals toward a certain career, there is also room for personal choice and aspiration. For instance, individuals have the freedom to refuse a family business or pursue education in a field unrelated to their parents' occupations.
However, it is important to note the challenges faced by those who deviate from their inherited social status, such as first-generation college students who may not have the same level of support and resources as their peers with college-educated parents. Furthermore, even in democratic societies, some positions, especially in hereditary monarchies, are unelected and inherited, such as kingship or nobility.