I feel like we need new nomenclature around class. Like, what is middle class now? And rich can mean rich, the one percent, or the 0.1%, which are very, very far from each other in dollar terms
@Latkes The sheer number of people who are rich yet consider themselves "middle class" is notable. I've seen this in my own life, but also: https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-america-divided/middle-class/
@thindol so true.
I was thinking of the weird thing also of how genuinely rich people have so much less than the super rich, so they feel they aren't rich
@Latkes There was another piece I remember (I'll find it eventually) that was discussing people in the 150-300k bracket, who are technically rich but not super rich, and how wealth often comes with either its' own expenses (very long hours leading to stress/illness, niche industries with little ability to jump ship) or expansion of hard expenditures like the cost of housing closer to work.
@thindol Yes. I'm in the low end of that (Union nurse, spouse also bringing in income) and I live in SF Bay. I absolutely am rich when compared to majority. I often focus on what I cant afford: replacing my 18 year old car, buying new windows for my house, but because I've been broker, and also working with poor patients etc, I am aware of the ease of being able to go out to eat or send my kid to expensive camps...
@thindol and then I realize I do the same: I look at them and see the unaware rich, compared to ME, but of course I am the unaware rich compared to majority...
@Latkes Yeah, I think it was primarily talking about SF/NY - where you can make 200k but still be living in your car because there's no affordable housing near work.
I have empathy for people who are "relatively rich" but not doing well - I'd just like them to, as you put it, remember to compare themselves to those with less and note their fortune too.
@thindol I do think part of human nature is comparing ourselves to those with more not less. So when I was chatting with a bunch of silicon valley parents they seemed absurdly unaware of their wealth to me, but they are meanwhile comparing themselves to other parents at their kids private schools who make twice or three times what they do