What distinguishes an Upper Class family from a Middle Class family?

Question

What sort of monthly income and luxury items?

Answer 1

How you spend your money, upper class invests money, middle class pays out money. So if you're living off your investments then you are upper class. If your expenses are about equal to your income you are middle to lower class. See Chris Rock's stand up routine about wealthy vs. rich, he lays it out there.

Answer 2

Wealth (middleclass: has a good salary but rarely has real wealth / upperclass: may not have a salary, but has real wealth)

Power (the upperclass has power over others...the middleclass has power over themselves (if they save))

Car (middle-class: SUV bought new or leased and cluttered / upper-class: sedan, bought slightly used and super clean) The upperclass will start off with something like a Ford Taurus or Toyota Corolla (very plain except having the gold-trim package and kleenex in the back), as they get more $ they'll buy a Buick, then a Benz, then a Cadallac. But they will all be pretty boring looking yet very clean. The point is to have a car that can transport people around in big, smooth, clean, comfortable, sort of impressive. But not too flashy for that might been seen as a flaw (vanity)...and the upperclass are very careful not to show any flaws. The middleclass makes sure to buy something that they want...as long as their boss, co-workers, friends, and family won't think they are too kooky.

Appearance/style: Like the car, the middle-class tend to wear whatever they can within the confines of what is acceptable at work and around their friends and family. The upper-class choose clothes as they choose cars...with the purpose of slightly impressing others, making them feel comfortable around them, and assure there are no flaws. Thus the upperclass buy clothes that are well made and make sure the clothes fit them correctly. Even if poor, the upperclass will go to consignment shops and spend a lot of time trying on clothes. The middleclass fashion ranges from Walmart to the mall. Again, the middleclass buy to express individuality and just enough to get by socially.

Social network (middleclass: co-workers and school friends / upper-class: people of power in many professions)

In short, the middleclass are partly adaptive and independent. The upperclass are adaptive and interdependent.

Middleclass folks are great people, they just don't either have the ambition, the spiritual calling, the will, the submission to prove oneself to others, the social connections, the eye for detail, or some combination to become and remain the upperclass. Don't get me wrong, I love the middleclass: industrious, rugged individuals...American to the core. We definately need the middleclass to keep the upperclass in check...and they make great workers and managers.

The upperclass get paid well and get power because they prove to others that they are very disciplined and dependable. Con men do the same thing; however, you can't stay upperclass without integrity. The social circles are just too vicious and organized.

The lower-class usually doesn't care about what others think of the. They would be amazing individuals if they had any discipline. The X class represents staunch individuals that have disciple...very very rare people.

Upperclass: trying to prove they are worthy of power over you

Middleclass: trying to prove they are worthy of working for the upperclass and yet independent

Lowerclass: trying to prove they are worth something, but aren't

X class: change the world...the upperclass seek to control these people (read Atlas Shrugged)

Answer 3

Middle class = Walmart above ground pool

Upper class = In-ground pool with grotto.

Answer 4

lol @ walmart & above ground pool..  i'd say Target instead.

a good question..  

i thought i was middle class because i wasn't living on the dole.  i am learning while i have some class, it aint middle.  

Answer 5

Their Mercedes!

Answer 6

This is a fine line and changes all the time. Right now, I would say anyone who makes over $200,000 a year is definitely upper class. I'm a senior citizen and still remember when if you made over $30,00 a year was upper class. So this is why I say the figure changes all the time.

Answer 7

There is no actual line as it is constantly being redefined based on who is talking at the time. It is largely a matter of interpretation and is only really obvious at the highest and lowest extremes of the spectrum.

Answer 8

What a great question!  My interpretation would be if you are poor in this country you barely get by with a budget. And what you contribute for taxes is returned.

If you are middle class, you get by with some disposable income, but still need to keep a tight budget, you are able to make a small contribution to a retirement savings plan, and big items are bought on time, or with your income tax refund.  

The upper class is able to invest in this country, and have a lot of disposable income, your budget is not tight, you are able to make a large contribution for retirement, and you are able to purchase large items with cash!

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