Downward mobility among the white-collar middle class

[Willie Pep]

I thought this was an interesting article on the issue of downward mobility and increasing precariousness among white-collar Americans.

https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/americas-white-collar-middle-class-takes-a-terrifying-slide-down-the-mobility-ladder

One thing I have to say, though, is that a lot of middle-class Americans were fine throwing poor and working-class Americans under the bus in the past when times were better for the white-collar middle class. I recall many of my white-collar friends and family members complaining about unions and saying that factory workers should have gotten an education in response to plant closings. There was little sympathy for poor and blue-collar Americans. Now that many of the same problems are starting to hurt more affluent Americans some of them are changing their tune although I still hear a lot of nasty comments whenever fast food workers or other low-wage workers try to organize or get a raise in the minimum wage.

I am all in favor of solidarity between all American workers but this should be a good political lesson. Never, ever punch down and never assume that you are untouchable because you will be next on the chopping block. After the powerful demolish those at the bottom the middle and upper-middle will be next.

[2naSalit]

1. By then

their house of card, if you will, should collapse and they will be left vulnerable in ways they never imagined. The downtrodden will be waiting for them.

[BannonsLiver]

4. What a weird hot take.

[Blue_true]

6. Historically, you have a point.

Vast accumulation of wealth has never worked out well for the rich. But history always repeated itself in that a new class of rich arise to attempt to grab all wealth. The downtrodden will be waiting to punish the current rich, then start the cycle all over again. The basic nature of humankind is to accumulate. I can almost promise you that if you took a random homeless person off the street and made that person a billionaire overnight, at some point they would start showing the same behavior that billionaires show, they will hoard and share grudgingly.

[appalachiablue]

2. What arrogance by humans; they'll learn fast I hope.

I recall many of my white-collar friends and family members complaining about unions and saying that factory workers should have gotten an education in response to plant closings. There was little sympathy for poor and blue-collar Americans.

[dlk]

3. It was Only a Matter of Time

The assault on America’s working class by the Rich was only the beginning. There is no limit to their avarice and no amount of wealth will ever satisfy them.

[Blue_true]

8. Why is that? When is a point reached when a person has enough wealth?

I think about this a lot, is having $2 million flush enough, $200 million?, $2 billion, $20 billion? There are people with all of those numbers and they keep grabbing. Why is that?

[Sherman A1]

5. Interesting

thanks for posting.

[ananda]

7. My dad was one.

He hated unions and was very racist.

But during the Great Depression he and his family
only survived because of the New Deal and unions.

[Blue_true]

9. Did you ever ask your dad why he was like he was?

What a person that was likely saved by the things he hated had to say about those things in an indepth conversation would be interesting to know. I don't mean a name calling conversation, but one where he explored his justifications for feeling as he did.