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UCGal
Participant[quote=DWCAP]
Maybe the other three could tell me how they define the different distinctions? What is ‘middle class’?[/quote]This is an interesting question… one I’ve been googling (during code build times) over the course of the day.
Polls taken show that more than 90% of people put themselves in the middle class. Only 2% define themselves as upper class. So – pretty much everyone not on public assistance considers themselves middle class. People at the poverty line call themselves middle class.
And I guess another issue is the term “class”… there are some definitions of middle class that have less to do with income and more with education/job type…
One of the definitions I saw was something like this:
* working class – less educated working people. Could have high income (talk to your mechanic or plumber!) AKA blue collar workers.* middle class – educated working people. AKA white collar workers.
* upper class – those who don’t have to work for a living.
But the original post phrased it in terms of income… and since that’s data I can look up, I did just that.
I know, growing up, my engineer dad and stay at home mom (till I was in jr high) considered themselves upper middle class. We didn’t have luxuries – but my dad was a saver – so he probably could have afforded them – but chose not to in order to save for retirement.
I had an eye opening when I got my first job at an insurance company – women who were less educated, who’s minimum wage income was absolutely needed to support their family. (A lot of military spouses). I saw the struggle to make the rent for their family. It made me appreciate growing up free from that stress.
Today – I’d put myself in upper middle class. 2 years ago (better economy, better income) we were upper class by my definition above… not so much this past year or current but we’re still upper middle.
We do not have the end of the paycheck stress. You know the panic, when you pay the bills trying to figure out which one to pay late because there’s not enough paycheck to cover the expenses. We have enough money to save for retirement. Part of this is because we’re frugal (cheap!)… kids clothes are hand me downs or come from target – not Gymbo or Gap… We have a nice house we can comfortably afford, but not a McMansion. My husbands truck is 15 years old, mine is 5 years old, both are paid for and will be driven till they fall apart. The kids don’t get every toy they ask for (or even 1/10th). We don’t have hired help (no garden service, maid service, etc.) But we are without financial stress and can make our bills and save. That’s why I’m comfortable saying we’re upper middle class.
Participant[quote=DWCAP]
Maybe the other three could tell me how they define the different distinctions? What is ‘middle class’?[/quote]This is an interesting question… one I’ve been googling (during code build times) over the course of the day.
Polls taken show that more than 90% of people put themselves in the middle class. Only 2% define themselves as upper class. So – pretty much everyone not on public assistance considers themselves middle class. People at the poverty line call themselves middle class.
And I guess another issue is the term “class”… there are some definitions of middle class that have less to do with income and more with education/job type…
One of the definitions I saw was something like this:
* working class – less educated working people. Could have high income (talk to your mechanic or plumber!) AKA blue collar workers.* middle class – educated working people. AKA white collar workers.
* upper class – those who don’t have to work for a living.
But the original post phrased it in terms of income… and since that’s data I can look up, I did just that.
I know, growing up, my engineer dad and stay at home mom (till I was in jr high) considered themselves upper middle class. We didn’t have luxuries – but my dad was a saver – so he probably could have afforded them – but chose not to in order to save for retirement.
I had an eye opening when I got my first job at an insurance company – women who were less educated, who’s minimum wage income was absolutely needed to support their family. (A lot of military spouses). I saw the struggle to make the rent for their family. It made me appreciate growing up free from that stress.
Today – I’d put myself in upper middle class. 2 years ago (better economy, better income) we were upper class by my definition above… not so much this past year or current but we’re still upper middle.
We do not have the end of the paycheck stress. You know the panic, when you pay the bills trying to figure out which one to pay late because there’s not enough paycheck to cover the expenses. We have enough money to save for retirement. Part of this is because we’re frugal (cheap!)… kids clothes are hand me downs or come from target – not Gymbo or Gap… We have a nice house we can comfortably afford, but not a McMansion. My husbands truck is 15 years old, mine is 5 years old, both are paid for and will be driven till they fall apart. The kids don’t get every toy they ask for (or even 1/10th). We don’t have hired help (no garden service, maid service, etc.) But we are without financial stress and can make our bills and save. That’s why I’m comfortable saying we’re upper middle class.
Participant[quote=sdduuuude]Did you meet Spicoli ?[/quote]
I met the guys Spicoli was based on. It was my year. We just had the 30th reunion. Man, I’m old.Participant[quote=sdduuuude]Did you meet Spicoli ?[/quote]
I met the guys Spicoli was based on. It was my year. We just had the 30th reunion. Man, I’m old.Participant[quote=sdduuuude]Did you meet Spicoli ?[/quote]
I met the guys Spicoli was based on. It was my year. We just had the 30th reunion. Man, I’m old.Participant[quote=sdduuuude]Did you meet Spicoli ?[/quote]
I met the guys Spicoli was based on. It was my year. We just had the 30th reunion. Man, I’m old.Participant[quote=sdduuuude]Did you meet Spicoli ?[/quote]
I met the guys Spicoli was based on. It was my year. We just had the 30th reunion. Man, I’m old.Participant[quote=DataAgent]”I used to walk further in high school – uphill both ways… through the snow….”
In an effort to avoid buying them cars, my sister used to tell her kids the same story. It worked for a while till her kids figured out we lived a block from the school.[/quote]
Actually – I lived in UC and went to Clairemont High – my choice was bus or bike. My dad didn’t give us bus money – so I did ride my bike, uphill both ways. (San Clemente canyon.)My kids will have it easy – UCHS is walking distance. (They’re also screwed when it comes to getting a car.)
Participant[quote=DataAgent]”I used to walk further in high school – uphill both ways… through the snow….”
In an effort to avoid buying them cars, my sister used to tell her kids the same story. It worked for a while till her kids figured out we lived a block from the school.[/quote]
Actually – I lived in UC and went to Clairemont High – my choice was bus or bike. My dad didn’t give us bus money – so I did ride my bike, uphill both ways. (San Clemente canyon.)My kids will have it easy – UCHS is walking distance. (They’re also screwed when it comes to getting a car.)
Participant[quote=DataAgent]”I used to walk further in high school – uphill both ways… through the snow….”
In an effort to avoid buying them cars, my sister used to tell her kids the same story. It worked for a while till her kids figured out we lived a block from the school.[/quote]
Actually – I lived in UC and went to Clairemont High – my choice was bus or bike. My dad didn’t give us bus money – so I did ride my bike, uphill both ways. (San Clemente canyon.)My kids will have it easy – UCHS is walking distance. (They’re also screwed when it comes to getting a car.)
Participant[quote=DataAgent]”I used to walk further in high school – uphill both ways… through the snow….”
In an effort to avoid buying them cars, my sister used to tell her kids the same story. It worked for a while till her kids figured out we lived a block from the school.[/quote]
Actually – I lived in UC and went to Clairemont High – my choice was bus or bike. My dad didn’t give us bus money – so I did ride my bike, uphill both ways. (San Clemente canyon.)My kids will have it easy – UCHS is walking distance. (They’re also screwed when it comes to getting a car.)
Participant[quote=DataAgent]”I used to walk further in high school – uphill both ways… through the snow….”
In an effort to avoid buying them cars, my sister used to tell her kids the same story. It worked for a while till her kids figured out we lived a block from the school.[/quote]
Actually – I lived in UC and went to Clairemont High – my choice was bus or bike. My dad didn’t give us bus money – so I did ride my bike, uphill both ways. (San Clemente canyon.)My kids will have it easy – UCHS is walking distance. (They’re also screwed when it comes to getting a car.)
Participant[quote=jpinpb]
At the same time, I think it’s a given that mass transit facilitates allowing the people to frequent communities they ordinarily would not. The concern is the criminal element a trolley would bring to UTC.
[/quote]I lived briefly in Atlanta, and worked in the burbs (Gwinnett County). Gwinnett County blocked the MARTA gold line from entering the county. The Gold line ends right at the county line. Many of the stated reasons were fears of higher crime rates.
Having lived there – I suspect it has more to do with demographics – Gwinnett is 2/3’s white and Fulton & DeKalb counties (which have MARTA lines) are closer to 50% black. Don’t want “those people” coming into their county. (I realize that may be controversial – but racism was much more open in Atlanta than I was used to. It was an easy conclusion to reach – one my white coworkers would probably have agreed with.)
I remember when they first put in the trolley to the south bay in 1981. The planners had no clue that it would be more than a tourist attraction – and were surprised to find ridership was really high with commuters from day one.
There’s a lot of people who commute to businesses in and around the UTC mall. Not to mention UCSD. I would imagine there will be shuttle buses to serve the Torrey pines research park area – the same way the coaster has shuttle buses going into Sorrento Valley.
Participant[quote=jpinpb]
At the same time, I think it’s a given that mass transit facilitates allowing the people to frequent communities they ordinarily would not. The concern is the criminal element a trolley would bring to UTC.
[/quote]I lived briefly in Atlanta, and worked in the burbs (Gwinnett County). Gwinnett County blocked the MARTA gold line from entering the county. The Gold line ends right at the county line. Many of the stated reasons were fears of higher crime rates.
Having lived there – I suspect it has more to do with demographics – Gwinnett is 2/3’s white and Fulton & DeKalb counties (which have MARTA lines) are closer to 50% black. Don’t want “those people” coming into their county. (I realize that may be controversial – but racism was much more open in Atlanta than I was used to. It was an easy conclusion to reach – one my white coworkers would probably have agreed with.)
I remember when they first put in the trolley to the south bay in 1981. The planners had no clue that it would be more than a tourist attraction – and were surprised to find ridership was really high with commuters from day one.
There’s a lot of people who commute to businesses in and around the UTC mall. Not to mention UCSD. I would imagine there will be shuttle buses to serve the Torrey pines research park area – the same way the coaster has shuttle buses going into Sorrento Valley.
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