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...
@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.
