Just a look at the American Class system and a few surprises.

[WarGamer]

Last edited Sat Jul 31, 2021, 04:12 AM - Edit history (1)

Over the years I've had the distinct pleasure of meeting a lot of people, people of differing economic backgrounds.

I grew up in a wealthy family. My father was a hard man, a product of the Depression who famously told me "College is Bullshit" and that I'd be better off getting a job at 18 and putting in my 50 years for the gold watch.

He wasn't thrilled when I started College, never attended a graduation.

Anyway, another time for that. He was a Land Developer. Wide swaths of Southern California were developed by him in the 80's-90's.

I spent time around rich people. Spent one summer in a Malibu Beach House when my parents spent the Summer on vacation. Met lots of wealthy families and kids.

As an adult I've spent time with others in my profession, ranging from technicians in the 80k/year range to Doctors, Professors and Researchers making a million a year... and the BioPharma execs making 10x that.

One thing I've learned.

The assholes are NOT who you think they are.

Let me explain.

One friend of mine from work was on vacation and I got "volunteered" to walk his dog daily. He lives in a SoCal neighborhood, houses around $1.2M-2M. Gated neighborhood, blah blah but in this pricey LA suburb not top end. So one day I'm walking the dog and it's a hot day. The dog stopped walking, took 2-3 steps from the sidewalk onto someone's yard under a tree and stood there, panting.

So I hear a knocking on a window. Look over and this man is quite animated waving his hands. Moments later, he comes out the front door and points at us and says "Your dog was GOING to pee on my grass..."

I looked at him, shook my head in disbelief... walked away. On a different day a neighbor stopped me while watering his lawn and said "I never see you carrying bags of poo or poop bags tied to your leash"... he was shocked as I pulled a poo bag out of the cargo short pocket and held it up to display for him.

I've been to friends homes in the $10M range...

I've been to Technicians who live in $600k homes...

Let's start with the Rich MF'ers. In my experience, totally chill. Never see them get worked up about much of anything. Take away the monetary stress from people and life just feels a lot easier.

And the middle working class neighborhoods? Nicest people ever. Will push your car if broken down and save bunnies from the road.

It's those "Middle-High" income people that are jerks.

They have a sense of "I live in a gated community and drive a leased Mercedes, RESPECT ME!!!!"

They're just fucking intolerable. It's the economic stress. They're mortgaged up to their eyeballs. Their spouse is dumping money on peels and botox and their High School kids are on drugs. They take it out on those they see as "economic lessers".

Just my experiences, yours may vary.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Interesting observations.

I was an airline ticket agent for ten years, 1969-1979. The worst passengers were the entitled doctors and lawyers. They'd never actually held a low level job, and had nothing but contempt for those they considered their inferiors. Over time we agents figured out we could tell which passengers had ever worked retail or anything like that, because those people were nice to us.

I've thought for years that every decade, maybe less, everyone who doesn't currently work retail or fast food needs to have one of those jobs for six months. Maybe then they'd learn to be decent to others.

[WarGamer]

2. that's true!

Those are the prototype "Look at me, I've MADE IT" type folks.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Very good way to put it.

Thank you for that.

I feel fortunate that much of my life I've been relatively poor, have had to scrimp and save and watch every penny. It's made me highly appreciative of what I have now.

And having various jobs dealing with the public has made me very sensitive to other things, like class barriers.

These days I am relatively well off, and I appreciate that enormously. Yes, I worked hard and I saved and invested, but I still understand that a certain degree of good luck was involved.

[betsuni]

4. Conclusion of Paul Fussell's 1983 "Class, A Guide Through the American Status System":

lower and upper classes don't care what others think, it's the middle/upper middle classes that are insecure and nervous.

[musette_sf]

11. An all time classic in my personal collection.

[WarGamer]

12. found it on Amazon. No kindle version.

I'll order the paperback, I'm curious.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. I think your observations are perceptive and well-considered. . . . nt

[onethatcares]

6. I would think

the very upper income earners have the low income earners available to tell others what they expect.

That's why they have gated homes, not just gated communities. The mere mortals are not to be seen and if they have somehow gotten into the scenery, they are painted out.

[Chainfire]

7. I have never had a lot of money, I have never associated with people who did

and I don't feel like I have missed anything. I take pride in the fact that I started my adult life with nothing and by the sweat of my brow, as a skilled tradesman, I am not going to end life in the same condition. People born into wealth can not have that sense of accomplishment. Having to worry about paying the electric bill builds character.

When I rich man drives past a homeless person I wonder if they ever think, "But for accident of my birth, that could be me?" If you never had to struggle, you would never know the answer to that question.

[harumph]

8. My background is not as monied as yours appears to be -

but I've had the opportunity to meet many many people across different wealth or income levels, and,
it's EXACTLY what you're describing. One of my friends from HS was acquainted with the Kaisers of
"Kaiser Aluminum" and they mostly drove old cars - and just appeared to not give a shit about status.
Moreover, living in Texas, I've meet plenty affluent - but not super wealthy people (net ~ between 2m and 5m) that
are simply fucking insufferable and Trumpers. These people are small business or at the top of their game in the
tech sector. Many inherited "seed money" from their parents who purchased farm and ranch land in the 40's - 60's.

[WarGamer]

13. Sounds about right...

And just to add.

I grew up with money. That's a great privilege. But also, I've lived my life without this great and "evil" motivation for more and more money.

When my father passed, didn't leave a cent to me, which is fine. I'd found professional success, working and taking advantage of my education and career.

And not that it matters, but just to write about it as some cathartic exercise... When I was around 19 or 20... all of my friends were in college and I was envious. Without telling my parents, I enrolled in the local CC. I took a shit ton of credits, like 18? 4 classes and a lab IIRC. I got 4 A's and a B.

I was so proud and happy I told my mom. Will never forget... she looked at me and said "You know your Father doesn't believe in College".

I worked my own way through college or was reimbursed by employers... 3 degrees later.

He never acknowledged what I did for myself. In his older years still asked me about my "pansy job". I've spent YEARS of my life overseas, babysitting bio-polymer plants in China, working on projects in Zurich and Vienna, and all useless "pansy" stuff. smdh...

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. Part of this depends on your own class, of course.

[Elessar Zappa]

10. Makes sense.