That's really irrelevant. It amounts to a 50% noise factor, across the board. Which means arguments based on this fudge factor basically don't make any sense,

That's really irrelevant. It amounts to a 50% noise factor, across the board. Which means arguments based on this fudge factor basically don't make any sense, in my view. But if you want to to a different route and consider this disconnect "irrelevant", hey, that's fine. As to the "circularity" part of what you're saying: If one defines the "middle-upper" distinction in terms of affordability within the current SF real estate bubble then your argument would be a lot more sensible. But I don't buy that definition; I don't think it's tenable; and I don't think it jibes would how most people (who aren't disgruntled SF tech workers) would define that distinction. I think it's fundamentally flawed, in other words (and quite obviously so). Again though, that's just me -- and basically everyone I've come in contact with in regard to the whole inequality / affordability debate since long before it became the huge, glaring thing that it is now. You can of course define it however you like.