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>That's a contrived late-20th century distinction meant to make high-income professionals feel better about themselves. I understand your angle and I didn't d
by jasode 7y ago
>That's a contrived late-20th century distinction meant to make high-income professionals feel better about themselves.
I understand your angle and I didn't downvote your other comment in this thread but your perspective emphasizes the math of income brackets and percentiles. However, people don't use that criteria when self-identifying their income class.
A lot of white-collar professionals making $200k simple don't consider themselves "upper class". It's not a matter of denial. I would bet that if you surveyed software engineers earning $200k, most would not use the label "upper class" to describe themselves because to do so would be strangely pretentious.
If a tiny 1000 sq ft Palo Alto house costs $1.5 million, a $200k salary does not feel "rich & wealthy". Therefore, reminding them they are in the top 5% of the income percentile doesn't change the self-identification of "middle class". From their perspective, it feels like middle class.
- rayiner 7y ago> A lot of white-collar professionals making $200k simple don't consider themselves "upper class". It's not a matter of denial. I would bet that if you surveyed software engineers earning $200k, most would not use the label "upper class" to describe themselves because to do so would be strangely pretentious. Yes, and that's a moral failing. Worse than being "pretentious" is failing to realize that you are blessed. Because that starts you down the road of thinking "since I'm middle class, other people should shoulder the burden of providing for the country's most vulnerable people, not me." That's the self-deception that results in even Bernie Sanders' "progressive" tax policy being identical to Donald Trump's until you get over $250,000.
- cannonedhamster 7y agoIt's really odd that you don't factor cost of living into your calculator especially since it's used in every other determination of wealth. If I make $250K US in India for example you're generally way better off than $250k US in the Bay area. The ability to move is arbitrage which a lot of people don't have. Don't get me wrong I actually mostly agree with your point, I say that as a guy literally dying of cancer, but lucky enough to be in the best place in the world to have a chance. It's just that cost of living should factor into any estimation of class status. If you throw that out literally every American has a moral failing, even those living below the poverty line, which isn't a sensible way to look at it. Class needs to be defined as the purchasing power relative to the area that the person is in. Taxation status/rates doesn't need to take that into account.
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- jquery 7y agoBest of luck with your cancer treatment. Enjoy the time you have left, and hope you get the lucky end of estimates for time left or survive completely. My father died (relatively young) from cancer recently even with the best treatment, so I’m crying as I type this but make sure you spend lots of time with family and close friends. You are likely loved more than you know.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]