Anonymous wrote:What I am trying to say social prestige counts when other people recognize it. Most people don’t give two hoots about Boston Brahmins. At least the queen is recognizable to the masses.

Social prestige can be regional. In Boston it does matter and people do respect it there.

OP, I think this is an interesting question and don’t know my answer! I am a HS teacher, husband works for government, kids are happy, and our house is just fine. I obviously see that people have nicer things than I do but man, I see a lot of people (poorer and richer than I am) who seem a lot less happy.

What I am trying to say social prestige counts when other people recognize it. Most people don’t give two hoots about Boston Brahmins. At least the queen is recognizable to the masses.

I am not trying to be snarky or sarcastic… but who cares about the Boston Brahmins, besides the Boston Brahmins. It’s a silly name in itself, which speaks to faltering social class in this country. People will whig out more about the Kardashians.

I am not trying to be snarky or sarcastic… but who cares about the Boston Brahmins, besides the Boston Brahmins. It’s a silly name in itself, which speaks to faltering social class in this country. People will whig out more about the Kardashians.

Anonymous wrote:There is no real social prestige these days. In the past there were clearly identified social elites as society treated and venerated them as the elites. But we don't do it any more. Because no one cares.

You've clearly never been to Boston. The Boston Brahmins are a thing and even if you have serious money and are not one of them they want nothing to do with you. See the story about a member of the Winthrop family declining to approve the condo ownership application of John Walsh, a multi-millionaire spa owner worth around $100 million, to purchase a condo in their exclusive Beacon Hill building. The reasoning was that Walsh would not "coalesce" with the community there. Effectively they were Boston Brahmins and he was not good enough to live in the building despite his wealth because of his Irish roots and lack of pedigree.

Anonymous wrote:Someone who drives a Tesla??? Does this work for you op?

That is a sign of a very bad person not an elite.

If you drive a BMW or an Audi and have a 5000 Sq ft house with a au pair. Oh and you have to like golf.

Back in the day is started with Old Money (which frankly started out as "new money". Now new money is fine as long as there is a lot of it. With all that new money you buy in the right zip code, send your kids to the right schools, participate in all the right activities, join the right clubs.....

But the piece that bumps the socially prestigious into the big leagues, as it were, is use that new money to, one, donate in a significant way to political candidates who then win, and you get invited to a different class of parties and events than traditional local events. Also, donate to causes, universities..... Start foundations that donate to causes.

An ivy league professor, white collar worker and doctors don't reach that level.

American oligarchs have social prestige.
https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files...CostofFoodJan2022LowModLib.pdf

Other people here are right that outside of Oligarchs we don't have "elites" or "social prestige" the way other countries do. We do have a culture of pride in folks who "pull themselves up by their bootstraps", which is why we have that expression.

I think there is class but not in the UK way. I also think you see less of it in larger cities. In smaller towns, the conventional ways still matter. Money, being known in town.

someone who retired early 40-50s and living well

lol imagine asking this question in this area where virtually anyone walking down the street or can be a multimillionaire. Nobody really cares.

Anonymous wrote:Your zip code. There is nothing more prestigious than that.

This starts with money though. In america, your zip code is your destiny.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would anyone care if someone has a country club membership?

+1

+2

Spending my precious few spare moments with a bunch of shallow, vapid harpies? Sign me up! </s>