OT: What's "Middle Class"?

[HeyBub]

In Maryland, it's $67,469; in Mississippi, it's $39,078. That's a difference of $28,391 !!

[devnull]

middle class - the slaves that go to work every day to support the wealthy CEO class AND the lazy Obama phone class.

Obviously, the middle class slaves have a lot of people to support.

After paying all the taxes and fees, middle class slaves seldom have money left over to buy recreational items.

[Jim Elbrecht]

I think this might be a case of 2 countries divided by a common language. What they are showing is *average* incomes-- not what is considered *middle income*. [at least not in my estimation]

"Census bureau numbers show a shocking disparity in the definition of 'middle income' - with Maryland boasting an average of $67,469 and Mississippi posting an appallingly low $39,078, a difference of $28,391. "

'Middle' income is way too broad a term to just give an average for an area-- I like this take-

"Surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center confirm that salary, or income, range is not the only determining factor of what class a person considers himself. Four out of 10 Americans with incomes below $20,000 classify themselves as middle class. On the other end, one-third of those who enjoy incomes over $150,000 say they are middle class."

Jim

[Ed Pawlowski]

I live in CT and you can easily have that type of difference in 150 miles. I'm in the NE corner. If you take an average 2000 sq. ft. house here that sells for $200k and move it 20 miles west it would sell for at least $300k. Move it to the southwest corner and it will fetch a million.

The numbers given on the map are an indicator, but certainly not applicable to everyone in a given state.

[Ralph Mowery]

Middle class is where you work to have enough money to pay taxes, but not enough so that you do not pay taxes due to the loop holes.

They are the ones keeping up the ones that do not work, but don't make enough so they don't have to work if they don't want to.

[recyclebinned]

To define Middle Class you first need to define what the upper class is when you have so much money that you can stay home and not work for the rest of your life as long as you spend your money only on necessities and the lower class is when you have so much money coming in from the government that you can stay home and not work for the rest of your life as long as you spend your money only on necessities. What ever class is left is The Middle Class.

[dadiOH]

I like your definitions. Rings true.

[krw]

I would argue with that definition some. Drop the "only on necessities" and I'd be in agreement. Most of what people think are "necessities" aren't. Obamaphones are *not* necessities. OTOH, I could stop working if I wanted to live on only what was necessary to live. I want more than subsistence, though. OTOH, I actually like my job, so I probably wouldn't quit it I had 10x what I have. At 100x...

[frag]

"HeyBub" wrote in news:zNadnfWxwdcZT73MnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

it's all relative.

[Wes Groleau]

In North Korea, it's .....

[Wes Groleau]

Internet access, cable TV, and a motor vehicle are not necessities. By abandoning two of those, I've become not rich, but more comfortable than before even though choosing a job that pays much less.

[Stormin Mormon]

Time to go back to eating cat?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

In North Korea, it's .....

[micky]

I havent' read your article but this has been on my mind lately.

If they are talking about income, they're talking about middle INCOME.

Middle CLASS and other classes are a whole different kettle of fish.

Someone on the radio last week said that someone was poor, not middle class, but she had middle class values. If so, she was low income but middle class, because values determine class. There are also people with middle income or high income who are lower class. In fact all 9 (3x3) combinations are possible.

Income is about income. Class is about values.

There is no perfect distincition, in which lower class people have nothing but lower class values, middle class people have nothing but middle class values, and uppper cass people have nothing but upper class values. The absence of some middle class values is not enough to keep someone out of the middle class, but he has to have most of them. Similarly with other classes.

Some times lack of money keeps people from living up to their values (they work 60 hours a week and don't have time or money to take care of their lawn, or even to paint t heir house. But if they want to make it nice, they still have a middle (and upper) class value. If they've given up and don't expect ever to have a decent yard or house, they're heading to the lower class.

I should give more values for each class, especially middle, but that would drag this post out for hundreds of lines. I could go on for hours, but it's late.

[Robert]

There are other definitions:

Middle Class : A family that mows it's own yard.

Lower class : A family that never mows it's yard. The city sends out a contractor to do it.

Upper Class: A family that hires someone else to mow it's yard.

It's all about values and ambition, not so much about income.

[krw]

Correct.

Choosing a job that pays less is a luxury, too. ;-) ...one I've never had to worry about. OTOH, my wife has worked about half of the years that we've been married (looking for a job now, after moving).

[krw]

Eating?