Can we stop referring to households making $200 or 300K a year as "middle class"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just read all 14 pages. (Isn't that pathetic?) Majority of DCUM has lost touch with reality even in DC. Take a drive down Benning Rd NE or Minnesota Ave (if you know where they are) both in DC. Then come back and tell us that your 200K income is middle class in Washington DC.

+1

[Anonymous]

Why would you bring up 1.5M in a thread discussing 200k/300k. They are not even the same order of magnitude.

People in this area making 200k to 300k is living middle class type life styles. That's reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read all 14 pages. (Isn't that pathetic?) Majority of DCUM has lost touch with reality even in DC. Take a drive down Benning Rd NE or Minnesota Ave (if you know where they are) both in DC. Then come back and tell us that your 200K income is middle class in Washington DC.

+1

Right... because there are poor people in the area, that means your middle class life style isn't middle class.

What kind of stupid logic is that?

And why would you +1 that garbage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you bring up 1.5M in a thread discussing 200k/300k. They are not even the same order of magnitude.

People in this area making 200k to 300k is living middle class type life styles. That's reality.

No, it's your skewed perception of reality. 200-300K seems like "middle class" compared to the 1.5M earners. But, compared to the 90K median in DC, 250K sure does not seem "middle class."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read all 14 pages. (Isn't that pathetic?) Majority of DCUM has lost touch with reality even in DC. Take a drive down Benning Rd NE or Minnesota Ave (if you know where they are) both in DC. Then come back and tell us that your 200K income is middle class in Washington DC.

+1

Right... because there are poor people in the area, that means your middle class life style isn't middle class.

What kind of stupid logic is that?

And why would you +1 that garbage?

As some PPs have stated, you may be living a middle class life style but your income is not middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you bring up 1.5M in a thread discussing 200k/300k. They are not even the same order of magnitude.

People in this area making 200k to 300k is living middle class type life styles. That's reality.

Our gross HHI is about $120,000. I consider us middle class. If we were making 200/300K I would consider us pretty well off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read all 14 pages. (Isn't that pathetic?) Majority of DCUM has lost touch with reality even in DC. Take a drive down Benning Rd NE or Minnesota Ave (if you know where they are) both in DC. Then come back and tell us that your 200K income is middle class in Washington DC.

+1

Right... because there are poor people in the area, that means your middle class life style isn't middle class.

What kind of stupid logic is that?

And why would you +1 that garbage?

because you need a serious reality check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, it's your skewed perception of reality. 200-300K seems like "middle class" compared to the 1.5M earners. But, compared to the 90K median in DC, 250K sure does not seem "middle class."

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you bring up 1.5M in a thread discussing 200k/300k. They are not even the same order of magnitude.

People in this area making 200k to 300k is living middle class type life styles. That's reality.

No, it's your skewed perception of reality. 200-300K seems like "middle class" compared to the 1.5M earners. But, compared to the 90K median in DC, 250K sure does not seem "middle class."

The only one with a perception problem is you, using "seems like" as part of your argument.

What I'm talking about is reality. 200k to 300k leads to a middle-class type lifestyle in the DC area. That's reality, regardless of what it may "seem" to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read all 14 pages. (Isn't that pathetic?) Majority of DCUM has lost touch with reality even in DC. Take a drive down Benning Rd NE or Minnesota Ave (if you know where they are) both in DC. Then come back and tell us that your 200K income is middle class in Washington DC.

+1

Right... because there are poor people in the area, that means your middle class life style isn't middle class.

What kind of stupid logic is that?

And why would you +1 that garbage?

As some PPs have stated, you may be living a middle class life style but your income is not middle class.

Listen to yourself. What means more, actual life style, or numbers on paper?

[Anonymous]

Even your "middle class" is not really middle class. You choose to pay more for housing, schools, cars, food, coffee - everything - because you can. Then you complain that you have basically the same things as middle class people.

You are wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you bring up 1.5M in a thread discussing 200k/300k. They are not even the same order of magnitude.

People in this area making 200k to 300k is living middle class type life styles. That's reality.

Our gross HHI is about $120,000. I consider us middle class. If we were making 200/300K I would consider us pretty well off

But you don't make 200k/300k, and those of us who do or has are telling you that it's not as magical as you think.

I understand it may be hard for people imagine making 200k or 300k. I had that problem too. I remember in college thinking that one day, if I were to make the lofty sum of 100k, why it would be the best thing ever and I would certainly have made it in life and live happily ever after. I sat there in my beater toyota waiting for the carburetor to become unflooded dreaming about what I'd do with that much money.

You are making 120k, you tell me, is your life magical? If not, can't you explain to the people making 50k that it's not magical? And by that same token, why do you think people making 2x more than you is somehow living that much better than you?

We are all middle class, people. So my kids get the Lego sets that have 500 more pieces than the one you bought your kids, but they are still both playing with Legos rather than a miniature Bentley for Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even your "middle class" is not really middle class. You choose to pay more for housing, schools, cars, food, coffee - everything - because you can. Then you complain that you have basically the same things as middle class people.

You are wrong.

That makes no sense. So I pay marginally more for marginally better housing, schools, cars, food, coffee, etc. I don't see how that suddenly make me not middle class. If this was true, someone making 120k would not be middle class compared to someone living on 50k in West Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you bring up 1.5M in a thread discussing 200k/300k. They are not even the same order of magnitude.

People in this area making 200k to 300k is living middle class type life styles. That's reality.

Our gross HHI is about $120,000. I consider us middle class. If we were making 200/300K I would consider us pretty well off

But you don't make 200k/300k, and those of us who do or has are telling you that it's not as magical as you think.

I understand it may be hard for people imagine making 200k or 300k. I had that problem too. I remember in college thinking that one day, if I were to make the lofty sum of 100k, why it would be the best thing ever and I would certainly have made it in life and live happily ever after. I sat there in my beater toyota waiting for the carburetor to become unflooded dreaming about what I'd do with that much money.

You are making 120k, you tell me, is your life magical? If not, can't you explain to the people making 50k that it's not magical? And by that same token, why do you think people making 2x more than you is somehow living that much better than you?

We are all middle class, people. So my kids get the Lego sets that have 500 more pieces than the one you bought your kids, but they are still both playing with Legos rather than a miniature Bentley for Christmas.

No one said it was "magical". Apparently you thought it would be though, which is why you are so unhappy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read all 14 pages. (Isn't that pathetic?) Majority of DCUM has lost touch with reality even in DC. Take a drive down Benning Rd NE or Minnesota Ave (if you know where they are) both in DC. Then come back and tell us that your 200K income is middle class in Washington DC.

+1

Right... because there are poor people in the area, that means your middle class life style isn't middle class.

What kind of stupid logic is that?

And why would you +1 that garbage?

As some PPs have stated, you may be living a middle class life style but your income is not middle class.

I don't get it. What is "middle class" if not a lifestyle? If you live in a modest home and send your kids to public school and drive a Hyundai and save for retirement and college and don't expect to ever live off your "wealth," what are you? Housing, child care, and student loans eat up an enormous amount of money. I think it's BS to say that someone living in a 4,000 sq. ft new house on two acres outside of Houston and driving two new European cars on a $150K salary is 'middle class' but someone living in a 1,500 sq ft 60-year-old Cape on 1/5 acre in south Arlington and driving two Hondas on $300K is 'upper class.'