Lower Middle Class VS Upper Middle Class

[Anonymous]

Let me start this thread by saying I'm a SAHM that's trying to engage my brain. I took an intense interest in sociology while I was in college and, unfortunately, did not pursue a double major. It doesn't change the fact that I am totally fascinated by the BEHAVIORAL differences between the lower middle class and the upper middle class. It would be lovely if people would talk about their personal life experiences and give specific examples of behavioral differences (and differences in values, morals, child rearing, education, manners, etc.) among these two classes. This is NOT a financial debate. I don't care what bracket you are in or what your HHI is. I am simply talking about how you grew up and how you are raising your children and the differences you notice between these two socioeconomic classes.

I'll give a few of my own examples to start off with:

I've noticed that when people in the lower middle class save enough money to renovate their house, purchase a nice car, go on a vacation, etc. they tend to state the price of everything. My friends from the upper middle class simply don't discuss money matters because it is considered impolite and crass.

In my personal experience, people from the lower middle class tend to address adults by their first names (and the adults encourage this). In UMC families, adults are addressed by "Mr. and Mrs. so and so" This could also be a cultural phenomenon, however, not just socioeconomic.

[Anonymous]

You again?

Before we begin, you must remember that this is dcum.

Lower middle class is a family of 3-4 making between $150,000 and 250,000. The people who are really struggling to get by.

Middle class is a family making in the realm of $300,000 +/- (but usually plus)

Upper middle class is a family making around $400,000-500,000.

Just so we are clear.

[Anonymous]

Although it's slightly dated now, one of the best books on this subject is Paul Fussell's "Class". An easy read. Only thing I don't like is his reluctance to put himself into one of these classes and creating a small "other" class of Northeastern academics who transcend his class descriptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Lower middle class is a family of 3-4 making between $150,000 and 250,000. The people who are really struggling to get by.

We are at the low end of this and not struggling a bit. We vacation several times a year, and live in a nice townhome in a nice VA neighborhood, good school district. Reasonable, safe cars. Good health care. Decent clothes, reasonable phone plans (no smart phones). Out to eat about once a month. We raise our own kids, clean our own home, cut our own lawn, garden our own area.

Happy family, good life.

It CAN be done in this area. But most people would rather live on credit outside their means and also farm out the necessities and then cry about how they struggle.

[Anonymous]

OP here, I guess this topic is on my mind because I recently finished reading "Crossing the Tracks for Love" - stellar read, although it doesn't apply to my personal life, it really pointed out a lot of the behavior differences and differences in thought processes between LMC and UMC. Maybe I'm using the wrong words? Maybe it's not a debate of upper middle class vs lower middle class values and standards, maybe it's a debate of trashy vs classy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Lower middle class is a family of 3-4 making between $150,000 and 250,000. The people who are really struggling to get by.

We are at the low end of this and not struggling a bit. We vacation several times a year, and live in a nice townhome in a nice VA neighborhood, good school district. Reasonable, safe cars. Good health care. Decent clothes, reasonable phone plans (no smart phones). Out to eat about once a month. We raise our own kids, clean our own home, cut our own lawn, garden our own area.

Happy family, good life.

It CAN be done in this area. But most people would rather live on credit outside their means and also farm out the necessities and then cry about how they struggle.

She was being sarcastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me start this thread by saying I'm a SAHM that's trying to engage my brain. I took an intense interest in sociology while I was in college and, unfortunately, did not pursue a double major. It doesn't change the fact that I am totally fascinated by the BEHAVIORAL differences between the lower middle class and the upper middle class. It would be lovely if people would talk about their personal life experiences and give specific examples of behavioral differences (and differences in values, morals, child rearing, education, manners, etc.) among these two classes. This is NOT a financial debate. I don't care what bracket you are in or what your HHI is. I am simply talking about how you grew up and how you are raising your children and the differences you notice between these two socioeconomic classes.

I'll give a few of my own examples to start off with:

I've noticed that when people in the lower middle class save enough money to renovate their house, purchase a nice car, go on a vacation, etc. they tend to state the price of everything. My friends from the upper middle class simply don't discuss money matters because it is considered impolite and crass.

In my personal experience, people from the lower middle class tend to address adults by their first names (and the adults encourage this). In UMC families, adults are addressed by "Mr. and Mrs. so and so" This could also be a cultural phenomenon, however, not just socioeconomic.

I suggest you find more interesting things to engage your brain with. What are you babbling about now?

[Anonymous]

Look, people are constantly bringing socioeconomic class into conversations on DCUM. I simply wanted to start a thread for it. If you don't want to contribute to the conversation, click on a different thread, simple as that.

[Anonymous]

People who grew up lower middle class and come into money somehow, are the ones who are buying up the McMansions. They are ugly, lack character, and are cheaply built. They are only worth the land they are built on. You can buy one in DC or on the Main Line in PA for several million dollars. Move a bit further out to rural PA or somewhere not as urban as DC and they sell for $200k. Open your eyes people.

[Anonymous]

Wow OP, so you think LMC is trashy and UMC is classy? No point in discussing this with you if you label like this.

[Anonymous]

I think that people who are constantly thinking about and evaluating class in the manner of OP are taking something very nuanced and highly influenced by regional and cultural norms and reducing it down the kind of nasty, lowest common denominator anecdotes that fuel the most vicious of threads on DCUM.

Cut the crap, OP, you're not doing this for the intellectual stimulation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me start this thread by saying I'm a SAHM that's trying to engage my brain. I took an intense interest in sociology while I was in college and, unfortunately, did not pursue a double major. It doesn't change the fact that I am totally fascinated by the BEHAVIORAL differences between the lower middle class and the upper middle class. It would be lovely if people would talk about their personal life experiences and give specific examples of behavioral differences (and differences in values, morals, child rearing, education, manners, etc.) among these two classes. This is NOT a financial debate. I don't care what bracket you are in or what your HHI is. I am simply talking about how you grew up and how you are raising your children and the differences you notice between these two socioeconomic classes.

I'll give a few of my own examples to start off with:

I've noticed that when people in the lower middle class save enough money to renovate their house, purchase a nice car, go on a vacation, etc. they tend to state the price of everything. My friends from the upper middle class simply don't discuss money matters because it is considered impolite and crass.

In my personal experience, people from the lower middle class tend to address adults by their first names (and the adults encourage this). In UMC families, adults are addressed by "Mr. and Mrs. so and so" This could also be a cultural phenomenon, however, not just socioeconomic.

Where do you live, OP? In DC or in the far suburbs? Makes a big difference.

I assume that you're referring to how children address adults. We live in NW DC and have noticed that the only parents who want to be addressed as Mr./Mrs. SoandSo are white people from the deep south and those who identify strongly as political conservatives. Also some but certainly not all African American parents, especially if they are from the south. Our friends tend to be politically liberal and either completely secular or Jewish, and I can't think of any of them who ask to be addressed as Mr./Mrs.

[Anonymous]

Um, many people call adults by their first name. Ever heard of GDS? I guarantee that the bulk of the students there are not lower middle class. I think this is more of a north/south thing...

[Anonymous]

"I assume that you're referring to how children address adults. We live in NW DC and have noticed that the only parents who want to be addressed as Mr./Mrs. SoandSo are white people from the deep south and those who identify strongly as political conservatives. Also some but certainly not all African American parents, especially if they are from the south. Our friends tend to be politically liberal and either completely secular or Jewish, and I can't think of any of them who ask to be addressed as Mr./Mrs. "

Live in Vienna. Late 40s. Liberal. Insist my children's friends call me Mrs Lastname, raising my kids to call their friends' parents by their last names as well. We're all upper middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You again?

Before we begin, you must remember that this is dcum.

Lower middle class is a family of 3-4 making between $150,000 and 250,000. The people who are really struggling to get by.

Middle class is a family making in the realm of $300,000 +/- (but usually plus)

Upper middle class is a family making around $400,000-500,000.

Just so we are clear.

I think that this is ALL WRONG.

Over $500,000 is middle class (otherwise known as "comfortable").
$200,000-$500,000 is lower middle class (otherwise known as "struggling").
$125,000-$200,000 is poor (otherwise known as "poor").
Less than $125,000 is either "trailer park" or "ghetto", depending on your race.

There are also, theoretically, families who are rich -- but since they live in small houses and drive old cars, nobody knows who they are.

There is also the minority view that household income has nothing to do with how wealthy you are, since how wealthy you are is a function of what you can afford, and nobody can afford a middle-class lifestyle in the DC area, therefore nobody is middle class even with a household income of over $500,000 -- but let's ignore them for now.