But what about their kids, or their kids kids? (Its unlikely due to their celebratory status), but theres nothing to say that the kids get sent off to posh bording school and leave behind their middle class upbringing, the poshness influences them, other kids families dont know their background and may take more kindly than to their parents. Once the kids are 18, their posh schoool background becomes their way of life, and their education allows them to lead an upperclass lifestyle without dealing with their middle class parents? Thats what Im talking about really. Sod the current generation, over time the wealth will influence the family. It wouldnt be an immediate effect.

if you forget about boarding school, then I think it would take at least 4 generations for someone to go from lower class to upper middle class (taking that you have to have the right geans to be upper class)

apart from that.... I think class has nothing to do with money and everything to do with dignaty....

pretty hard to describe via the internet....

but I also think about 80% of people who think theyre middle class are really working class.... its not about your job, money, or how you live your life....  I guess the right accent helps, but its how you treat other people that really shows it...


I don;t think America has a real class system, everyone is pretty much lumped in together.... but agree that what they consider to be "class" is really wealth

Quotebut I also think about 80% of people who think theyre middle class are really working class.... its not about your job, money, or how you live your life.... I guess the right accent helps, but its how you treat other people that really shows it...

I have to disagree, Id say that a lot of people who think they are working class are actually middle class. The whole "working class" thing is worn as a badge by many in that intolerably annoying, almost religious sentiment of "working class and proud of it." But then you have the other side of the middle class where the people oh so desperately aspire to be among the elite and the upper classes, the Hyacinth Buckets of the social classes if you like. I dont think Ive ever met a "working class" person who insisted that they were middle class.

hmm, maybe we need 4 clases then ?

working class
quater class
middle class
upper class

but then again, I didnt mean the ones who "say" theyre middle class....

maybe it has soemthing to do with intelegance too ?

I think you guys are too wrapped up in defining the classes, which is actually part of what I decided on as my thesis. I decided to argue that social class is meaningless now as people straddle too many variables, and that ethnicity is the current categorization de jour.

Quote from: SamI think you guys are too wrapped up in defining the classes, which is actually part of what I decided on as my thesis. I decided to argue that social class is meaningless now as people straddle too many variables, and that ethnicity is the current categorization de jour.

In your first post you did ask us to define the social classes, Id suggest thats probably why people appear so wrapped up in attempting to define them.   -)

For what its worth though I wholeheartedly agree, there is a tremendous amount of blurring between the classes these days and to be honest they are of very little relevance.

Edit : What are you studying by the way?

I am doing computer science as my major but I am also doing other various liberal arts things as minors.

classes = hard to define as itsthe persons perception of the society(social group) around him/her and the perception of that society on the person, and thus is too difficult to quantify?

Quote from: SamI am doing computer science as my major but I am also doing other various liberal arts things as minors.

Which I couldve done that on my degree, wouldve been flair.

Back on the social class thing - its actually quite an interesting comparison between British social class systems and what exists in America. The British thing does potentially have its roots in medieval history, whereas the American side is based on a much quicker evolution generally based on the Haves and Have-nots, gold-rush, slavery, etc. Further interesting comparison might be possible to the Indian Caste system.

One might also argue that the US doesnt have any upper class people  :mutley:

Its not about money. Theres plenty of Upper Class people whove gone bankrupt & still kept their status in society.

upper class, middle class, lower class, who gives a f**k? All our sh*t smells the same.

Quoteupper class, middle class, lower class, who gives a f**k? All our sh*t smells the same.

Youre missing the point, I dont think anyone discussing it really gives a f**k but its an interesting point to consider and debate nonetheless.

Id agree with the wiki definition tbh.. - tis traditionally defined more by your profession - though also traditionally some of these professions used to pay a bit more proportionally thant they now do - i.e. in olde england the school master, doctor and vicar probably had the biggest houses in the village and perhaps even had a servant or two - nowadays a good plumber of sparkey will take home far more than most teachers or vicars.

Id take issue with these though tbh...

Quote from: sexytw

Quote from: wikipediaTitle (Having a title will automatically place you in the upper class category)

Upper Middle Class - (professionals such as doctors, lawyers, bank managers)
Middle Class - (professionals, such as teachers, managers, accountants, ministers of religion)
Lower middle class - (Basic graduate professions, basic office and clerical).

the bod who manages your local HSBC really ought to be middle not upper middle class (in the past it had some prestige but these days tis just a general management role that any grad could get after a few years) & Id wager that most chartered accountants would put themselves alongside lawyers in terms of prestege

realistically perhaps solicitors and accountants should be middle class whereas doctors, barristers and investment bankers are probably upper class.

Quote from: BigSoyOne might also argue that the US doesnt have any upper class people  :mutley:

they do in a sense though

the chairman of the fed is given the title the honourable for example much like the eldest son of an aristocrat is over here

also senators, state governors and the president are addressed by their titles

Id say most senior judges, politicians, secretaries of state etc.. would fit into the US upper class

Quote from: Dave

Quote from: BigSoyOne might also argue that the US doesnt have any upper class people  :mutley:

they do in a sense though

the chairman of the fed is given the title the honourable for example much like the eldest son of an aristocrat is over here

also senators, state governors and the president are addressed by their titles

Id say most senior judges, politicians, secretaries of state etc.. would fit into the US upper class

Indeed, by a definition US definition of upper class. But could you imagine GWB being PM in the UK? On some level hes a hick done good... which very few, if any serious UK politicians really are.

Quote from: Dave

Quote from: BigSoyOne might also argue that the US doesnt have any upper class people  :mutley:

they do in a sense though

the chairman of the fed is given the title the honourable for example much like the eldest son of an aristocrat is over here

also senators, state governors and the president are addressed by their titles

Id say most senior judges, politicians, secretaries of state etc.. would fit into the US upper class

They are hardly upper class, there are just some powerful families. Any american citizen can be a senator, governor or president