The Social Class Ladders—Labor, Gentry, and Elite

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this division of 13 classes, versus the 3 we usually discuss here.

In our young stage we are currently waffling between L2 and G4, with the ability to move up the G ladder as the next 5-20 years bring opportunity in our fields.

And culturally I'm a little more G, and dh is a little more L. But his job is the one that will get us up the G ladder. More than his family, he is a G. It's the whole thing where he goes back to the 'country' (really a suburb), and they give him a funny look because he's too 'uptight' / 'educated' / 'snobby' when we are really just at the bottom of the Gs.

There is a marked difference between L and G and it's so noticible in those return-to-home moments. But there is a lot of back and forth in terms of tastes, financial habits, etc.

He will have a hard time fitting in with the Gs with a background like that. Never true acceptance

He really is different. There are similar backgrounded older Gs too. I think of several bosses, professors, mentors he has had that love to converse with him about catfish/crawfish/farm stuff (ha ha whatever it is they talk about), but they're all definitely Gs. They just grew up the same way. He really really doesn't fit in as an L anymore. He can fit in for about 5 minutes but then his education and modern attitude come through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this division of 13 classes, versus the 3 we usually discuss here.

In our young stage we are currently waffling between L2 and G4, with the ability to move up the G ladder as the next 5-20 years bring opportunity in our fields.

And culturally I'm a little more G, and dh is a little more L. But his job is the one that will get us up the G ladder. More than his family, he is a G. It's the whole thing where he goes back to the 'country' (really a suburb), and they give him a funny look because he's too 'uptight' / 'educated' / 'snobby' when we are really just at the bottom of the Gs.

There is a marked difference between L and G and it's so noticible in those return-to-home moments. But there is a lot of back and forth in terms of tastes, financial habits, etc.

He will have a hard time fitting in with the Gs with a background like that. Never true acceptance

He really is different. There are similar backgrounded older Gs too. I think of several bosses, professors, mentors he has had that love to converse with him about catfish/crawfish/farm stuff (ha ha whatever it is they talk about), but they're all definitely Gs. They just grew up the same way. He really really doesn't fit in as an L anymore. He can fit in for about 5 minutes but then his education and modern attitude come through.

Eh. As an old money G I can say we absolutely notice those things, even if we don't voice it. Of course you have commonalities- in the south they talk about crawfish, if you grew up in Philadelphia cheesteaks, etc- things that cross social and economic lines. But there are major, tiny differences that set someone apart. And the G's know the rules, and no one else does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this division of 13 classes, versus the 3 we usually discuss here.

In our young stage we are currently waffling between L2 and G4, with the ability to move up the G ladder as the next 5-20 years bring opportunity in our fields.

And culturally I'm a little more G, and dh is a little more L. But his job is the one that will get us up the G ladder. More than his family, he is a G. It's the whole thing where he goes back to the 'country' (really a suburb), and they give him a funny look because he's too 'uptight' / 'educated' / 'snobby' when we are really just at the bottom of the Gs.

There is a marked difference between L and G and it's so noticible in those return-to-home moments. But there is a lot of back and forth in terms of tastes, financial habits, etc.

He will have a hard time fitting in with the Gs with a background like that. Never true acceptance

He really is different. There are similar backgrounded older Gs too. I think of several bosses, professors, mentors he has had that love to converse with him about catfish/crawfish/farm stuff (ha ha whatever it is they talk about), but they're all definitely Gs. They just grew up the same way. He really really doesn't fit in as an L anymore. He can fit in for about 5 minutes but then his education and modern attitude come through.

Eh. As an old money G I can say we absolutely notice those things, even if we don't voice it. Of course you have commonalities- in the south they talk about crawfish, if you grew up in Philadelphia cheesteaks, etc- things that cross social and economic lines. But there are major, tiny differences that set someone apart. And the G's know the rules, and no one else does.

We also notice ... do you know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this division of 13 classes, versus the 3 we usually discuss here.

In our young stage we are currently waffling between L2 and G4, with the ability to move up the G ladder as the next 5-20 years bring opportunity in our fields.

And culturally I'm a little more G, and dh is a little more L. But his job is the one that will get us up the G ladder. More than his family, he is a G. It's the whole thing where he goes back to the 'country' (really a suburb), and they give him a funny look because he's too 'uptight' / 'educated' / 'snobby' when we are really just at the bottom of the Gs.

There is a marked difference between L and G and it's so noticible in those return-to-home moments. But there is a lot of back and forth in terms of tastes, financial habits, etc.

He will have a hard time fitting in with the Gs with a background like that. Never true acceptance

He really is different. There are similar backgrounded older Gs too. I think of several bosses, professors, mentors he has had that love to converse with him about catfish/crawfish/farm stuff (ha ha whatever it is they talk about), but they're all definitely Gs. They just grew up the same way. He really really doesn't fit in as an L anymore. He can fit in for about 5 minutes but then his education and modern attitude come through.

Eh. As an old money G I can say we absolutely notice those things, even if we don't voice it. Of course you have commonalities- in the south they talk about crawfish, if you grew up in Philadelphia cheesteaks, etc- things that cross social and economic lines. But there are major, tiny differences that set someone apart. And the G's know the rules, and no one else does.

We also notice ... do you know that.

So long as you know *shrug*

[Anonymous]

I disagree with you. G isn't that terribly snobby. Are you sure you aren't an E4?

See, I'm a solid G. And I married him. He doesn't talk about his Midwest/country stuff more than with
-Ls because he's trying to relate to them
-Gs who mention they're from X place or used to go 4 wheeling or something. It's like a conversation you just have because you all used to be L, are now Gs, but for a few minutes you can talk to someone about your past.

Other than that he's a G.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with you. G isn't that terribly snobby. Are you sure you aren't an E4?

See, I'm a solid G. And I married him. He doesn't talk about his Midwest/country stuff more than with
-Ls because he's trying to relate to them
-Gs who mention they're from X place or used to go 4 wheeling or something. It's like a conversation you just have because you all used to be L, are now Gs, but for a few minutes you can talk to someone about your past.

Other than that he's a G.

Oof. G's are that snobby, I hate to tell you.

Perhaps you are deceiving yourself because you want to feel better about your husband?

[Anonymous]

Ouch. Well, *you* are snobby. Anyone ever told you that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ouch. Well, *you* are snobby. Anyone ever told you that?

I'm aware, my dear. We all are.

[Anonymous]

Ha ha laughing so hard at this.
A boy raised L is one of two people in his family to rise to G, has 8 years of schooling including a terminal degree, marries a G, and you're *still* trying to keep him down. You don't know him, but you can "tell" and he'll "never be accepted." Are you worried about letting more Gs in!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha ha laughing so hard at this.
A boy raised L is one of two people in his family to rise to G, has 8 years of schooling including a terminal degree, marries a G, and you're *still* trying to keep him down. You don't know him, but you can "tell" and he'll "never be accepted." Are you worried about letting more Gs in!?

Oh my God! No one cares about your husband except YOU! No one is trying to "bring him down".

Take several deep breaths and get a grip.

Did you want me to lie and say he'll be welcomed with open arms and no one will judge him? That they don't think his background is sad and that they respect him and don't look down on him?

Whatever you want to tell yourself. I guess honesty is not what you were after

[Anonymous]

You are psycho. All I was doing was sharing my story of where we fit into this, as others were doing.... Fact is we are already G, my friend. We're already hanging out with you. We're fitting in. No one thinks his life was sad....... huh? He wasn't Underclass.....

What you're saying is no one can truly move between L and G. That's false. Read the article lady, there is a lot of movement between L and G. Get used to it.

Not backing down here because you're the type of person who should be ashamed of themselves. Imagine saying what you're saying publicly. Snot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are psycho. All I was doing was sharing my story of where we fit into this, as others were doing.... Fact is we are already G, my friend. We're already hanging out with you. We're fitting in. No one thinks his life was sad....... huh? He wasn't Underclass.....

What you're saying is no one can truly move between L and G. That's false. Read the article lady, there is a lot of movement between L and G. Get used to it.

Not backing down here because you're the type of person who should be ashamed of themselves. Imagine saying what you're saying publicly. Snot.

There's movement between it, sure. But the people who were born into G look down on it. Obviously that bothers you- too bad. The truth is the truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are psycho. All I was doing was sharing my story of where we fit into this, as others were doing.... Fact is we are already G, my friend. We're already hanging out with you. We're fitting in. No one thinks his life was sad....... huh? He wasn't Underclass.....

What you're saying is no one can truly move between L and G. That's false. Read the article lady, there is a lot of movement between L and G. Get used to it.

Not backing down here because you're the type of person who should be ashamed of themselves. Imagine saying what you're saying publicly. Snot.

There's movement between it, sure. But the people who were born into G look down on it. Obviously that bothers you- too bad. The truth is the truth.

I'm sure some people do, though certainly not all. Or perhaps if this schema is accurate it is (a) Gs with no connection to extended portions of their family containing Ls, (b) Gs who have a desire to move to the E scale of values or (c) Gs lacking in empathy and human connection.

Or perhaps this schema is an abstracted simplification and doesn't adequately capture the full range of experience. Regardless, the snobbery reflected in the PP's post reflects poorly on them rather than on the poster they were addressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are psycho. All I was doing was sharing my story of where we fit into this, as others were doing.... Fact is we are already G, my friend. We're already hanging out with you. We're fitting in. No one thinks his life was sad....... huh? He wasn't Underclass.....

What you're saying is no one can truly move between L and G. That's false. Read the article lady, there is a lot of movement between L and G. Get used to it.

Not backing down here because you're the type of person who should be ashamed of themselves. Imagine saying what you're saying publicly. Snot.

There's movement between it, sure. But the people who were born into G look down on it. Obviously that bothers you- too bad. The truth is the truth.

I'm sure some people do, though certainly not all. Or perhaps if this schema is accurate it is (a) Gs with no connection to extended portions of their family containing Ls, (b) Gs who have a desire to move to the E scale of values or (c) Gs lacking in empathy and human connection.

Or perhaps this schema is an abstracted simplification and doesn't adequately capture the full range of experience. Regardless, the snobbery reflected in the PP's post reflects poorly on them rather than on the poster they were addressing.

Many G's have no family members in the L section. This is not an issue for them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are psycho. All I was doing was sharing my story of where we fit into this, as others were doing.... Fact is we are already G, my friend. We're already hanging out with you. We're fitting in. No one thinks his life was sad....... huh? He wasn't Underclass.....

What you're saying is no one can truly move between L and G. That's false. Read the article lady, there is a lot of movement between L and G. Get used to it.

Not backing down here because you're the type of person who should be ashamed of themselves. Imagine saying what you're saying publicly. Snot.

There's movement between it, sure. But the people who were born into G look down on it. Obviously that bothers you- too bad. The truth is the truth.

Np here. You are quite literally insulting someone you don't know. I think this is an important 'fight' here, whether or not anyone cares about this particular husband, it's an interesting case study.

Pp thinks because she is 'old money G' (meaning she has 2-3 generations of G grandparents), she can lord over the 'new money G' (the other person's dh). She's saying there's old and new, and that old pities and never truly accepts new money G.

I'm not sure what to say, except I don't think old money G really exists. As mentioned above, it just means your grandparents and parents are G too. Sounds like the DH is all G, just doesn't have parents in G. I think day to day, since you don't walk around with your parents, your lineage doesn't matter much. It would for an E, where inheritance / family connections are important. But I don't quite see it for G.

I'm going to side against pp because she does seem to want to keep the DH down. Really. Someone claims he's a G, and you say in summary, 'he can never truly be a G.' There's something about that middle class that doesn't want to let in any economic competition. And that perceives themselves to be the gatekeeper, almost an E trait, but without any grace.