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MrsMicah had an excellent, thought provoking article the other day "What’s Wrong With Being in the Middle Class?" that I have to chime in on. The article itself, along with the 50+ comments were spot-on about how BEING middle class is nothing to be ashamed about. My take on it is that WANTING to be middle class in the United States, is a much more dangerous thing.
Let's Start with the Basics
Classes in society come in lots of different definitions; In India and many Asian countries, there are class castes that are pretty much impermeable. You're born into a particular caste, and that's about all there is to it. Your descendents may be able to change (through marriage) but your chances are very slim if you're already married and set in your career/position.
Other countries have a similar, but not so static caste system; England, Ireland, and other European countries with current or former monarchies have a more flexible caste system. The issue here is that it's more an in-grained idea of a middle class, vs. a 'royal' class that you can only join through birth or marriage.
Then you have the United States. Never been a monarchy, and in fact violently objected to becoming one. The U.S. has been founded on the ideals of the 'American Dream'.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
From the "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus. Now inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.
The idea that someone can come from far away and make a better life for themselves here through their hard work, regardless of their origin or upbringing, is a key component to what makes this country great. If America instilled in everyone that being middle class was just 'ok', we wouldn't have the spirit of adventure, the never-say-die attitude, or the atmosphere of optimism that we're known for as a country. Opportunity abounds for everyone here (or so that's the idea).
My Personal Definition of Middle Class
Defining middle class is hard. There are economic, societal, and religious/political connotations that make everyone's ideas a little different. So here's my 'definition' of what makes one a particular class in America.
Being middle class means having someone in partial control of your life and decisions. The lower the class, the more control someone has over you.
Now what I mean by that is, as you move 'up' in class, you gain more control over the direction of your life. You are less obliged to outside people or forces when making decisions about the course of your life. You can choose the path you want to take and you don't have to bow to others because of it.
An Illustration. A lower-class person is limited in the choices that they can make because of a number of factors
- Low Education - Not completing higher education limits the number of jobs one can have, or greatly increases the amount of time before getting to the job they want. Middle and upper class have better opportunities (and better job choices) because of this.
- Low Leverage - The lower class usually must concentrate the majority of their time and energies to simply surviving, while the upper class can use their money, influences, and position to affect societal improvements and changes that the lower class would never be able to make.
- Low Expectations - Many times the lower class becomes 'stratified' and loses the will to try to improve their position. It becomes ingrained in their personality and psyche, the longer that it happens. For multi-generational lower class families, it can cause them to quit trying altogether.
- etc, etc. I could go on for quite a while on the disadvantages of being middle class.
For the Middle class, each of these factors (and more) are improved, often through hard work and sacrifice, leading to each generation being better off than the one before. Your children go to schools you could never afford, they see and do things you never thought possible, Their lives are better than yours were. THIS IS THE AMERICAN DREAM.
What Being Upper Class Means to Me
Having money and social position is only a couple of facets of what being upper class is. My definition of upper class is getting to the point in life where you can make your own decisions on what you want to do, and be able to carry out those decisions.
If you decide to climb the Himalayas, then you need enough money to get there, a job flexible enough to let you go, and a family confident enough in you to support your dream. Upper class means having all those things.
Being in the Middle class may get you 2 out of 3 of those things (if you're lucky) but it also means that OUTSIDE FORCES HAVE MADE THE DECISION FOR YOU. You're still shackled to forces that you have no control over.
Don't Settle for Second Best
Don't get me wrong, our society needs a strong working class. If that working class wasn't there, society, for ALL class levels would disintegrate. But aiming to be middle class is a slippery slope that can take this country down a wrong path. When people reach their goals, it means that they didn't reach far enough. When you stop and are 'satisfied' with what you have, you are just waiting for them to throw dirt in your face when you hit the bottom of that 6 foot hole.
Pushing the limits. Making your life and by extension, others' lives better keeps the blood flowing and the ideas churning. Stagnation and acceptance are the alternatives.
Being upper class doesn't mean you have to act like the stereotypical snobby rich people. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt help focus the world's media on human rights issues BECAUSE THEY CAN. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation gives away billions to charities that improve the lives of millions of people BECAUSE THEY CAN.
One goal to becoming upper class can be to enable YOU to make lasting improvements to the world, and leave it a little better than it was when you got here. Otherwise the most lasting thing you might leave could be your tombstone. Make a difference, make a LONG LASTING difference.
What do you think? Should you be content and happy or work for more? Leave us a comment and let us know!
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April 14th, 2008 at 9:09 am
But what if we have plenty of creative and helpful energies that we choose to direct to volunteer work or sideprojects and put in 40 hours a week at a job we like? That's not stagnant but it's not upper class living either.
April 14th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I'm not saying to leave RIGHT NOW from something you enjoy, but realize "This too shall pass,.." and be ready for that next opportunity, whether it's a job, side project, or something else.
Being ABLE to leave a job without incurring a lot of consequences is what I consider 'upper class'. Mobility and ability, vs. lots of money. If you can be successful no matter what you do, money will appear.
Randall's last blog post..What’s Wrong With WANTING to Be in the Middle Class?
April 14th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
This is where I think that Americans have got it wrong. Defining class by wealth is so limiting. Here in England, I can have as much money as I like, and can (if I wish) have the same social standing that I always have had. Just richer. Works for me.
plonkee's last blog post..reminder about organ donation
April 14th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
What I've been trying to get across is that Class should be associated with the amount of choices you have, not the amount of money you make.
Randall's last blog post..What’s Wrong With WANTING to Be in the Middle Class?
April 15th, 2008 at 9:12 am
In defense of this post I will say anyone who says "Money can't buy you happiness," has never been hungry. Ok, so it can't make you deleriously happy, but it can afford you a more comfortable existance. Which is probably one of the fundamental differences between classes. I get what you're driving at and I was with you up until this little blurb:
"But aiming to be middle class is a slippery slope that can take this country down a wrong path. When people reach their goals, it means that they didn't reach far enough. When you stop and are 'satisfied' with what you have, you are just waiting for them to throw dirt in your face when you hit the bottom of that 6 foot hole."
I have seen people who have good things in their lives - family, career, home, etc - and are not only discontent but downright angry that they aren't better off. Just plain unhappy. They are so focused on the next rung in the ladder that they cannot appreciate what they have. They cannot appreciate the journey. And that is unhealthy and sad.
Perhaps it's a matter of symantics. I am not saying that ambition is a bad thing. However, there is nothing wrong with getting to a point in your life where you look around you, appreciate what you have accomplished, and say "I have enough. I am content." In fact, the attitude that "I have to have more" is exactly why we have a debt crisis in America. There is so much focus on looking successful, that people go into heavy debt to live up to that image.
By all means, strive for greater things in your life. But temper that ambition with some perspective.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Randall's last blog post..What’s Wrong With WANTING to Be in the Middle Class?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Interesting post. Of course, you can have wealth without education -- just look at someone like Paris Hilton. Perhaps there is a danger that some people only view education as a means to earning more money. So when they already have money, they feel like educating themselves is unimportant.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Jeremy:
Though Paris Hilton is certainly no role model, I think you may be off base with regards to education. If I had her fortune in my bank account... I find it hard to picture myself signing up to go to college. Lavish vacations, luxurious living sure. Cracking open a physics book? Maybe not for me...
Education is great to a point. But if you're already wealthy beyond imagination... why bother taking classes that bore you? Surely some will be interesting, but it's doubtful that every class needed for a higher education will be interesting to you.
Llama Money's last blog post..The Swimming Pool Dilemma
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:35 am
@Llama Money:
Sort of sounds like you agree with my statement. I meant to highlight the fact that while educational opportunities can be limited for those of modest economic means, members of the "upper class" (like, ahem, Paris) don't necessarily take advantage of their access to education.
School may be boring to some, but education can be found in places other than textbooks -- someone with great wealth has the opportunity to travel and experience arts and cultures across the globe, for example.
In other words, being wealthy doesn't always mean being educated, just as being poor doesn't always mean being uneducated.