SES Indicators

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(elite liberals are pro-union but union jobs are beneath them)

LOL, that is so true!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing screams "PROLE" louder than not having a college degree before age 25.

A graduate degree generally signals at least middle-middle class status, but lack of a graduate degree doesn't symbolize much. Almost all the upper-upper (out of sight) class have college degrees earned before 25 but for many that's the highest degree obtained (a BA from Harvard, Yale etc. is very prestigious).

A lot of teachers have (bogus) masters degrees - but this is because of the salary bump. And they're generally on the more prole side of middle class rather than upper middle.

An MD or PhD is almost a sign of at least upper middle class status. Good law programs as well, though lawyers with fourth tier programs are kind of prolish, or maybe a similar level to teachers.

Note that class isn't entirely about income. Enjoying school and getting degrees that are primarily about intellectual enrichment is a sign of upper middle class status.

If there is hope...it lies in the proles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know several teachers who graduated from Ivy league schools or top SLACs with majors other than education.

Yes, the upper middle class who do become teachers take the "non-vocational" route. You can't major in elementary education at an Ivy or a top LAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mean the nurses you know went to Ivy League schools and live in trendy neighborhoods?

Wow so it's either Ivy League with a doctor husband or borderline working/middle class huh? Well of the 6 nurses I know, 4 live in the DC area, 2 in the South. Two were pre-med in college, 2 are NPs, another 2 work in specialties (anesthesiology and genetic diseases). All but 1 make well over 6 figures. And they actually like their work - the science as well as working with patients - they aren't doing it "strictly for the money" One is married to a blue collar professional, the rest white collar. One big factor for all of them to choose nursing was because they knew they wanted to have families one day and wanted a decent work life balance. Good for them for thinking ahead at such a young age! I'm sure there is still a wide spectrum in salary and work, but I don't consider an RN as strictly a vocational job these days.

NPs, specialists etc. - this is obviously the nursing elite and hardly typical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle class and up have books in their home, proles don't

Proles collect stuff like limited edition plates

Middle-middle class think graduating from college is an accomplishment, upper middle class care about prestigious colleges

Bowling is very prolish

We used to have lots of books in our house, but now we have Kindles and the older books are mostly boxed up.

[Anonymous]

Shows what a bubble some people live in when we hear posters that "many teachers" they know went to Ivies and LACs and most nurses they know make well into six figures and have graduate degrees.

[Anonymous]

Diet

[Anonymous]

Whether one has a passport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go read Paul Fussell's class. Some of it is out of date, but will give you an idea of what to look for.

http://www.amazon.com/Class-Through-American-Status-System/dp/0671792253

Second this.

And if you're obsessing about class, you're probably not Upper. Or X.

[Anonymous]

Fussell's book is brilliant.

"Not smoking is very upper class, but drawing attention to the fact that you don’t is middle class."

[Anonymous]

Another vote here for smoking (non-smoker being the signifier for higher SES).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How they talk and what words they use. It's harder to judge just by clothes etc, some people just don't care about that and will wear 10 year old shoes but flu first class to Europe.

[Anonymous]

Teeth and skin are very strong indicators in America.

[Anonymous]

If you went to Phillips Exeter/Andover, Choate or other New England Prep/boarding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing screams "PROLE" louder than not having a college degree before age 25.

A graduate degree generally signals at least middle-middle class status, but lack of a graduate degree doesn't symbolize much. Almost all the upper-upper (out of sight) class have college degrees earned before 25 but for many that's the highest degree obtained (a BA from Harvard, Yale etc. is very prestigious).

A lot of teachers have (bogus) masters degrees - but this is because of the salary bump. And they're generally on the more prole side of middle class rather than upper middle.

An MD or PhD is almost a sign of at least upper middle class status. Good law programs as well, though lawyers with fourth tier programs are kind of prolish, or maybe a similar level to teachers.

Note that class isn't entirely about income. Enjoying school and getting degrees that are primarily about intellectual enrichment is a sign of upper middle class status.

That was bitchy. I am a teacher and I earned my Master's last year. I worked hard for it, too. BTW HHI is 350k, so I did not need the pay bump.