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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I worked in a cell biology lab and all the postdocs would have qualified. They all made between 30 and 40k (10 years ago) but from their speech and habits were clearly not low class.[/quote]

But that's partly a phase of life issue. They won't be living like this 20 years from now. Someone sinking ever-deeper into genteel poverty will be in worse shape in a couple of decades.

Genteel poverty is somewhere a family lands after generations. You still have the house, but you've closed off rooms and maybe sold off some heirlooms. You still get invited to the right formal parties and fundraisers, but your dinner jacket or tailcoat doesn't fit very well, and it's kind of shabby.

If you can't afford to attend a key fundraiser, you arrange to be out of town that weekend. You'd never admit that you can't afford it -- talking about money is vulgar.

You also have strange priorities: You wouldn't think of not paying for your daughter's wedding, but if you can't afford engraved invitations and champagne, you have engraved invitations and punch. You're not savages, for goodness' sake. [/quote]

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