What is Middle Class....Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do people have friend groups that are so socioeconomically diverse? Pretty much everyone I'm in touch with from high school or college is now a JD/MBA/MD or working in finance or tech.

It's not like I tried to hang out only with highly paid professionals, I just don't have any friends who aren't (except for some who are now finishing up PHDs, but that's different).

Don't you have friends from high school or even middle school? I always find it odd when people in D.C. Only have friends that they meet through work. It's like friendships are paper thin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't you have friends from high school or even middle school? I always find it odd when people in D.C. Only have friends that they meet through work. It's like friendships are paper thin.

Well, for us at least, our friends primarily attended private high schools, went to elite universities, attended tier one graduate schools, etc. We're transplants from around the country but everyone was successful at each life stage. Probably a lot of assortative mating going on. Nobody really married below their status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The worst sign if a bubble is when these snobby 28-year-olds insist that professionals earning $100,000 have been unsuccessful in their careers.

People should be proud of their accomplishments, whatever social class they may be a part of.

Unfortunately, most aspire to the upper middle class and not one of the working classes.

But $100,000, or $200,000 per couple, IS upper-middle class. A working class wage (working class go by hourly wages) is more like $12/hr. If you mean to to imply otherwise, that's a sign of the bubble that posters keep referring to.

BTW, I'm at $110,000 and proud of my successes. It's afforded me a very nice lifestyle, too.

You are a dumbass. $12/hr is poverty wages, not "working class." Your 100k is not "upper middle" around DC. Not even close. Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The worst sign if a bubble is when these snobby 28-year-olds insist that professionals earning $100,000 have been unsuccessful in their careers.

People should be proud of their accomplishments, whatever social class they may be a part of.

Unfortunately, most aspire to the upper middle class and not one of the working classes.

But $100,000, or $200,000 per couple, IS upper-middle class. A working class wage (working class go by hourly wages) is more like $12/hr. If you mean to to imply otherwise, that's a sign of the bubble that posters keep referring to.

BTW, I'm at $110,000 and proud of my successes. It's afforded me a very nice lifestyle, too.

You are a dumbass. $12/hr is poverty wages, not "working class." Your 100k is not "upper middle" around DC. Not even close. Nice try.

And you are a rude snob (and rather low in class based on your crass language).

Of course $100,000 is upper-middle class for an individual, and $200,000 for a couple. Some of you really have no clue how the real middle class lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But $100,000, or $200,000 per couple, IS upper-middle class. A working class wage (working class go by hourly wages) is more like $12/hr. If you mean to to imply otherwise, that's a sign of the bubble that posters keep referring to.

BTW, I'm at $110,000 and proud of my successes. It's afforded me a very nice lifestyle, too.

If you have a graduate degree from a reputable full time program, work as a lawyer, physician, university professor, senior executive, have refined tastes, then you're likely upper middle class.

If you're in a GS-scale job, a middle manager, have a state college degree, watch TV at night, and so on, then you just have a nice income.

Remember that "middle class" is not "middle income". It's the class between inherited wealth and people who really on their own effort to get paid. The upper middle class are those who make enough to separate themselves from most of the managers, dentists, IT professionals, and the like, but still need to work.

That pretty much rules out anyone posting on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The worst sign if a bubble is when these snobby 28-year-olds insist that professionals earning $100,000 have been unsuccessful in their careers.

People should be proud of their accomplishments, whatever social class they may be a part of.

Unfortunately, most aspire to the upper middle class and not one of the working classes.

But $100,000, or $200,000 per couple, IS upper-middle class. A working class wage (working class go by hourly wages) is more like $12/hr. If you mean to to imply otherwise, that's a sign of the bubble that posters keep referring to.

BTW, I'm at $110,000 and proud of my successes. It's afforded me a very nice lifestyle, too.

You are a dumbass. $12/hr is poverty wages, not "working class." Your 100k is not "upper middle" around DC. Not even close. Nice try.

And you are a rude snob (and rather low in class based on your crass language).

Of course $100,000 is upper-middle class for an individual, and $200,000 for a couple. Some of you really have no clue how the real middle class lives.

Bite me. Calling people "low class" makes you the snob, moron.

Announcing that $12/hr is working class is pretty out of touch with the working class. That is what, give or take 26k a year? A hardworking working class person can easily make 100k a year in DC. As they should. Sorry that's equivalent to your salary. I know you're desperate to be considered "upper middle class" but no. You're not.

[Anonymous]

^

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^

Um yeah, whatever.

You are the OP, right? This has been another 20 pages of you trying to convince people that your 100k/year is upper middle class.

[Anonymous]

^retreat to your safe space snowflake, the world is full of psychos

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^retreat to your safe space snowflake, the world is full of psychos

Op, try to stay consistent with your insults.

Or better yet, why don't you take your 100k salary and go do something on Friday night instead of brooding over your DCUM thread? You know, get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:.Announcing that $12/hr is working class is pretty out of touch with the working class. That is what, give or take 26k a year? A hardworking working class person can easily make 100k a year in DC. As they should.

Absolutely.

We pay our babysitter $12/hr. We pay our plumber $75/hr.

If the OP thinks she's upper middle class, she should report on how much household help she has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people have friend groups that are so socioeconomically diverse? Pretty much everyone I'm in touch with from high school or college is now a JD/MBA/MD or working in finance or tech.

It's not like I tried to hang out only with highly paid professionals, I just don't have any friends who aren't (except for some who are now finishing up PHDs, but that's different).

Don't you have friends from high school or even middle school? I always find it odd when people in D.C. Only have friends that they meet through work. It's like friendships are paper thin.

Yes. Of my best high school friends, one is a lawyer, one a doctor, one works in tech, and one is a veterinarian. We were all in honors classes together and didn't really hang out with the kids who ended up doing random jobs after college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people have friend groups that are so socioeconomically diverse? Pretty much everyone I'm in touch with from high school or college is now a JD/MBA/MD or working in finance or tech.

It's not like I tried to hang out only with highly paid professionals, I just don't have any friends who aren't (except for some who are now finishing up PHDs, but that's different).

Don't you have friends from high school or even middle school? I always find it odd when people in D.C. Only have friends that they meet through work. It's like friendships are paper thin.

Yes. Of my best high school friends, one is a lawyer, one a doctor, one works in tech, and one is a veterinarian. We were all in honors classes together and didn't really hang out with the kids who ended up doing random jobs after college.

small sample group of 4 friends. I have a lot of friends who were high achieving in high school who are earning much less than 100k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^retreat to your safe space snowflake, the world is full of psychos

Op, try to stay consistent with your insults.

Or better yet, why don't you take your 100k salary and go do something on Friday night instead of brooding over your DCUM thread? You know, get a life.

If you're assuming that was the OP, you'd be wrong. Just saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:.Announcing that $12/hr is working class is pretty out of touch with the working class. That is what, give or take 26k a year? A hardworking working class person can easily make 100k a year in DC. As they should.

Absolutely.

We pay our babysitter $12/hr. We pay our plumber $75/hr.

If the OP thinks she's upper middle class, she should report on how much household help she has.

I'm the OP. (I did not contribute many of the other posts to which some nasty people attribute to me. There are MANY people who are agreeing with me. I think that's why people are saying I'm inconsistent....it's different people posting.)

But to answer your question about my household help, I have a weekly private maid, who not only cleans but changes my linens and does some laundry, as well as a lawn service to maintain property. I also travel internationally (I've been to about 20 countries, but never stopped to actually count), go to the theater regularly (I'm partial to ballet, but also like musicals if they're not silly), eat out at upscale restaurants often, all while still being generous with my charitable giving. I take evening classes very regularly, as well, simply for personal enrichment. I also have a wonderful collection of books and usually focus on non-fiction reading, particularly history.

It's the same upper-middle class lifestyle I grew up with, and continue to maintain. I consider myself quite fortunate. I'm sorry to shatter your belief that someone earning $100,000 lives a life of deprivation. It's very comfortable. I don't get why some snobs here seem to want to convince me I'm a loser!

P.S. If you're looking for travel recommendations, one of my best trips was a "destination" cruise through the Greek Islands. (By destination I mean it wasn't one of the hose typical cruise lines geared for the average vacationer. It was a small luxury ship, and quite enjoyable. Do try it!)