"The gap in confidence between high- and low-earners is now the widest it has been in the seven years of tracking the data." helluva time to be writing a book about middle class culture www.wsj.com/economy/cons...
"The gap in confidence between high- and low-earners is now the widest it has been in the seven years of tracking the data." helluva time to be writing a book about middle class culture www.wsj.com/economy/cons...
$50k ain’t middle class money. That is no-braces-for-the-kids working class retire at 80 money. I hate this journalistic fantasy world in which it’s still 1978
Ooh! Looking forward to reading! I grew up upper-class BROKE (like lights being turned off broke) and managed to claw my way back into a middle class life that both of my parents looked down on. Which was ... interesting. I love class stuff, and we don't talk about it enough in the US.
Paywalled. I worked my way out of parental abandonment poverty (living in a van down by the river pretty much literally) in my teens for decades to the upper middle class but I still relate entirely to struggling folks as I see that it all could vanish instantly. The GOP is busy making sure of it.
This. We've quit buying meat except when on super sale (generally pork), in the store markdown bin coming up on its use by date (rare finds) and Costco roasted chickens which are life savers. We haven't bought beef, lamb or seafood in quite a long time.
It is the 0.1% against the rest of us and we are losing. Unite! Join a Union!
Here in the DC area I went from $50k to 100 by joining the union. It was the only way we had any hope of having a child. With a Goblin and the price increases it feels as tight again as it did before.
They have the solution though bsky.app/profile/numb...
These days it feels like the "middle class" was encouraged as an idea to make part of the working class view themselves ABOVE the rest of the working class, to undermine solidarity and unions.
Oligarchs own the newspapers and television and radio and now social media we rely on for information. Oligarchs gonna oligarch. Same as it ever was.
I just find it depressing how many people apparently just want to be ruled.
In a lot of ways it's easier. The devil you know, etc.
There will always be a middle class !! The only thing that changes is what they consider middle class !! I’m only guessing, but it feels as though the middle class was at around a 60-70 k a year !! It feels as though it has doubled to be considered middle class !! Anyone know the actual stats ?!?!
Dateline 2017
Is 50k middle class?
Compared to households making $24-$40? You'd better believe it.
where you at? not in CA that's for sure shitty houses are 600k
www.sofi.com/cost-of-livi...
the wsj reporting on the overwhelming victory of the ruling class
this is how you get trump, you can blame the stupid for voting for him but it's really the pigs hoarding all of the wealth who are to blame
And income disparity grows more with each passing day 😐
I haven't read the article (paywall) but is the first problem here not a this not a category issue stemming from the persistent desire to consider everyone middle class? In most places in the US today, 50k-100k probably shouldn't be considered MC in my opinion.
right, middle class is ideological category more than economic but there are still government agency specifications defining it as anywhere from 66% to 200% of the national median household income (which was $70K in 2023) - a big spread! and as you say, not well correlated to, like, cost of living