OK, but that's different from the thread comment that started this. > Americans like to pretend they’re rich when they’re not. Arguably many on the lower end

OK, but that's different from the thread comment that started this. > Americans like to pretend they’re rich when they’re not. Arguably many on the lower end of the income scale aren't pretending not be impoverished. They are, they know it, and there's not much they can do about it. That's living paycheck-to-paycheck, not by choice, but by necessity. It's a very different animal to live beyond your means. It is pretending to have more income than you have, though whether it's for appearances or other misguided notions of what they "deserve" would require deeper insight into their internal motivations!