Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are choosing to associate with th wrong group of people if this is prevalent in your life.

Oh, I'm just basing in on what I've been reading here on DCUM, haha

What forums do you read? What is an UMC body type, thin? Where on dcum do women talk about the size of their engagement rings?

People on dcum with HHI's less than 400k like to claim middle class status.

Seriously, what are you talking about?

Anonymous wrote:What's the big deal? If you love your family, enjoy your job, get to take vacations now and then?

Why are people so obsessed with whether their body type seems upper class or if they have the right engagement ring etc?

Explain it to me please.

Because of our national beginnings, Americans are uncomfortable discussing class. In England, everyone is painfully aware of exactly where they fit. There are rules, pervasive, unyielding and commonly-understood. Here, everyone is middle class. It has led to a lot of class anxiety among those who've traveled beyond what their families provided them. If they are no longer the middle class sort they grew up as, what are they? How do they differentiate? How exactly? No family photos on the first floor? Okay. Smaller breasts indicate upper class arrival? Sure, why not? It's not like anyone - anyone - knows anyway, so let's seek definitions where we may. DC is full of lawyers. If there were ever a class shifting profession, this is it. So, it shouldn't be so surprising that you'd see this sort of panic here.

Try Fussel's Class: A Guide Through the American Status System. Tom Wolfe, Dominick Dunne, and PJ O'Rourke all had good things to say about The Official Filthy Rich Handbook, by Christopher Tennant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is unusual in that it has a great deal of affluence and education, but relatively little culture (aside from the awesome, federally-funded museums) compared to other major cities.

I think this is largely a result of the nature of most of the residents. Very career-oriented and competitive.

x2. And not very artistic. Free thinking is ostracized and looked down upon here, in contrast to cities that are cultural hubs/influencers

How long have you lived here? I'm guessing not very long.

I agree with the first 3 posts above. I have no knowledge of Dallas, so I'm excluding that from my opinion, but DC has way less of a creative soul than LA, Chicago, San Fran etc. Not completely devoid, but any creative class here is trying in spite of obstacles, and no one really moves here to further their creative ambitions. Look down upon other areas of the country all you want. I'm sure they are busy and happy enough that they aren't sparing us a second thought.

Strongly disagree. The DC theatre community is absolutely thriving. Look into the groundbreaking Women's Voices Theatre Festival, which is making news in the national arts world. Or the fact that many plays that premiere in DC go onto Broadway, Off-Broadway, or West End houses.

Please. The DC theatre community is nothing to write home about. Contrast that to the relentless creative energy of the so called "creative capital in the world" of los angeles, or the city with the largest arts district in the country, Dallas.

DC cannot even come close.

Lol. We get that you're impressed by LA, and/or that you want other people to be. We get it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is unusual in that it has a great deal of affluence and education, but relatively little culture (aside from the awesome, federally-funded museums) compared to other major cities.

I think this is largely a result of the nature of most of the residents. Very career-oriented and competitive.

x2. And not very artistic. Free thinking is ostracized and looked down upon here, in contrast to cities that are cultural hubs/influencers

How long have you lived here? I'm guessing not very long.

I agree with the first 3 posts above. I have no knowledge of Dallas, so I'm excluding that from my opinion, but DC has way less of a creative soul than LA, Chicago, San Fran etc. Not completely devoid, but any creative class here is trying in spite of obstacles, and no one really moves here to further their creative ambitions. Look down upon other areas of the country all you want. I'm sure they are busy and happy enough that they aren't sparing us a second thought.

Strongly disagree. The DC theatre community is absolutely thriving. Look into the groundbreaking Women's Voices Theatre Festival, which is making news in the national arts world. Or the fact that many plays that premiere in DC go onto Broadway, Off-Broadway, or West End houses.

Please. The DC theatre community is nothing to write home about. Contrast that to the relentless creative energy of the so called "creative capital in the world" of los angeles, or the city with the largest arts district in the country, Dallas.

DC cannot even come close.

Oh please yourself. Plays are regularly tested here before heading to Broadway. Danai Gurira held a premier of her play her last year and in a few months Edie Brickell and Steve Martin will premier their new musical here. DC has Arena Stage, Wooly Mammoth and a thriving Shakespeare theatre culture here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is unusual in that it has a great deal of affluence and education, but relatively little culture (aside from the awesome, federally-funded museums) compared to other major cities.

I think this is largely a result of the nature of most of the residents. Very career-oriented and competitive.

x2. And not very artistic. Free thinking is ostracized and looked down upon here, in contrast to cities that are cultural hubs/influencers

How long have you lived here? I'm guessing not very long.

I agree with the first 3 posts above. I have no knowledge of Dallas, so I'm excluding that from my opinion, but DC has way less of a creative soul than LA, Chicago, San Fran etc. Not completely devoid, but any creative class here is trying in spite of obstacles, and no one really moves here to further their creative ambitions. Look down upon other areas of the country all you want. I'm sure they are busy and happy enough that they aren't sparing us a second thought.

Strongly disagree. The DC theatre community is absolutely thriving. Look into the groundbreaking Women's Voices Theatre Festival, which is making news in the national arts world. Or the fact that many plays that premiere in DC go onto Broadway, Off-Broadway, or West End houses.

Please. The DC theatre community is nothing to write home about. Contrast that to the relentless creative energy of the so called "creative capital in the world" of los angeles, or the city with the largest arts district in the country, Dallas.

DC cannot even come close.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, no one in Los Angeles gives Washington, DC a moment's thought in terms of comparisons.

However, the many intellectual, interesting, interested, informed, artistic, caring, concerned, involved people who live in L.A. do pay attention to international and national affairs and politics, and they are not impressed by what Washington and its overinflated egos have been up to.

I have a good friend in LA, and when I visit I'm stunned at how completely out of touch her circle is when it comes to current events and politics. They know exactly who was nominated for best documentary short subject -- and they have a strong opinion about who should win -- but they couldn't name their own member of Congress or discuss anything that happened on the larger world stage last week.

Honestly, no one in Los Angeles gives Washington, DC a moment's thought in terms of comparisons.

However, the many intellectual, interesting, interested, informed, artistic, caring, concerned, involved people who live in L.A. do pay attention to international and national affairs and politics, and they are not impressed by what Washington and its overinflated egos have been up to.

It's pretentiousness. People want to look like they are of a certain background but it doesn't always come naturally when they didn't didn't grow up that way.

I would pin the blame on our culture. The trappings of wealth are seen as something to aspire to in magazines, films, tv, advertisements. Even though money can buy a person "stuff" that stuff doesn't necessarily cohere into an authentic fit for the buyer and then they fret over how to get the right fit to pull off a blue blood appearance.

Don't know. I spend money on things that personally make me happy and/or make my life easier. Such as lots of travel, eating out.

I want my car to be nice and new (leather, DVD, navigation) but don't care about luxury brands at all (it's a Honda) and would rather out that money towards another vacation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is unusual in that it has a great deal of affluence and education, but relatively little culture (aside from the awesome, federally-funded museums) compared to other major cities.

I think this is largely a result of the nature of most of the residents. Very career-oriented and competitive.

x2. And not very artistic. Free thinking is ostracized and looked down upon here, in contrast to cities that are cultural hubs/influencers

How long have you lived here? I'm guessing not very long.

I agree with the first 3 posts above. I have no knowledge of Dallas, so I'm excluding that from my opinion, but DC has way less of a creative soul than LA, Chicago, San Fran etc. Not completely devoid, but any creative class here is trying in spite of obstacles, and no one really moves here to further their creative ambitions. Look down upon other areas of the country all you want. I'm sure they are busy and happy enough that they aren't sparing us a second thought.

Strongly disagree. The DC theatre community is absolutely thriving. Look into the groundbreaking Women's Voices Theatre Festival, which is making news in the national arts world. Or the fact that many plays that premiere in DC go onto Broadway, Off-Broadway, or West End houses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is unusual in that it has a great deal of affluence and education, but relatively little culture (aside from the awesome, federally-funded museums) compared to other major cities.

I think this is largely a result of the nature of most of the residents. Very career-oriented and competitive.

x2. And not very artistic. Free thinking is ostracized and looked down upon here, in contrast to cities that are cultural hubs/influencers

How long have you lived here? I'm guessing not very long.

I agree with the first 3 posts above. I have no knowledge of Dallas, so I'm excluding that from my opinion, but DC has way less of a creative soul than LA, Chicago, San Fran etc. Not completely devoid, but any creative class here is trying in spite of obstacles, and no one really moves here to further their creative ambitions. Look down upon other areas of the country all you want. I'm sure they are busy and happy enough that they aren't sparing us a second thought.

HHI is low to mid $100k. We say upper middle class because the people who make more don't want to admit they are UPPER CLASS not UPPER MIDDLE CLASS. The posers making the truly big bucks just can't accept that, and so they can cry poor every once in awhile and relate to the common people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is unusual in that it has a great deal of affluence and education, but relatively little culture (aside from the awesome, federally-funded museums) compared to other major cities.

I think this is largely a result of the nature of most of the residents. Very career-oriented and competitive.

x2. And not very artistic. Free thinking is ostracized and looked down upon here, in contrast to cities that are cultural hubs/influencers

How long have you lived here? I'm guessing not very long.

Anonymous wrote:DC is unusual in that it has a great deal of affluence and education, but relatively little culture (aside from the awesome, federally-funded museums) compared to other major cities.

I think this is largely a result of the nature of most of the residents. Very career-oriented and competitive.

x2. And not very artistic. Free thinking is ostracized and looked down upon here, in contrast to cities that are cultural hubs/influencers

Washington is more like nerd/social outcast central.

LOL. I got that impression the first time I read here. Could be why so many posters are mean and rude.