Quote:
Originally posted by Secret_Agent_Man
Almost everyone thinks they're middle-class. Which is untrue for almost anyone posting here by any reasonable definition of "middle" in U.S. society.
e.g., I think that an income above $100K puts you in about the top 15% of the country. Over $200K -- top 8% or so. Whether or not that makes us "rich" depends on how you define it, and some people seem to have a visceral reaction against the word.
I don't feel rich, but I see my brothers and sister -- all of whom have small kids like I do, and all of whom have college degrees, and all of whom work white collar -- all making between $40K and $80K per year in family income (my guess) out in the Midwest.
They have money worries, we don't. Things like benefits packages matter to them in terms of feeling nailed to their job -- would never occur to me. We can choose day care and schools, etc. without really worrying about cost. For them its a big deal -- much more scrimping and relying on family. These are real differences. They're middle class, we're not.
S_A_M
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SAM,
You can't compare income in disparate geographic locations. $100k in the Philly suburbs ain't shit. It's a king's ransom 200 miles west of Philly.
You're missing all of the costs we incur that they don't.
I'd love to agree with you. God I'd love to say I was rich.
