Middle class. My dad is in the army (Col, so he gets paid pretty well) and my mom works at a place called S.A.M.E (Society of American Military Engineers). So yeah, we're pretty well off.

 

 

 

My dad grew up living on a farm though so he's still pretty cheap. Drives a cheap car and all of that. :P

I suppose it does depend.

 

 

 

As according my my sociology teacher, working class are people who sya have jobs in industry, live in okay-ish accoomodation and just get by. Middle class would have jobs in more 'professional' areas eg owning a business, teaching, medicine ect. Your real upper class are like those who own great massive estates.

 

 

 

It just depends on how you're defining it.

 

 

 

That's kind of outdated. Middle class have always been the moderately educated people. In today's world, the children of a plumber or electrician can go off to at least a community college and get the skills to manage and operate a business. To me, the lower classes would be groups where the kids don't give a damn about school or education and end up perpetuating their family into the lower classes for the next generation. There's a good difference between those who have a chance of upward mobility and those who don't. Hence the distinction given in my series.

 

 

 

(Don't want to say upper middle since I don't like Barihawks definition of it)

 

 

 

It would probably be just "middle class." I would call it a good branch since you have affluence, but the entire term "upper-middle" class has always referred to yuppies and the such. Back in the 80's what you describe would be upper middle class, but in today's world it's kind of iffy.

 

 

 

I'd call it "affluent middle class." To be upper class in the eyes of the law, you would need annual income of $500,000. I could retire a millionaire but if I make less than that amount, I am still middle class.

 

 

 

I do see what you mean by that. I think that there should be a distinction between working class and lower class as they can be often seen as one. Working classes are just those who get by with little money, maybe want to get better jobs but can't, limited opportunities ect. The lower class or 'subclass' I think are more like what you're describing, they don't care and just want to live off the government 'chavin it up bigstyle' with their 'm8s' so to speak.

I'd like to do some clarification here.

 

 

 

Upper-Middle is a middle class position where the people attempt to live as if they were upper class. They drive cheaper versions of the same car lines (BMW, Mercedes, etc), go for mock-tudor and other large homes, and dress extravagantly. In essence, attempting to live higher than their means. This often means that instead of being wealthier than anyone else, they simply have much more debt than anyone else. These people make up a large chunk of the recent US foreclosures (and to be honest, I don't feel sorry for them).

 

 

 

Other classes would be:

 

 

 

Poverty - catch all

 

Lower Middle - the "working class"

 

Middle - white collar

 

Upper Middle - already explained

 

Wealthy - catch all

 

 

 

I think we'd fit mostly in the middle there. Saving up for retirement/kids is more important to me than driving a fancy car or living in a beautiful house.

 

 

 

Oh man I understand what you mean. I'll say my family is between middle/working, but most of our family friends are "upper middle." Driving 30k Benz and owning houses they can't really afford.

I reckon we're middle, but we sometimes act upper-middle. We only manage to get away with it because I don't have any siblings.

 

 

 

Don't really want to say any more, it is a bit of a personal question.

Middle, I suppose.

 

Though compared to some of the people around here, probably lower-middle. We have a pretty small house in a rich city.

Lower middle class I think. I live with my Uncle, my only family member, who is a nurse. I work in a music store so we're not that bad off.

Definately working class. For every 100 dollars we make, probably 95 of it goes to debts and necesities.

Lower middle, we were higher up but some problems happened. We're still pretty happy, of course missing the wealth we once had, but we get by.

Middle. My dad earns a six figure salary, he's a high ranking specialist doctor who does NHS work and private practice; so we manage to live pretty well off. He still drives a Vauxhall Meriva though >_>

I'm upper-middle class (not Barihawk's definition) in a third world country. So I'd say part of the normal middle class to your standards.

 

 

 

Too bad Ginger Warrior left; I'm sure he'd throw a fit with this thread.

 

Too bad Ginger Warrior left; I'm sure he'd throw a fit with this thread.

 

 

He doesn't really even understand socialism to begin with, I don't really see what he could truly contribute to this discussion.

I come from a working class background, my Dad is a lorry driver (truck driver) and my mother is a cleaner at the moment (ironic considering how messy the house is). That being said, I'm just finishing university in a degree that would put me in an office job which are hallmarks of the middle classes so I don't know...I consider myself working class but other could disagree.

 

 

 

edit - Pyro you are now my personal stereotype of the British middle classes - I bet you love your twinings tea :P

 

 

 

Middle Class.

 

 

 

Not flaming, but...

 

 

 

What do we discuss here ? At most people will maybe post 3 lines about their circumstances.

 

 

 

We could discuss class, what defines your social class, does it apply in the modern world, is social mobility becoming easier or not? I'm the first to moan at a crap thread but with a little effort this could be interesting.

Upper class I'd say. We don't live like it, though. But my father practically runs all the military hospitals and clinics east of the Mississippi. And my mother is an ER nurse. We have pretty high standards of living, but I would not consider us "rich."

I was going to say upper middle class, but we definitely do not fit into Barihawk's definition of it. We don't really have financial trouble, but we also do not try to look like we are upper class. The cars we own are a 1988 Toyota corolla, and a 1994 camry station wagon; not BMWs..

 

 

 

I live in a fairly affluent city though, and I would classify almost everyone here as upper middle class.

I'd say upper middle... have a gas station, security agency, engaged in farming and are now starting a packaged drinking water plant... I'm in a 3rd world country so we're comparatively well off.

Middle class. Feel very lucky to be fairly well off, both my mum and step-dad (and my dad) are from poor backgrounds and so often remind me of how lucky I am.

You can get EMA in doses of £10, £20 and £30. If your parents earn more than £30,000 then you can't get it I think. I learnt it off by heart because it's free money :P

 

 

 

My parent's own a VW Passat (My dad's taxi car >_>) and a smaller VW.

Upper-Middle is a middle class position where the people attempt to live as if they were upper class. They drive cheaper versions of the same car lines (BMW, Mercedes, etc), go for mock-tudor and other large homes, and dress extravagantly. In essence, attempting to live higher than their means. This often means that instead of being wealthier than anyone else, they simply have much more debt than anyone else. These people make up a large chunk of the recent US foreclosures (and to be honest, I don't feel sorry for them).

 

I'll likely be driving a BMW. But it's from 1987. And I have to fix it. And it's 900 dollars. >_>

 

 

 

My family is really made up of all sorts. Me, my dad, and my brother act a lot like we're blue-collar workers, and sometimes we are. My brother-in-law makes more money than my mom and dad combined (he's an engineer for Exxon), but he's worked in oil fields since he was 15. My brother also likes to act affluent. My sister got used to being wealthy quick. My mom, well, she's just my mom.

I have no idea. I could describe my style of living, but I don't think I understand the classes enough to be able to put myself in one. Plus I don't know how much money my dad makes (like the exact number, or even a general range). I mean I know that he makes a lot, from looking at the things he buys with it, but I have no idea where the exact number is. But I guess I'd probably put us between middle and upper. My mom doesn't work, my dad is in real estate and other random investments, but he does everything from home.

Upper middle class I'd say. My dad has his own company and my mum works with the local Eduction Council. We have an average house in a nice area, and 2 fairly good cars.

My family (parents) - came from real lowest class, to upper class, to losing it all, back down to lowest class and then worked it's way to working class/ slowly making their way to middle class.

 

 

 

Brent's family (parents) - come from upper class, they're in their early 40's, retired, never have to work again, own about 12 houses, breed race horses and pretty much help nobody in their family unless they're eating off the floor.

 

 

 

Our family is getting to middle class/upper middle class. I don't agree with Barihawk's description so please don't apply it to that one.

Upper-Middle is a middle class position where the people attempt to live as if they were upper class. They drive cheaper versions of the same car lines (BMW, Mercedes, etc), go for mock-tudor and other large homes, and dress extravagantly. In essence, attempting to live higher than their means. This often means that instead of being wealthier than anyone else, they simply have much more debt than anyone else. These people make up a large chunk of the recent US foreclosures (and to be honest, I don't feel sorry for them).

 

I'll likely be driving a BMW. But it's from 1987. And I have to fix it. And it's 900 dollars. >_>

 

 

 

My family is really made up of all sorts. Me, my dad, and my brother act a lot like we're blue-collar workers, and sometimes we are. My brother-in-law makes more money than my mom and dad combined (he's an engineer for Exxon), but he's worked in oil fields since he was 15. My brother also likes to act affluent. My sister got used to being wealthy quick. My mom, well, she's just my mom.

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with driving a Beamer or fancy car, or living in a nice house. If you are wealthy, you should live very comfortably. What I was describing were people who make less than 125k a year attempting to live in that kind of lifestyle, when they really can't. You can do it if you plan very well and make sacrifices, but most do not. Basically it was a knock on people who live beyond their means just for the sake of appearances.

Upper middle, I guess? Without all the trying to live rich stuff :

 

 

 

Don't really know or care...

I'd say upper lower class because my mom works, and my dad recently got laid off. We can only afford the necessities as luxeries aren't really something we can afford now. She has to have the internet here for her work, so that's the main reason why she has it. :P We are not really "poor" as we aren't living on government assistance, but we can just make bills, yes, just. :P

 

 

 

And no, we don't own a car at all. It's unfortunate, but that's what you have to live with. :lol:

Upper Middle Class

 

 

 

I live in the suburbs outside Boston, my dad works 5 days a week 6am - 6pm and my mom doesn't work. We have 6 cars (includes 2 Volkswagens, 2 Audis, 1 Dodge, 1 Mazda Miata), 6 computers, we're currently renovating our bathroom, Aruba trip booked for April vacation, younger sister's Bat Mitzvah at the end of the month. That's what I can think of at the moment.

 

 

 

God damn, I feel like such a [puncture] now :(

 

 

 

@Barihawk: Not true, don't go spreading stereotypes like that.