[Andrea K.]

How do you decide what socioeconomic class you're in? I have read Paul Fussell's book Class, but I don't seem to fit in any category.

User Detail :  

Name : Andrea K., Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 40, City : Farmington, State : ME Country : United States, Occupation : teacher/musician, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[John]

Check a sociology text. Basically there are 9 classes based mostly on economic factors.

User Detail :  

Name : John, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, City : Orlando, State : FL Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Mikko]

Coming from European welfare society where the class borders are much more invisible than in the States, I find it hard to define my socioeconomic class. As a left-wing, I could use the Marxist theory of owning and working class. In today's society, the working class could be the people who actually work for their living and the owning/ruling class the politicians, big shareholders etc. However I find this 200 years old theory inaccurate in 21th century society. My parents are from working class families but do have a academic higher diplomas and in upper middle class nowadays, working in education. I would like to say I rather want to be considered as a working class person, even though I as well am studying in university. Sounds funny, eh? but I don't like the conservative, narrow-minded middle-class.

User Detail :  

Name : Mikko, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 21, City : Helsinki, State : NA Country : Finland, Occupation : Journalist, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[Stephanie-V27775]

I think there's a difference between having class and being in a particular socioeconomic class. I don't feel that I fit into any one class when I was growing up. My dad was a machinist, so he worked at an auto maker's where people made very good money. Thing is, a lot of these people were filthy, ignorant people who pissed their money away on beer and hash oil. They had the means to be middle-class, but their actions seemed to be very lower-class and they didn't have much personal class either. My dad made good money and invested it. He's very intelligent, he acts with integrity and my mother kept our house spotless. We were from the same environment at the other people but we seemed to be more upper-middle-class because of our ideals. Similarly, now I've moved out of the house and I have far less money than I used to. I probably fall into the lower-middle class earnings range, and yet I still feel that I act with class above my current 'station'. I just don't have all the fancy 'stuff' that makes it look like I'm upper-middle-class. That said, I know people with money, and with all the 'stuff', who act like they have no class at all- cursing a lot, being nasty to their children, acting with no morals. You probably choose your own class based on your actions more than your cashflow.

User Detail :  

Name : Stephanie-V27775, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 23, City : Rather Not Say, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Website Developer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Mira S.]

Good Question. I grew up upper middle class. Now I'm nothing, but I wouldn't say I'm lower class either. It's such a judgemental question in the first place. No one should ever have to answer the question. I don't hold a University degree. I just don't fit in anywhere.

User Detail :  

Name : Mira S., Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 31, City : Toronto, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : artist/yoga tecaher, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Anne C.]

How you were raised plays a big part in your behavior, beliefs, good or bad manners, etc. However, it doesn't matter so much about money. Money is an external part of you. There are those with money who don't have any manners or basic kindness, who lord it over all those less economically fortunate than they. Then there are those with little money who hold to their virtues of generosity and care for others even when it hurts them. This idea of 'class' is an idea that points to differences and separates people from people. We should aspire to have understanding and compassion for all without losing our own sense of belief in ourselves and what is true and good over self-centered pride.

User Detail :  

Name : Anne C., Gender : F, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : seoul, State : DE Country : South Africa, Occupation : teacher, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Anne C.]

How you were raised plays a big part of your behaviour, beliefs, good or bad manners etc. However, it doesn't matter so much about money though. Money is an external part of you. There are those with money who don't have any manners or basic kindness, who lord it over all those less economically fortunate than they. Then there are those with little money who hold to their virtues of generosity and care for others even when it hurts them. This idea of 'class' is an idea that points to differences, separates people from people. We should aspire to have understanding and compassion for all without losing our own sense of belief in ourself and what is true and good over self-centered pride.

User Detail :  

Name : Anne C., Gender : F, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : seoul, State : DE Country : South Africa, Occupation : teacher, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Naj]

On one hand there is socioeconomic status and on the other there is what is called breeding. One can easily place themself in a socioeconomic class based on their income. My mother taught me that breeding is an entirely different story. She said that all of the money in the world wouldn't mean acceptance for certain people. Some people grow up with money and are taught to value it and to respect those that are not as blessed as oneself. Others grow up with money and are taught that they are entitled to it and that they are to be put up on a pedestal for all to see and marvel at. You can usually tell the difference between the reserved gentleman (or lady) and the pretentious snob.I know of kindly old ladies who attend all of the society parties and belong to the most exclusive clubs but are of rather modest means. They are accepted because of their character and lineage rather than the contents (or brand name) of their purses.

User Detail :  

Name : Naj, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/Italian/Native American (Ima Sambo), Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 16, City : Miami, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Betty]

I'm not entirely sure which one I fall into, either, though with my mother's low-income job and my father's unemployment, I'd say that I'm lower middle class. We do, however, have our own two-story house and car, so we might be middle class, if one were to go by our property.

User Detail :  

Name : Betty, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Asian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 17, City : Medford, State : MA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[nary20775]

just put your self in one it's not that important.

User Detail :  

Name : nary20775, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 14, City : Baltimore, State : MD Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

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