1. Read this article from CNBC and have a look at the videos, too: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/30/70-percent-of-americans-consider-themselves-middle-class-but-only-50-percent-are.html
2. Then, read this: Atlantic article
3. Then, respond to this question in the space below: Why do so many Americans consider themselves to be middle class (even when the numbers say otherwise)? Responses should be at least 200 words, and thoughtfully written.
4. Finally, comment on two of your classmates' comments.
2. Then, read this: Atlantic article
3. Then, respond to this question in the space below: Why do so many Americans consider themselves to be middle class (even when the numbers say otherwise)? Responses should be at least 200 words, and thoughtfully written.
4. Finally, comment on two of your classmates' comments.
Middle class is considered to be the median between people who nearly can’t get by on their earnings, and the top one percent who earn beyond the average person. People don’t want to be known as the type who can’t pay bills, and sometimes can’t afford necessities. However, they also don’t want to be known as the people who sit above everyone else; economically speaking. The mindset of the middle class often comes with made-up beliefs of how the higher class acts, as well as how the lower class lives. People are found to believe that the folks who are in the special one percent may act snobby or wallow in their earnings. Additionally, the folks in the lower class could be known as the type who don’t necessarily live all that wonderfully; all because of stigma. American’s especially don’t want to stand out in most cases when it comes to economics. They want to be proud of what they earn, and be happy with it, but will try to remain in a position that puts them with everyone else. Basically, the middle class label is what the average person puts on themselves within society. They most likely live in a decent house or apartment, are able to supply themselves with the necessities as well as a few wants, and can sufficiently live off their earnings. Although, most people who exceed the middle class definition believe that they are able to just get by based on what they earn and the items within their lives. So, that means that some people are able to have a higher classed “lifestyle” than others, meaning possessing more things that are newer or more valuable, but are just able to get by in terms of bills. With that being said, being able to get by with some cushion is known to be the middle class in society. In this case, it seems better to fit in with the crowd, even if you don’t necessarily meet the crowd’s standards or exceed them.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about people not wanting to be completely transparent about their social class status. It is easier to label yourself as average because you don't have to answer for having more or less—in other words, there is stigma attached to the words "wealthy" and "poor", and so to avoid that, people like to put themselves in the middle.
DeleteI think that you make a good point that many people have negative associations with the terms upper class and lower class. It makes sense that people might associate a certain snobbery with the very wealthy and squalid living conditions with the very poor. I think earning an amount of money you can be happy with is a part of the American Dream. However, despite all of these concerns that people have, there are a large number of people who do want to be above everyone else. I think another part of it might be that even the wealthy pale in comparison to the extraordinarily rich.
DeleteI believe that it is easy for many Americans to consider themselves middle class because there isn’t a clear definition or boundary of what this label describes. I think that another large part that has to do with it is social stigma. I think that humans in general are ashamed of admitting to their vulnerabilities and struggles largely because it is seen as voodoo in our society to express emotional, and physical weaknesses. The problem with basing middle class just off income is that middle class income is proportionate to geographic location. What I mean by this is that a 60,000 dollar income will not do as much for you in New York City as it will in Montana. I believe that there is a general aspiration to be part of the middle class because it overlays the idea of striving for stability. I think that a diagram that conveys the foundations to human stability is Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. This five-tier pyramid model depicts how necessities lower down in the pyramid such as food, water, and rest must be fulfilled before you strive to attend to the needs higher up like self-actualization. This model does very well in defining the layers of stability one needs in order to be able to eventually reach their full potential. First you need to guarantee that you can take care of the necessities that are critical for living, then after that, you need to develop financial and emotional stability in order to be able to reach your highest potential.
ReplyDeleteP.S: Change voodoo with taboo**:)
DeleteI like your point about social stigma. Wealth, in general, is a topic that people usually avoid talking about with others. Many people do not want to talk about if they are lacking money, and not doing well economically. I think it also applies, however, maybe less so, to the higher end of the middle class. People on the wealthier side, either do not want to admit their privilege, or they do not want to show off their wealth. And this embarrassment around money could definitely contribute to the amount of people in the middle class. People on the lower end of the middle class want to show that they are working and taking care of themselves, and people at the higher end are trying to look better to their peers, showing that they, too, are working hard for their lives.
DeleteI like your point about how an income in some parts of the country won't be as good in other parts. I've never taken this into account when thinking about classes in America. Income is the only true thing class can be based off of, but with there being these variations around the country, it only adds to the confusion of what middle class actually is. In my response, I claimed that because of this fuzziness and confusion of what actually is the "middle class", people use it as a cop out and put themselves with the majority because they really aren't sure. There are many flaws to our definition, and your point here about geography is another one of those flaws.
DeleteI think you make an interesting point about the cost of living in different parts of the United States. If you are in an area with a high cost of living cost what is considered middle class could be changed. Although usually in places with a high cost of living salaries get higher with the cost of living. I also think it's interesting that people seem to attach the amount of money they make with weakness or strength. People feel so judged about the amount of income they make that they think it means that they are weak if they do not have high buying power.
DeleteI think so many Americans label themselves as being middle class, because even with a sizable income, it can still be hard to make ends meet. The cost of living is so high that it can feel like you belong to the middle class, even if you don’t meet the income requirements. People in our society are hesitant to use class labels, and many would prefer not to call themselves upper or lower class. The perception of what actually constitutes middle class is often distorted by assumptions about the lifestyles of the upper and lower classes, which the media often portrays in the extreme. It is favorable to be in the middle, economically speaking, so that even if you belong to a different social class, you don’t have to stand out. But what’s interesting is that the middle class isn’t necessarily where the majority of Americans fall anymore—it’s only 50 percent of the population, meaning that the upper and lower classes make up the other 50 percent. Finally, there isn’t even a clear definition of what it means to be a middle class American. The parameters are vague, and the only technical standard by which to categorize someone as being middle class is income.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you described that the way we often determine whether we or someone is part of the middle class is by comparing them to what constitutes the upper and lower classes. The idea that we use the other two social classes to determine whether someone is part of the middle class is very true. In addition, because the media tends to portray the upper and lower classes in such an extreme manner it is easy for people to think that if they are not part of either of those extremes, then they are part of the middle class. The fact that the parameters of what it means to be part of the middle class is vague also means that there is a lot of leeway when categorizing yourself or groups of people into the middle class.
DeleteI think you are right that because of the high cost of living, a wide range of household incomes can struggle to make ends meet. It makes sense that this would be a reason that more people would classify themselves as middle class. You make a good point that the media portrays the extremes of the upper and lower classes, lifestyles that most people do not see themselves fitting into. Because these extremes are what people think of as upper and lower class, most people think of themselves in between the two. I think that people do not have such a strong idea of what a middle class life looks like, so they feel safer classifying themselves as middle class.
DeleteI liked your point about how the high cost of living makes people feel like they are struggling even if they are part of the upper class. I also like your point about how people like to not stand out and thus like to be in the majority group which is the middle class. I was also surprised that their wasn't a clear definition of what middle class was and it seemed like their was a psychological aspect to it as it is based not only on income but beliefs and values.
DeleteOne of the things that is interesting about these articles is that they both mentioned that the middle class is not actually a real thing. In my opinion, it is more how you feel about how wealthy your family is. Most people are not wealthy enough to have multiple homes, but most people do have a place to live, so we consider ourselves middle class. The income of a family who thinks of themselves as middle class could range from $40,000 to $200,000, which is a huge difference. I like how the second article mentioned that it used to be easy to pay for college from a middle class household. Now, though, it seems like only people from the upper middle and upper classes are able to pay for college easily, without student loans. As both articles said, the cost of living is going up, but wages are not.
ReplyDeleteI think in America that there’s a sense of pride in being middle class. It shows that a family has worked hard enough to give their children a chance at college or getting a good job. It’s getting tougher to attain this lifestyle, as not only jobs are harder to find, but even getting into colleges, with some families paying counselors millions of dollars to make their kid look better, while other families are worried about paying for college. However, if somebody considers themselves as middle class, it shows that their life is stable enough. It usually means they have a good job, and may be a homeowner, which no longer is a measurement for the middle class.
Your comment about there being a sense of pride in labeling oneself as a hard working member of the middle class stood out to me. I agree with you—it seems that there is a perception that wealthy people do not have to work hard for what they have. I think that this is the case in many instances, but this is also a stereotypical class view. While some upper class Americans perhaps didn't have to work so hard—or at all— for their fortunes, some must have worked very hard. It is important to remember that hard work should not only be a characteristic of the middle class American. The lower class also works extremely hard, in the face or more adversity.
DeleteI agree with your point about the middle class not being a real thing. It feels to me like there is no real definition of middle class, which is why people find it so easy to classify themselves as middle class. People are not wrong for calling themselves middle class because they are just saying that they are not high class or low class. And it does not seem like those have specific qualifications either, which cause the classes to be split by people’s perceptions. I think a lot of it has to do with how freely money is spent, and with the increasing cost of living, it is harder for people to feel unburdened by money.
DeleteI think the main reason so many Americans consider themselves middle class is because the term has an ambiguous definition. Google claims it is, “the social group between the upper and working classes, including professional and business workers and their families.” Even this is not clear. What percentage of the population does the middle class consist of? It could just exclude the bottom one percent and the top one percent, or it could just be those with the median wage. I believe that we need to give a precise meaning to the middle class if we are going to use the term for any practical purpose. While these articles claim too many Americans consider themselves middle class, they do not clarify the meaning. The Atlantic suggests what the term used to mean, saying, “The mortgage was close to paid off; the car loan settled. This feat was accomplished on a single income that came with health care plus pension and enough for domestic vacations and college.” However, as the CNBC article points out, “wages have been largely flat while costs have gone up, so, in many places, even those making a six-figure income feel like they’re struggling to get by.” If those making hundreds of thousands are having trouble surviving on their income, then those who these articles are claiming to be the middle class would find it even more challenging.
ReplyDeleteI like how you point out that the definition of middle class isn't clear in any source context. I agree with the statement of how there needs to be a definitive meaning or definition for middle class if it were going to be used for more factual purposes. Since you point out how those who are making an ample amount of money (hundreds of thousands) could be finding difficulties to live off their income, you make a clear point in saying that it could be even more challenging for people who consider themselves to be middle class to actually categorize themselves. I wonder if the middle class definition should be based upon standard income, or specific circumstances such as either being able to have cushion month to month, or just barely surviving.
DeleteThe reason so many people consider themselves middle class is because there is no definition of middle class. However, people have an idea of what it means to be rich, and an idea of what it means to be poor, and they are not either of those. And the thing is, it is possible for almost everyone to be middle class. Being middle class does not mean you have to be in the middle 50% of all people with your wealth, it just means that you are not super rich and you are not super poor. Middle does not designate the number of people in the class. People consider themselves as middle class because they see their privilege, but they do not have everything. Also, I think that being middle class is associated with a certain lifestyle. It is the idea of a family with working adults, often with kids. And many Americans have that life, or believe they will have that life, and I think that adds to people determining that they are middle class. And it might explain why fewer single people feel they are middle class than married couples. However, that could also occur due to the fact that single people are living on one income rather than two. Or that they are younger, so they probably have worse paying jobs, and have not yet worked their way to better jobs, as they will with experience.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you pointed out the discrepancy between married middle class and single middle class. Comparing these things is challenging because we don't do it on an individual basis. Rather than comparing income from each person in a married relationship, we combine them, and if they fall in the "middle class" income range, then they are deemed as middle class. While someone could be making significantly less money than their partner in a relationship, but still living the "middle class lifestyle", then they would most likely still consider themselves middle class. It is interesting how the standards change between single and married people, and why we don't determine class on an individual basis.
DeleteI really like how you pointed out the ideal middle class family. When we picture middle class we often do imagine a married couple with kids, having an idealistic life. It’s almost hopeful to call yourself middle class because it’s the only class that doesn’t have negative connotations attached to it. I also agree that middle class does not define the amount of people, while we may assume it would be the majority, we can’t really know because there’s no concrete definition that people stick to.
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DeleteI enjoy how you explained how people feel not rich, but also not poor. I think that describes a large number of people in America. The idea of wealth and income can be extremely confusing to most people. I think this confusion leads to many people claiming to be middle class because it easy, but it is also what they truly believe to be. I also feel they believe it because basic needs take much of the money, which leads to less enjoyable items that the person can buy. This makes the person not feel upper class, but also being able to afford the basics makes them not feel lower class.
Everyone has a different understanding of what the “middle class” is. While some believe it is a lifestyle or that it combines several aspects of life, the actual definition is based on income. Because of this variation in definition, it causes unclarity and fuzziness on who actually belongs to it. Classism in the United States has sparked obvious reactions where people don’t want to be seen as “lower class” or not able to get by, and people just want to “fit in” with the majority of other people to not look out of place. Additionally, people believe that the middle class is everyone in between lower and high class, so logically, it should be the largest class of people percentage wise. While this may be true, people have also felt the need to divide the middle class itself into an upper and lower division, making it even more challenging for people to pinpoint exactly where they belong on the scale without knowing the exact numbers. For these reasons, people find it easiest to place themselves in the middle class as a sort of cop out, because they don’t understand the actual definition and just want to fit in with the majority.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that everyone wants to fit in, so they say they’re middle class. I’m not sure if I see it as a cop out as much as someone just genuinely believing they are middle class though. Or maybe wanting to believe they are. The class system is very confusing and I’m really not sure what the majority of people actually are, but the majority of people call themselves, and want to be seen as middle class. Really good response!
DeleteI think that your point regarding the confusion about what the middle class actually is, as well as where people sit within the social-economic scale has a lot to do with why people think of themselves as middle class. Both extremes come with their negative connotations while the middle sits squarely neutral. Nobody wants themselves to be associated with the negative aspects that come with the upper and lower class because they don’t want to stick out. This makes the middle class an inviting area for people so that they can fit in with everybody else.
DeleteYou make some really great points here, especially about the division of the middle class. One often hears terms like "upper middle class" and "lower middle class" which confuses the concept of middle class even more. You are completely right in that a lot of people do not know where they fall in terms of classes ,and use middle class as an automatic response because the language of classes has become so complicated and seems to entail so much more than income now. Our country's fixation on classes has only complicated the definition of class more and made it more difficult for people to truly understand.
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DeleteI also agree that is a cop-out to say middle class, but also people could be stating that they are middle class because money is confusing. The definition of middle class is known wildly I believe this has to do with so many people stating that they are middle class. Classism is an interesting take on this I had also thought of. I think classism has quite a lot to do with people stating that they are middle because it is seen as more socially acceptable.
DeleteI also agree that is a cop-out to say middle class, but also people could be stating that they are middle class because money is confusing. The definition of middle class is known wildly I believe this has to do with so many people stating that they are middle class. Classism is an interesting take on this I had also thought of. I think classism has quite a lot to do with people stating that they are middle because it is seen as more socially acceptable.
Most Americans consider themselves middle class, and that’s because upper class and lower class both seem to have negative connotations. Middle class has become an adjective to describe someone who isn’t quite struggling to get what they need, but doesn’t have an abundance of money lying around to spend on luxuries. In that sense, most Americans sincerely believe they are middle class, and perhaps don’t want to figure out their actual label based on the numbers. The labels upper and lower class both have negative connotations that people don’t want to associate themselves with. Lower class is seen as poor, homeless, lazy, taking money from the state, when in fact you can be very hard working and still end up in the lower class. Upper class is seen as rich, vain, perhaps only rich because of their family, when upper class people can be very kind, and can work very hard for what they have. Nobody wants to be seen as less than, or someone who thinks others are less than, so we cling to the label “middle class” as a way of saying we’re just like everyone else and we’re not at one extreme or the other. In reality, we’re all just trying to work hard and make enough money to get by, and we don’t want to be seen as poor and lazy or rich and vain. We just want to be seen as human beings, all working hard in the same economy.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you with the fact that the large majority of Americans label themselves in the middle class largely because there aren't any negative stereotypes or connotations as you mentioned towards the middle class. I certainly feel like the media plays an important role into feeding into these false perceptions that people of lower class fail have failed to take advantage of the opportunities that are out there and that the top one percent hasn't worked for their money and is just trying to get richer at the expense of others. I feel like if the media made a stronger effort to portray the realities of poor, middle, and wealthy families, we as a society would grow a greater sympathy and unity with one another. Especially because we would realize that the majority of people are well meaning and strive to work hard not only for themselves but to give back to society as well.
DeleteI liked your comment about how most Americans "don’t want to figure out their actual label based on the numbers." This may make them feel lesser and that's not a goal of anyone's to feel like that. I really liked how you based your response off of how people feel, and brought in the emotional side of why people often associate themselves in the "middle class."
DeleteThis is great Colleen! I really like how you went into how the three "groups" are perceived and using that as the reasons that many americans would label themselves as "middle class". I think it's interesting how you said that everyone is just trying to do their best. I didn't think of it that way but your have a point. It's really sad that this system works this way that makes people feel bad about what the have even if they are doing their best with what they have. I wish people could be able to say where they fall financially without shame.
DeleteA lot of Americans are not aware of their privilege and wealth in comparison to a lot of other countries in the world. We see wealth as the 1% in our country, the people who can afford everything and more. This causes us to label ourselves as middle class just because we do not have these extreme luxuries that the richest people of not only our country, but the world have access to. In reality, a lot of Americans live extremely comfortably and can afford more than just the basic necessities of life. But because we are such a privileged country and are exposed to extreme wealth, we think anything less is middle class. A lot of Americans are also modest, and even though they are able to afford many luxuries, they choose to call themselves middle class so as to not draw attention to themselves. There are also those who do not want to admit that they are lower class, as our society has depicted being poor as shameful, and signifies that someone who is poor does not work hard to earn a living, when the majority of the time, this is not the reality. In general, I think middle class is a comfortable term that Americans fall back on, as it does not sound as pretentious as upper class, and avoids the embarrassment our society has associated with being lower class.
ReplyDeleteI like your point on how you say that since our country is "privileged" and we "are exposed to extreme wealth," that is the reason most Americans fall back to middle class. And I think that is very true, because everyday Americans are presented with information and reports about the upper classes and that creates an atmosphere where there is lots of domination by those classes and the only thing left is what's "in the middle," because the lower classes are not as regarded as much. I think that bit about the lower classes connects to your point on how you say that not many want to admit they are lower class so they will not have to be shamed for it. The way you end your response is something very agreeable to, just reiterating how Americans do not want to be deemed anything other than "normal," so they choose "middle class."
DeleteBy using the truth about what American's actually think about people above and below them in society, you signified the extreme depth into social classes that we have dived into. The reason so many people consider themselves as middle class is certainly due to the one percent above and one percent below the gray area we call the middle class. Since the high and low classes come with so many stereotypes that close to nobody wants to associate with themselves, then we often rely on the comfortable middle class. Also, your point that we are a privileged country accentuates how most don't necessarily see the luxuries most people experience in everyday life.
DeleteI think it is interesting with the one percents lives being so public that everyone compares their wealth to them. No matter if you are middle class or not if you look at the one percent lifestyles your wealth does not compare whatsoever. This comparison of everyone's life to the extremely wealthy makes everyone else feel average. This leads to a higher number of people identifying with the middle class than they should.
DeleteI believe that many Americans consider themselves middle class because they believe the lives they live and the things they own aren't as stingy as those in lower class households, and aren't as lavish as those in the upper class. Americans do not want to identify themselves as something that they do not think they are, despite many claiming they are "middle class" when they are not (according to the numbers). Plus, I think that the terms of being a middle class American are vague and sort of open-ended; aside from the numbers. This means that many people interpret the definition of middle class differently, according to how they live and what they own. Designating oneself as "middle class" might also be an effort to avoid the scrutinizing that comes with being in an upper class and the degrading that comes with being in a lower class. I also feel like when individuals and families align themselves with the middle class, they feel like they are in a haven of sorts where they can "follow the crowd." This point made in the Atlantic article, "Picking “middle class” is easy enough to do because, again, the language doesn’t present much to go on in terms of what this label describes," sums up the message I am trying to convey. The quote is saying that picking "middle class" is the "easy way out;" something most Americans would choose over others in this situation.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you when you said that classifying yourself as middle class comes with a certain "open-endedness" that people feel comfortable in. As you said, they don’t want to deal with the scrutinization that comes with being upper class, but also don’t want the degradation that comes with being lower class. By thinking of themselves as middle class, it puts them in that open-ended sweet spot where nobody really knows where they are, so they don’t question it. I think that most people don't want to stick out from others, so they put themselves squarely in the middle, where they feel most everybody else is.
DeleteI appreciate the point you make about families "picking" the middle class. Often times it does seem as though what social class you belong to is less a question of actual wealth, and rather a question of what is convenient for your public persona. Nowadays wealth is mostly comprised of assets that can be hidden quite easily (such as offshore bank accounts) rather than material possessions, so this may contribute to the uncertainty of class boundaries. This goes along with the idea that socioeconomic classes had clearer definitions fifty, or even a hundred years ago.
DeleteSo many Americans consider themselves to be middle class because in some way or another they have been exposed to both extremes of the wage disparity. This, combined with the fact that there’s no real definition of what the middle class is, creates the notion that people have about their social status. People see the kind of poverty that others live in, as well as the luxurious lifestyles that rich people enjoy. With no real guidelines or definition, people simply think that they aren’t as poor as these people, and aren’t as rich as these people, so they must be a part of the middle class. This idea of placing yourself right in the middle; not too high, and not too low, also relates to many stigmas people have about social classes. “The upper class” comes with a stereotypical connotation of being above, or better than others. Most people (and there are exceptions) don’t like to be associated with arrogance or being above others. Naturally, most people also don’t want to be associated with “lower class” either, as that gives the impression of a struggling, desperate lifestyle, that people wouldn’t want to show off. Because both the lower and upper classes come with some negative connotations, people find it easier to place themselves into the middle class. A group that isn’t associated with many negative aspects. People’s desire to fit in with the larger group, coupled with the fact that there aren’t any real definitions of the social structure, pushes many people into considering themselves middle-class Americans.
ReplyDeleteI think that what you are saying here is very important, and I agree with it a lot as it is similar to my post, too. I like your point about how Americans think that they are not as poor as those in the lower class and they are not as affluent as those in the upper class, so they pick the middle class. I like how you mention that there are stigmas about the social classes, so people pick the middle class for being "just right," which reminds me of the "Goldilocks" tale. It's also important how you mention the connotations that come with the upper and lower classes, so that makes it easier for Americans to decide what class they identify themselves to be—the middle. Great response.
DeleteWe had a lot of similar points about the stereotypes surrounding upper and lower class and why that causes people to place themselves in the middle. I liked your point about the negative stigma around being part of the upper class and how people often assume you are arrogant–I had thought about the negative stigma surrounding the lower class but not the upper. I also liked your point about how people want to be part of the larger group which in this case is the middle class.
DeletePeople often refer to themselves as being part of the middle class because it allows them some privacy. By saying middle class you aren’t completely exposing your wealth or lack of. Another reason people choose to refer to themselves as being part of the middle class is because they don’t see their lives align with the stereotypes of the lifestyle of the wealthy or poor. When one has to choose what social class they believe themselves to be, they often think of the stigmas or stereotypes surrounding the poor and wealth lifestyles. When you think of someone rich you often think of fancy clothes, cars, and houses. Even though many members of the first class choose not to live a lavish lifestyle if one cannot see themselves being able to live that lifestyle they assume they must be middle class. On the contrasting side, when one hears the words lower class or poor, they think of homeless people begging, starving on the side of the road. Even though one might technically have the income that would qualify them to be lower class, if they are fortunate enough to be getting by and not struggling day to day for food and shelter they would not label themselves lower class and instead middle class. There are images and ideas that come to mind when we hear upper class and lower class, but the middle class is made up of an array of lifestyles and family situations. By saying you are middle class you don’t have to feel as if you are bragging your wealth or revealing your economic struggles–it’s a comfortable zone to be a part of.
ReplyDeleteI really love your point that our society has made class a concept that has to do with image, when in reality, it is about income. I also love your point that people make a lot of assumptions on what class people belong in based on their image, and you really highlight that anyone can make themselves look or be a certain way, but it does not necessarily mean that is who they are. Our society has become so obsessed with image that we hardly ever try to get the real information anymore; what we see is what we believe.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason many Americans consider themselves middle class is due to them wanting to preserve the way other people see them. Often times poverty or a lack of money is viewed as a shameful thing so for Americans who are below middle-class say they are middle class to protect their image. I also think people tend to think less of themselves. Think of a time where you have had to rate your performance. I know for me I feel a sense of guilt giving myself a high score even if I know that I deserve it. I feel like this must be the same for people who belong in the ‘upper class’. Though they may know where they are might feel uncomfortable for them to say it when asked. There is also a chance that people do not know that defines the middle class and so they think what they earn must be normal so they say they are in the middle class. People also get used to what they have. Obviously the very impoverished people and super-rich people know that they are not living a normal life but for everyone in between their life seems and feels normal and like what everyone else is living.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you started talking about people not wanted to feel "judged" in a way and wanting to stay preserved, I think that is very true. It's true that it may be easiest for people to respond with saying they are middle class because there may not be lots of further discussion about it. People classify themselves as middle class to preserve judgement, not particularly based on income or lifestyle choices.
DeleteI feel that a larger number consider themselves in the middle class because it seems like the happy medium. There are low quality terms and assumptions that come with the term “lower class” and people don’t want to “admit” or believe that they are low class individuals. It’s all about their family income compared to others in the world, so you can still have a great life and have everything that you need but are classified as “lower class” because of the success of others in your state, country, and world. If you “label” yourself as middle class and believe it than you feel that you are above average and can get by, but you are aware that there are others more wealthy and have a different lifestyle that classifies them as upper class. There are numerous terms that come to people's minds when they think of upper and lower class, and because there aren’t as many when it comes to associating yourself with middle class that people want to “fly under the radar” and just be average and normal. There is no concrete definition of what the middle class is, and society doesn’t want to be labeled so the easiest choice is to be associated with the “middle class.” People don’t want to be ranked against others based off of their hard work, and saying they are middle class seems to have less judgement coming from the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you said "It’s all about their family income compared to others in the world, so you can still have a great life and have everything that you need but are classified as “lower class” because of the success of others in your state, country, and world." I think class all based on your perception on the world and how things happen to be in the area where you live. For example if you took a "lower class" person and had them live in a country where people on average have a lot less money they may see to be average or even above average. But a "middle class" person in a place full of "upper class" people would look to be "lower class".
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ReplyDeleteI suspect the primary reason many Americans consider themselves to be middle class is conformity and self-awareness. Humans don't like to be excluded from groups, and the middle class is the largest socioeconomic group in our country. This means that people who would otherwise be considered lower class make an effort to appear middle class, and people in the upper class may appear less wealthy than they are. An important point to make is that while the middle class has a general definition for the whole country, what would be considered middle class in one place, maybe different elsewhere. Identifying as part of the middle class is also a very safe social designation. There is not much if any stigma associated with the middle class. Identifying as part of the lower class could be associated with poverty, and appearing wealthy could attract stigma and disdain as well.
ReplyDeleteI have often wondered if America's aversion to discussing personal wealth is one of the reasons that the widespread confusion about social class designations exists. If people were open to talking about these labels we could remove some of the stigma associated with them and ultimately discuss their function in modern society, possibly reshaping the status quo of American society.
ReplyDeleteMost people, in America, associate themselves with middle class because that is where they feel they belong. I believe this is due to the actual money they have in their pocket. In the article, it states that wages have changed very little and the price of a consumer good has increased greatly. This has to do with people believe they are middle class. The basic needs take much of the money, which leads to less enjoyable items that the person can buy. This makes the person not feel upper class, but also being able to afford the basics makes them not feel lower class.
I also believe that people consider themselves middle class because of the stigma surrounding both lower and upper classes. Many people always try to put their best foot forward, and that includes wealth. Also, many times if people are doing well with their finances people will as them for money. People are also seen as above others if they are doing finally well. These are all stereotypes associated with finances, and can oftentimes be untrue as all stereotypes can be. All of these can be taken as negatives associated with money. If people feel as though they are going to be stereotyped people will claim to be middle class to avoid it.
Another reason that many people feel as though they could be middle class is that we are always surrounded by people who have enormous wealth. On T.V, Instagram, or Facebook people post photos of these giant houses or expensive gifts that often people cannot afford. They have pages dedicated to the “Rich Kids of London” these types of pages, and others we see make people feel middle class. It is all of these reasons and more that make people feel middle class.
Good point about the stigma of the lower and upper classes.
DeleteEveryone wants to be middle class. Middle class is considered average and there are stigmas that come with being upper class and lower class. If you are lower class you want to be able to identify with being average and in the same situation as everyone else financially. People that are upper class do not want to be seen as better than the average person so they consider themselves as middle class especially when they can not do the same things that reality tv stars that are part of the one percent can do. People do not talk about their finances with others. It is seen as personal. I think this comes from people connecting their value based on how much money they make. Money is something that should be talked about way more because it allows people to understand what certain jobs are valued at. The fact people do not talk about their finances with each other allows companies to take advantage of employees by paying them less than they are valued. This could be based on age or gender even though two people are doing the exact same job they could be getting paid quite differently.
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