The idea that "class isn't about money" is a really important one, and a distinction that isn't evident in most people's lives. I grew up in a family that was h

The idea that "class isn't about money" is a really important one, and a distinction that isn't evident in most people's lives. I grew up in a family that was historically pretty rich and both parents had advanced degrees, but a combination of health problems and mental illness meant that for most of my childhood, we had very little money. At the same time, I went to private schools (on scholarship) my entire life, so all of my friends and acquaintances were also upper upper middle class. I'm now an adult and am extremely successful, more so than any of my acquaintances. As difficult as my childhood could be, a big part of my success is probably attributable to habits and norms I picked up from my parents. As early as college, the amount of opportunities I've been exposed to just by impressing someone during conversation has been ridiculous. Part of this of course has been knowing my stuff, but undoubtedly it depends in part on my carriage and manner of speaking. And all of this is leaving out the direct networking opportunities inherent in the environment I grew up in.