What Social Class Are You Really In?
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- Опубліковано 15 гру 2024
- What Social Class Are You Really In? Are you old money, new money, no money, or middle class? In this video, I help viewers how to identify which social class level they and therefore what steps are needed to change that (if you want to).
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What social class do you think you are in?
If you have any questions about your specific situation, please contact me via the form linked in this comment.
forms.gle/VCqTAvodJGpGFdfz6
What class are you?
If I really had to wager I would say I'm Outside of Formal Economy or Precariat
- I have worked at small businesses in white collar, nepo hire roles since high school. Earning less than minimum wage until mid-college, currently earning $1 above minimum.
- I had a $800 net worth going in to college, funding my education entirely through debt and grants
- While in college I financed my living expenses through student loans and used any free cash flows to take advantage of any equity market opportunities that presented themselves
- I graduated in '21 with a positive net worth and moved back in with family (HCOL area). After eventually switching nepo jobs I started working a bunch of OT
- Long hours, outsized savings from rent dependency, and continuing to take advantage of market opportunities has left me with a net worth comfortably in the 6 figures
- Annualized returns of 33.82% since May 2019 and my unrealized cap gains this year will exceed my earned income
Despite outsized cash flows and a large equity market nest egg, my very way of life is dependent on my earned income as well as the support of others. Thanks to my isolating work experience I find competition in the job market to be particularly difficult. Although I'm working toward leaving the nepo hire trap, hiring managers may as well be from Mars with how out of touch they are with how small businesses function. Apparently "I do anything and everything that is required" isn't actually a title and doesn't translate to the corporate kindergarten roles that would mark the entry to my desired career path.
I wrote a nice, long reply to this comment only for YT to wipe it from existence. I guess we'll never know.
@@andrewsnyder9262 watch the video for the answer
Clerical! Yay! 📋📝🗄
Growing up in the working class, you would not believe the amount of people who perceive themselves to be middle class that aren’t. They create a bubble for themselves, live outside of their means, and deny what’s in front of them.
That’s common on every level of the class level. A lot of middle class people pretend to be elites too.
@@AFNick I’ve found one way to get a glimpse into whether someone is like this is how they vote. To give an example, in my friend group I grew up with there’s a group chat where one guy gets bullied because he votes left. Everyone else in the group chat views it as a sin for him to not vote Trump. As they’re all blue collar factory workers or own their own blue collar business and voting blue is voting against their social class. The person in question also had the most middle class-esque wedding, let’s his wife run the household (matriarchy is more common in the middle class I find), and his wife has a lot of middle class friends.
Despite their finances and real estate being overwhelmingly working class, due to the dynamic of the wife’s social circle being middle class, they see themselves as such and vote accordingly.
Another example is my ex gf’s family where, despite their lifestyle and family culture being quintessentially working class. They were receiving regular checks from one of the grandmas funneling cash flow to their household. Allowing themselves to live above their means and see themselves as middle class. Despite the actual lifestyle being working class. The artificial cash influx created a bubble for them to live in. But never really changed things enough for the family values to ever turn middle class. Of course this didn’t stop them from perceiving themselves to be higher than they actually were on the totem pole.
Yeah I think the easiest way to figure this out is, if your primary income suddenly stopped, what lifestyle can you afford in 3 months - I’m self aware thankfully, I make professional class money but my current wealth can afford me middle class life in my area
@@osamataha336 I think if that happened it'd mean I didn't have a job. Guess I'd travel, haha.
@@daniels2761 yeah but what kind of travel you can afford lol, you can hitchhike or you can travel first class from one place to the other - that's how you know your class
Great video.
Personally, I try to strive for the etiquette of the upper-class, work ethic of the working class, intellect of the professional class, fearlessness of the under-class and humbleness of the middle-class. Every social class of society has something special to offer.
Well said!
love this comment!
humbleness of the middle-class??? They don't have it.
@@joaomaria2398some do others don't. It's about balancing pride and dignity with humility and respect. You have to have respect for others AND yourself not one or the other.
@@Dark_kage…so true yet so far fetched it is of today. The lack of importance to even just the value of basic respect has blurred the vision for a vast majority around us.
As an active duty military officer… with a stay at home mom who homeschools my kids. We live comfortably and are saving for retirement. But I see myself as working class or maybe lower middle class. If my wife worked and we were willing to put our kids in public school, we could jump up the ladder quite a bit… but my children having a solid foundation is worth more to me than the extra 50-60k we could make.
I grew up fluctuating between working class and poor in the south (raised by a single mom), but now am embedded in an Ivy League / establishment elite east-coast social group. The differences between my mom's world and the people around her and my current social group is so extreme that trying to describe one to the other may as well be describing an Amazonian tribe.
Upper class and high prole have similar values. If you spend your time going hunting you may be either high prole or upper class, it just depends on whether you bring your trophy back to an 800 year old castle at the end of the day or not.
Most of my closest friends are from primary school, and we have very different economic backgrounds. Most of them are worker class, and I grew up in and still apart from the middle class. What made me realize that was how more traveled I am compared to my peers, I have done more international trips in a year then some of them have done in their life. I fly a few times a year but a notable portion of my friends have never visited an airport. That was a reality check.
In high school I missed Freshman football due to a broken arm. When attempting to join the JV team early sophomore year a grumpy coach asked "why didn't you attend the summer sessions?" I responded with "because I was in Belgium?" somewhat oblivious to the fact that not everyone had family to travel to over summers. I flew from the west coast to the east coast annually to visit grandparents and every few years flew to Belgium to visit the ancestral home. Nice PFP by the way ;)
This is a weird take on things. Why do you believe that you are wealthier just because you choose to travel? I have a friend from highschool who travels once a month. She had an unemployed husband for many years who finally became a travel agent.
I rarely travel but live less than 150ft from a vacation spot. I have a beautiful home. I spent the summer with friends at the river. Cost? Gas to drive about 30 minutes away.
My friend who travels, owns a nice home. I own MULTIPLE nice homes. Does my friend from highschool realize I'm a mortgage free landlord? Probably not. We last got together at a baby shower for a friend. One friend was talking about all the money she makes as a nurse. I was being a stay at home Mom living on rental income. Now I build fiber optic cables which pays an above average wage. Plus I get rent and have no debt including no mortgage. You should rethink your theory.
This video made me reflect on two encounters that highlighted class differences. In a previous job at a private cannabis lab, the owner-a man who had sold a trucking company in his 20s for tens of millions and launched numerous global ventures-hadn’t attended college, nor had his business partner. Yet, when the partner met me, he guessed, “I bet you went to college.” It was a clear reminder that wealth and success don’t always align with traditional markers like education.
In my current job, a coworker often talks about playing pool at the bar daily, which contrasts sharply with my lifestyle-I’ve never been drawn to bars or that kind of socializing. While he lives paycheck to paycheck, my wife and I, in our 30s, have saved and invested-around five times our combined annual income. These moments show how class distinctions manifest in habits, values, and financial stability, even among colleagues.
I'm middle class.
Trucking company to Cannabis company is about the most counter-elite path you can take. lol
I’ve noticed in my own life that the older generation of the establishment elite still seems like they respect successful people outside of the establishment class, whereas the younger establishment elites have nothing but contempt for the non-establishment (even for members of the elite counter-establishment)
Agreed.
I’m the “upper class” momentarily cash poor, (have the knowledge and connections to support my new ventures, and some safety net if need be) + the “independent class” (have built my own networks via my entrepreneurial endeavors)
All of this has been very confusing to me until I came across your videos! Thanks 🙏
You’re welcome
Working class here. My dad got big money at the end of his career as a foreman, but the family is full blood working class socially.
Working class people are my people. You make a close friend with someone in the working class, and you will realize you never had a friend before.
I married into a higher class family, I dont know what you'd call 'em.
Their idea of friendship is weird. When you're in the lower classes, you need to be able to trust the people you're around, or you'll get burnt or drug down the wrong path.
They'll be calling some chick they went to chemistry class with for their undergraduate degree a friend. And they talk once every other year. 😅 Girl, that aint your friend, she aint even your aquainatance. Chick is a ghost.
I assume they have that behavior, 'cause the risk is low and they can use various connections to their benefit in the future if needed. "Oh hey, doesn't laurens dad have investments in that firm? Maybe he could get me in?" Haha,"friends."
I went from growing up on foodstamps to multimillionaire because of a lucky early interest in technology. My kids won’t have to worry for money.
But I will never be able to shed a scarcity mindset from childhood learned behavior. I still feel a mental struggle to walk away from food on a plate. I have to consciously fight an instinct to hoard a perfectly good plastic jar.
Forget about ever socializing properly with the upper class. Perhaps if we’re lucky my kids will have a chance.
Then again, maybe we’re better off without them.
If your kids spend like those 2nd generation upper class, the wealth you have built may not be sufficient for their lifetime and the next generation (3rd gen). So while it’s good for them to not worry about the next meal or housing, having an aim in life would do them good 👍
My grandfather was a dentist and got most of his patients from the country club or the Catholic Church. I think ultimately we are still middle class but he did pretty well for himself sending 5 kids to Catholic school, though it was easier to do back then for church parishioners.
I place myself outside of the class structure. I only interact with people about a dozen times per year, and then only for the briefest transaction to pick up supplies.
My Dad is an accountant and my mother is a nurse, I'm studying tax law in college so I guess I embody the middle class pretty well.
i was in the upper middle earlier this year. after being forced to work for this woman who eventually forced my company to unjustifiably fire me i was bumped down to the lower middle class.
my projection was to be debt-free this year and continue aggressively investing.
the disproportion that comes with working with women is that they have the room to be vindictive cause they dont depend on that check. women hardly get punished at the same severity as men.
women talk so much about “male privilege” but conveniently ignore the bias in the judicial system where men are incarcerated much higher than women.
Ok. I’ll bite.
_Why_ exactly were you dismissed? Or at least, what reason did they ‘tell’ you
@ @ the lady lied. she said that she had to “constantly micromanage” me and said that i lied to her about something but there’s absolutely no paper trail to support what she was saying. ive never been disciplined for anything but because she was a “director” and govt civilian and i was the contractor, the PM followed her order even though she has zero legal capability to say who she does and doesnt want in a position. there’s clear guidance about this in the “DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
CONTRACTING OFFICER’S
REPRESENTATIVES
GUIDEBOOK”
just another Karen who thinks rules dont apply to her but the law is clear when it comes to defamation and slander in the real world
@ i filed an IG complaint. they sided with me. she still has her job
"Male privilege" is a complete myth, women are favoured over men in every career path now. There are still special scholarships for women to attend college, despite the majority of college entrants being female. Lots of other examples of the double standard are out there.
As they say, if you want to know who rules over you, look at those you aren't allowed to criticise.
I used to be homeless immigrant, hoping that watching your videos can catapult me up in this game of money they call America.
Work in a small consulting firm as an employee on the even smaller leadership team with the option to just do this independently if I needed to. I don’t think I’ll ever go to a large firm and the plan is we either exit or I go fully independent. Also working on a small business in hopes of supplementing income. One foot in each side I guess.
I found university to be the place where the class divide was evident.
The wealthy kids were mostly focused on political activism. Education and work were seen as a much lower priority. You were looked down on if you didn’t share their political beliefs.
It's interesting, as I grew up in a wealthy area and the kids I went to school with were not like that at all.
Paul Fussell was one of my English professors during my undergraduate days ( now almost 50 years ago.) He was a fabulous instructor.
Awesome. How much of the book do you think was genuine observations versus satire?
@ While there are some attempts at humor (I remember his comments about “prole caps” even though I read the book 40 years ago) I think this book is not intended to be satire. In the 1990s he wrote an autobiography called “Doing Battle” which I thought was wonderful. In today’s terms, Fussell was a member of the intellectual “elite,” but he liked to spit on the elite of his time. As one example, on his office door for awhile he scotched taped an article from some car dealership trade journal which praised Fussell’s son for being a top notch Pontiac salesman. Fussell had become very well known in academia by then and praising car salesmen (even a son) was unusual. Having a son who was a writer, an artist, another academic or maybe even a doctor or attorney would be seen as appropriate, but he was spitting on fellow academics by praising a successful salesperson. Thanks for bringing back memories of one of my favorite teachers.
@ You’re welcome. Thanks for sharing your story
I also come from a multi- generational independent professional background. “Precariat with upside” is a perfect description.
I've always considered myself to be upper-middle class, which I've always defined as the class where you genuinenely need a university degree to practice your profession (doctors, lawyers, architects, professional engineers, veterinarians, chartered accountants, senior corporate management, scientists, academics, clergy, and so on).
I've recently noticed there are two subdivisions in the upper-middle class, which shows up in whether parents raise their kids to be "nerds" or "jocks".
The priority of the "jock" families, who are really into organized sports, is that their children learn social skills and how to work in a team, and they are especially focussed on "winning". These are the people who will be the independent professionals, entrepreneurs or part of the managerial class.
The priority of "nerd" families is more on creativity, idependent thinking, and they are just as competitive as the "jocks", but tend to compete in terms of academic success, art, music or non-team athletics. The competition is often more subtle. These are the people who will be the academics, scientists, clergy, lawyers, architects, professional engineers (but into design not construction management) and so on.
I grew up in a suburb of a large city that was mainly upper middle class, but has since gentified and there are now many millionaires living there. Now I live in the neighbouring suburb, which used to be solidly working class, but is now increasingly upper middle class (mainly because they cannot afford the houses in the suburb where I grew up). So where I live is now a mix of professionals and skilled working class, that probably have similar incomes, but there are strong cultural differences. For one thing, the working class are a lot more noisy and gregarious, while the upper middle class are a lot quieter.
I grew up in a solidly lower middle class family living in one of the safest and nicest neighborhoods in Chicago, next door to an prestigious suburb; the shadow of wealth. I'm a 'disabled veteran" with a graduate degree. I now live in a poverty stricken small city in therural midwest and do deliveries. Only one in my friend group making less than 6 figures. 😂😂😂
I'm technically in the underclass. However when it comes to the underclass or working class, I have almost no friends. We don't speak the same language or see things the same.
I think if you learned how to relate to people on a more humanistic level you would have more working class friends in your current financial strata.
I’m in between working class and the independent professional class. Currently work for my dad’s home renovation business while running both a house painting business and a web development service. Able to save some money but my pay at my normal job sucks. My biggest fear is being dependent on one wage that’s subject to the whims of an employer. Being able to charge market value for what you do vs labor market value is the difference between working class and the independent class.
To define an individual's social class as basically defined by that person's economic resources is to "fail to see the forest for the trees". "Man does not live by bread alone" nor are we defined by it either. Character and Wisdom are not included in economic analysis and thus, profoundly incomplete. A perfect example of this is the social analysis of Thomas Sowell VS Paul Krugman.
I'm in the middle and working class. I'm trying to figure out how to create more opportunities for income. But as a mom and full-time corporate worker, time and money are things i can not spend easily without good reasons. Sometimes I wonder if I should go into real estate or sales... I've tried coding, but I don't want to do that for 8 plus hours a day. It's really my faith, and seeing the good in others that gives me hope things will be better one day.
"Coding" is mostly a waste of time. The average employee doesn't really need it. However, SQL and Python may be of use to you for sorting through metadata at a professional job. Also knowing how to leverage AI could be useful in other professional jobs. You don't want to be a "code monkey", but knowing how to leverage technology to do professional work will benefit you greatly in the long run.
This thing about how closeness to power shows your level of prestige, class (and thereby privilege) is the core mechanic of how nation states are formed.
Well, my ancestors up until the 70s had land, servants, property, etc. They also were warriors, fighting the Italians and valuing land, religion, family, and weapons. And then the communists took it all. But my parents went to the country’s (Ethiopia) top university and met there, then came to US and are quite successful here, albeit as professionals. But the mannerisms, connections within the immigrant community, and upbringing have all been elite; just the environment complicates it. What would you say is the class here?
Professional class
Definitely middle with a plan to move up to the independent professional in the next 5-7 years.
I got a really good corporate job at a pretty desirable company and plan on using some of the benefits from them to hopefully get my CPA license in the next few years
Your content usually shows me a different way to look at the world. Appreciate it!
You’re welcome
What if you don’t have friends because you don’t relate to any normies?
that's the autism class, which is split in 2 parts. One is at the bottom and the other is at the absolute top in the hierarchy
as a business owner who is part of the ivy league class i have a very very low tolerance for family of neighbors that are middle class
Son of a successful business owner.
He created a great possible foundation for the future.
I felt secure and studied politics cause it's what I'm interested in.
Gonna have my PhD soon, in my mid-20s.
Now, I have the institutional pedigree but no connections relevant to the institutional class…
Oh well
My journey is still in the beginning
I was upper working middle class...lol 💪. Formally educated with a high networth, but worked simply as a high school teacher. 😊 Retired at 57. Amen 🙏
Dude. I can relate. Was a university bureaucrat. Administration was so political the campus Chancellor was fired on average once every 15 months. 😂. We went through five chancellor’s in six years. One guy lasted two weeks. 😳. Working there was too ridiculous. Retired at 56. Been traveling the world ever since.🎉
I'm in Institutional Professional Class and my friends are either same (75%) or Independent Professional Class (25%). The independent professional class guys know they have a chance at moving up to Successful Business Owners and us Institutional Professional Class know for the most part that climbing the corporate ladder further has diminishing returns for happiness. Some of the younger ones in the group still want to move up though through the corp ladder.
This video shows the importance of multiple incone streams. You don't want to have one salary and be dependent on employer.
It takes tine to build multiple income streams. Side hustle, dividends, REITs... It is a good idea
REIT’s suck but I take your meaning. Never invest in anything where there’s an incentive for the manager to deploy capital quickly regardless of market conditions. I’ve learned that the hard way…
Yes a lot of Reits are losers. I invest in a few.
I chose REITs over buying a rental property, taking on mortgage debt and fielding calls at 1 am to fix toilets. That never appealed to me
An interesting aspect that you alluded to in your video is that money will not necessarily buy your way into a social class, but that personal values play a big role in finding acceptance and staying so to speak listed within that class. I think it’s important for us to enrich others of lower class status not so much with money, but with higher personal values. Unfortunately though, life is such that certain values can only be understood through personal experience, where it seems to be best gained.
I also highly recommend Pierre Bourdieu’s article “The Forms of Capital”, which divides capital into economic capital, cultural capital, and social capital. The article may be found as a free PDF online.
A video about establishment elite vs counter elite values would be insteresting
My family came to the u.s. as Irish working class, I'm proud to say that no one has made any phoney attempts to ascended the greasy social ladder, (we know our place) most Americans would do well to fallow suit.
Know our place? I’m Irish -American too and maybe it’s a matter of us not giving a fuck about moving up. I just need enough to be comfortable and safe. Unfortunately that’s getting more difficult on a lower income as time goes on.
Working class baby!!
I would say I am soundly middle. Good savings and a paid off house, early 30s. Not coming from "old money" has been really beneficial because I don't care what anyone thinks about my car or clothes, so I save a good amount of money. I am still blown away by the percentage of income people are willing to give to a car loan. Seems like things were simpler growing up.
The worst people I've ever met are in the upper middle class. The look down on anyone who makes 1k less a year than them, and either idealize the rich or talk down on them too saying they're "faking" being rich. They literally look down on everyone.
Subscribed! I've seen a few of your videos and quite like your take on it all. I would say I'm in the "precariat educated class" from a working class background. I'm trying to leverage my education, which is partly international (USA & Russia) and my professional entry-level financial advisor job. The rise of BRICS is real, I was in Russia when the sanctions kicked on full blast and it's fine there. I'm thinking of turning a small cash nest egg into permanent housing for myself in Moscow and getting in on the action building the new parallel financial system they're developing. Luckily I have lots of friends there and decent connections. I realized though educated, as the son of a Montana truck driver with a GED there's little chance to substantially climb up the class ladder here in the US. However, in Russia the rules are a little different for foreigners, especially those who integrate well and learn the language (which I now speak fluently). Educated and well-mannered foreigners are greatly appreciated there.
What class would someone be who has a job which earns 15000usd a month all of it tax exempt but who at the end of the month begs family for rent and food money while also living in a dilapidated one room apartment with his wife and 3 kids?
Someone who is bad at money management
@AFNick Indeed he is. But what social class would he and his family fit in?
@Anton43218Wouldn't his class be determined based off calculation of cost of living vs income? The dollars earned mean little without the knowledge of cost of living where they reside. If the individual cannot pay for rent and necessities with the income being earned then that's lower classes. If you can and have discretionary funds you are moving into middle class. If you are able to meet necessities, save, invest and have funds left over you are moving into upper middle. Upper classes generally can afford to not only meet needs but do so in style while saving. If they get layed off they don't panic as they have assets to rely on. Your individual seems to not be meeting needs. They are begging by end of month, which would be using charity to get by. Part of class is your income, part is your habits and values. Lower classes tend to spend on things such as lotto and drugs/ alcohol for escape.
@ Working Class until he straightens out his finances
😂 tbh this is very possible in HCOL locations
I have not watched the video...
Robert Putnam in the book Our Kids: The American Dream in crisis, defines social class entirely by education. Some HS, HS dip, 2yr, 4 yr, 'yr or more. It was the first thing I read that separated social class by educational attainment and not by income.
I can't wait to see how you tackle it...
The emergence of the precariat class invalidates education being the primary determinant of class.
@@AFNick not determinant, but highly correlated. Most HS dropouts would likely be stuck in min wage jobs with messy personal lives. Multi-generational poverty living on charity or welfare would be another significant hurdle.
You should read the book. It focuses primarily on culture and lifestyle. You might find it interesting.
fyi- I am an American living in France and was very impressed with your passing comments on how rigid European social classes are...
Great channel, great content!
@ Thanks. Higher education is more like a class hedge. It prevents you from dropping below a certain floor, but won’t advance you on its own
@@AFNick It also depends. I find an Ivy League degree to just be a vanity project if you are majoring in something not lucrative like art for example. I can imagine a rich guy having his daughter study ivy league and major in English Literature. Not quite the same thing as a Law degree from Harvard.
Education is a hedge if you get educated in something that can generate income, otherwise the purpose might merely be to obtain status.
Due to debts incurred as a consequence of Covid, I'm a precariat for the time being with a touch of independent, but I keep the company of a mix of independents (mostly), elites/counter-elites, and working class.
A chief source of frustration is the fact that my father went from working class to middle to elite, and then kicked me off the ladder when I was a few rungs short of the top and pulled it up from underneath me to prove a point. I'm not sure what the lesson was meant to be, but what I did take from it is that I'm expendable and need to take risks or be someone else's punching bag at the bottom of the working/precariat class.
Would love a video about moving up the class ladder
That’s coming later this month
Dependant class here, I'm a college student in sweden, my friends are also in the dependant class, although my friends do have parents who are in the middle class. My parents are also in the dependant class, however I believe I'll be able to break the cycle. Not all the way upto the higher classes, that's not even my ambition. I have an ambition for physics, so that's where I'll go. I believe I'll be able to tap into the working class as a researcher. It doesn't sound ideal at first, however the only thing I truly find is meaningful in my life, is research in physics. I'd love to get into the establishment class, however the small chance of getting is simply not worth the reward in my opinion. I'd have different challenges and the only way I could find true fullfillment is funding physics research. It would be better to fund physics research so I can help in greater breakthroughs in physics, however the likelier scenario of me ending up unfulfilled in my ilfe is not worth it when I could be studying physics.
edit:
I do want to add, even though I don't intend on reaching high in society (from your pov) I do enjoy your content. I intend on having kids in the future and if one of my kids believe their purpose in life is to reach higher in society, I'll impart the wisdom you have taught me.
Question...
From what I've read and observed, there is much less class and social stratification in Scandinavia vs here in the US.. What are your thoughts?
@@ousamaabdu794 That's possible. However, there is still most definitely class and social stratification. I suspect some of what you know is the lies and allure of scandinavia. For some reason a lot of people in foreign countries tend to regard Scandinavia as this progressive, socialistic utopia (or something in that regard).
It is still fundementally a capitalist society. If you travel to cities, you will notice how there's a clear difference between different neighborhoods.
I do believe we have it better here in europe and especially in scandinavia but we don't have it nearly as well as social media may portray us.
I've never been particurarily interested in social studies, so I'm not as educated as I could be.
@@ousamaabdu794well he gets to go to university to be a physicist while he probably wouldn’t dream of that in the U.S.
Both my parents are from European old money semi-politically connected families, but they abandoned that to run away together and raise a family in a rural spot in a Nordic country, so I grew up relatively poor (in a Nordic country, so still not too bad). However I rejoined a higher class (business across northern Europe, I earn enough I don't know what to do with) strangely easily, even without leveraging connections, maybe just my family name. Old money in Europe find it strange that I can both act in their old fashioned style while also preferring much more austerity
Great video nick from another member of the italian independent professional class, may we rise
Thanks
This was ACTUALLY really really good.
I’m Dave Ramsey class
the criminal class?
@@David-sq2en expand on that?
Great video and great explanation! I do recommend everyone identify as working class unless they come from generational wealth that enables them to hire people to work for them.
I'm in an odd position. I'm under class, very quickly about to jump straight into independant class. All my friends are a mix of under class, dependant class, working class, business owners, and counter elite. From homeless people up to my professional circle, whom the members of mostly spend their time traveling and enjoying the outdoors.
Are you a through hiker? The trails are where the homeless go to feel at home, and the elite go to feel homeless. 😂
Thanks! This made me realize I’m in the Ivy League/middle class trying to strive for elite/counter elite 😊
I really enjoy your videos on these topics relating to class and wealth in America. You seem to be the only reasonable person talking about these topics!
Thanks for the kind words.
This was insightful. I'm middle class, maybe lower middle. I lost my job last year and was fine because of my savings. I have a good chunk in a CD, an emergency savings and a plan to become upper class.
I am middle middle class but felt upper middle class growing up in South Milwaukee and lower middle glass going to school at the University of Wisconsin surrounded by wealthy international students. Those international studnets payed my tution lol
For me it’s likely middle class. My class characteristics as outlined by you by-and-large point to middle class, although there are some that fall into different categories above and below that class. At the bottom of page 2 of my 1040 I would describe myself as “peasant” (as I now live in the countryside) if it didn’t potentially send off alarm bells at the IRS (I have a very strong knowledge of the tax code btw, due to my employment), although the closest ancestor who was likely a bonafide peasant was a Norwegian immigrant four generations ago; it’s been more distant for all other branches on the family tree. I for a majority part derive my class characteristics from. the old New England Puritan/Yankee diaspora, despite not voting that way in this election (or any election, for that matter).
Thank you! I love this topic!
You’re welcome
I was raised in the elite of Brazil so I have elite mentality.
But I live in the USA so it's hard to relate to people I meet here outside the bay area or NYC
Great insights, Nick!
Thanks
Unless there is a benefit i’m missing, feels like the move is to ignore trying to climb class which prevents lifestyle creep. Become financially independent; enjoy life
By becoming financially independent you are moving up the class ladder. Lifestyle spend does not equal class. Hip hop culture is enough to prove that.
$65,364 is the minimum income for a family of 4 in my state, to be considered middle class. I'm surprised it's that low. People working for the same company with the same wage, are often way apart in wealth.
Not at all confused on my class. Im upoer lower class. I have employment that has benefits such as sick leave and insurance. I'm barely meeting my needs and if I had to pay current rates tor mortgage or rent I wouldn't be. Difficulty is in maintaining my small home. Things need fixed, they won't be. If i lose my job tomorrow I'll qualify for partial pension so I won't be destitute but it won't be enough to stay in place. While I'm working class its manual labor. Its not minimum wage but it's not a whole lot above that. I was raised in a very solidly middle class home. My father was a professional but worked as a government employee exchanging higher pay for stability. My siblings did better for themselves one I would count as upper middle class and one in the upper class. If I were to travel back in time I'd slap my younger self silly. Preferably before I put the nail in my coffin. Choices made when we are young have ripple effects. Escaping those can be a very hard path.
I believe I am middle class, but I am interested to hear the opinion of others. Our family would typically take vacations to go camping or stay at a relatives to go skiing for a week, but Only once did we ever take a weeklong vacation staying in a hotel. My parents both graduated with masters degrees and own a home, but we weren’t well connected with well-to-do families. Im 27 and currently live in a large city and work at a corporate job that I have built enough of a résumé at that I don’t worry about losing my job and I’m able to save towards potentially buying a house in the future, which I see as a bit of a long shot. I am fairly frugal about spending money like going to restaurants, clothes, cars, etc. All of my friends also work 9 to 5 jobs
That sounds middle class to me or possibly institutional professional class depending on details of career
I'm in a Class By Myself!
My friend circle and I fall into the working or middle classes but we were raised by parents or aunt and uncles that reached the upper middle class at some point.
Institutional Professional Class. My friends, 90%, same as well.
I agree about your income does not determine your class, it's more about your ambition, and who you believe you are. even though I'm only a college student I was able to befriend billionaires, founders of companies that you guys probable heard of before. and I feel like I have more in common with those than employees I've met at big companies I interned at.
I think high intelligence and people skills can make it easier to hobnob with almost anyone.
Class structure changes now depending on how mobile your income is now. There is the class you are in if you live in a city in the western world and your income is dependent on you living there. Then there is a different class structure if you can earn while living in different countries around the world.
If you are earning 3000-4000$ usd there are many safe countries you can live in and have the best medical care available and dental a luxury apartment and a maid and a private chef.
While having tailored clothing.
Then with higher income you move into being able to afford condos or apartments in many countries.
Good point
I like that you seperated class from income. Makes the boundries appear more permeable, which they are, especially in America. For the most part, before a person is solidly in their aspirational class, they are usually staddleing two classes for awhile, which can be very hard, because one has to mentally switch before ones income reflects the change. The "who do you socialize with" point is also very poignant.
I also suspect the leaps between social strata are not equally spaced rungs on a ladder. I suspect the spaces between the rungs are greater at the bottom than at the top. Meaning can take more to move up if at the bottom than it does if youre closer to the top. I'm also aware I used the antiquated analogy of a ladder, as you used a pyramid for a more modern take on class distictions.
Great videos, great way of story telling, great content.
Thanks
Was hoping for a Dollar numb er that would be a wake up call.
Here in the UK it was noted about ten years ago that if your income AFTER tax was above £350,000 per year you were comfortable middle class. Rich was viewed above £20,000,000 after tax per year. What's the point of being "posh" and being poor?
It's all about the MONEY!
I'm provided by my family, I'm a 30 year old man, so basically I would say I am underclass but I am being artificially put in the middle class by my family, but once they decide to not support me, and I think they have all the right to decide so any time they want, I will be automatically in the underclass.
I'm from Brazil and in here class prospect isn't very good, I mean, 90% of the population earn 8,000 USD per year, in the US anyone who earns less than 12,000 USD per year is poor so around 95% of the Brazilian population is poor by US standards and that sucks. That said, my family is middle class, and by middle class I mean what is middle class in Brazilian standards, not US standards, and they are middle class through being government employees and this is what my father wanted to me, but for me being a government employee completely sucks and so I was left lost, I hate the idea of being government employee but this is how people go to the middle class in Brazil, there are even tests to be government employee and those are highly competitive and there is even a huge market in Brazil of courses people take in order to pass such tests and get the jobs. Anyway, another option I would have would be to get a job in the private sector but salaries in Brazil are so low, salaries of government employees are also low, they are just higher than jobs in the private sector, so they are higher only relatively, but anyway, for me being underclass in Brazil, precariate or middle class, all for me seem just like diferent shades of poverty and since its all poverty I think being underclass is what demands less effort, I mean, if my prospect in life is being poor I might as well choose the path that requires less effort to be poor since the result will be the same. I love my family, but I kind of see the middle class as a whole in Brazil with a certain contempt and the precariate class too since the precariate class, those who work in private sector jobs earn so little and pay so much in taxes I just think why don't they fucking revolt lol but the underclass I don't see them with much contempt because being underclass is what makes more sence in here if one cannot ascend to something higher like independent professional class.
About my social circle, I don't work so I don't have a work social circle, the social circle I have is in church and religion is something interesting because it can put people from different classes together, even though I'm not of this class, I usually do well with people from independent professional and entrepeneurial classes, politically I'm also right wing and it's something in Brazil that is commonly associated with independent professional and entrepeneurial classes, that said, for clarificiation right wing in Brazil is not the same as in the US, Brazil is a far left joke of a country and so the right in Brazil is just kind of the center, I am right wing in an American or Javier Milei sense what makes me very further far right in Brazil.
Anyway, I think a new class is forming in Brazil and in many poor countries and this even include places such as China that is rich because of volume but in a per capita basis is poor, and this class is disillusioned young people, people who just don't want to work because wages are bad and stuff like that and for other reasons, for example, I totally hate Brazil not only because it's poor and have lots of taxes but because basic freedoms from the US such as freedom of speech is not a reality in here, so we are not only poor but we have to watch what we say and I have a tendency for vulgarity, also a lot of the Brazilian people have a tendency for vulgarity, the only problem is the stablishment elite class in Brazil and when being vulgar is very easy to say stuff that is forbidden in a place that has censorship, I mean, if the bureaucrats could listen to conversations in bars for example, a lot of the Brazilian population would be behind bars so this is a problem in Brazil the people have a set of values and the ones who government another, is like having a population that ressembles Americans in values, specially those from Appalachia, and having a bureaucratic class that ressembles European bureaucrats if you know what I mean, but anyway, I see a lot of people in Brazil that don't want to work nor study because salaries are just bad and living in Brazil is just bad, they are usually younger than me, they are in their early 20s usually, I'm 30, so I was one of those who joined this trend earlier, but anyway, I think this group would kind of be relevant, as I said in China there is a similar phenomenon with the youth who just want to let it rot and I think this group can lead to interesting things in the future, maybe the must awaited and desired change that is needed in here. Anyways, my comment is already too long and I don't think Americans should spend a lot of time thinking on the problems of some poor people of some failed country so I will just end it here instead of bore you and some of your audience who stumble in this comment and decide to read it with the problems of my life and those of my accursed land. Peace.
Thanks for your insights about the class structure in Brazil. 🇧🇷
@@AFNick Hi, I made a mistake in my comment, there should be more mistakes since I have the habit of making long texts and not checking for mistakes, but anyway, when I said that 90% of the Brazilian population earned 8,000 USD a year what I really wanted to say was that 90% of Brazil's population earn 8,000 USD or less, so earning 8,000 USD or more actually makes one in Brazil be top 10% of earners, but the bottom let's say 10% is very very lower than 8,000 USD, I probably made this mistake because while writing the comment I was doing math on my head to convert some numbers, like, converting montly salary to yearly salary and converting BRL to USD.
Working class
Working class. Horrible. You give your live to millionaire while he vacations on a yacht.
Independent professional class thru nepotism, I’ll go one rung up thru inheritance if we don’t liquidate first
30% of millionaires identify as middle class. Don't quote me on that I'm going off memory.
There are a lot of middle class millionaires today. Especially if you include the value of personal residences.
Average net worth is $1m. I understand the different between mean and median. But that gives you an idea of why that may be occurring
That’s because a million bucks of net worth puts one in the middle class, and it very well fits with the description Nick provides here. Home equity plus retirement accounts plus other savings/investments being equal to one million dollars means you’re not generating enough independent income to live off of, even if the debt is only mortgage debt. And yes, home ownership is a key component because it’s a huge real cost that gets smaller with time, and this allows the owners to maintain their lifestyles. While the rate of return can be higher with prudent investing, the skills to take that path of wealth building are almost exclusively found in the upper classes, so homeownership is still the leading way for middle class people to build wealth (as long as they avoid all debt that isn’t associated with prudent asset building).
Millionaires are middle class LOL! To be upper middle class is $10 million and above net worth! Doctor & Lawn Firm partner money!
A million dollars ain’t what it used to be fellas, fiat is a melting ice cube.
Stack Sats
I grew up poor or under class. I recently lost my job, I do have a few months of savings to buffer. I guess I'm middle class now. Even a few years ago, if I had lost my job, I would be homeless. I am thinking about starting a business instead of getting a job.
I haven't watched this yet but it's gonna hurt:)
Great video learned so much 🎉
Thanks
I wonder how union membership can effect class. Like, if you are working class but do not have a fear of losing your job due to a safe union career, would that potentially bump your mentality up to more of the middle class?
Depends how much you save after taxes, union dues, and living expenses
Hi Nick. I really wonder where would you place Bill Ackman in The American Class Hierarchy. Great video.
Establishment Elite
@@AFNick I would also consider him as an Establishment Elite before the elections. However, his political position on the last election confused me.
Not everyone in the establishment elite is on the left. It might go back to 50/50 again after 2028 like it was pre-2016.
Notice which is on the right and which is on the left
I'm in the tycoon class serfs. Kneel before my Godliness and kiss the family ring...
Great video!
Thanks!
my class level? I'm in the sewer pipes below the basement of the lowest level of the pyramid.
But even the all-mighty dinosaurs that ruled the world eventually were wiped out, and the rats hiding underground came out and took over.
And the cokkaroaches! 🪳
What about elite people from old Asia and Eastern Europe where their family wealth for most part been stripped by communist revolution but managed to come to America and work a good job but still manage to maintain elite etiquette and mannerisms and education?
Same from Ethiopia
They are the class of their new country unless their capital or connections in the home country translate to material/status advantages that can be taken to where they are currently.
Ex nobles are basically gone to Europe/us/Canada and live as middle/independent. Take Brighton beach/ Ontario/Alberta (well, Soviet emigrants also live there).
As for Russian Empires ex-nobles, you can check any russian emigrant writer's biography (eg Nabokov). They were definitely not upper class. Starting with the tsar himself (he wasn't taken to England by his cousin) and ex-prime minister.
I consider myself on the upper end of working class. I make 52k a year before taxes working in healthcare as a phlebotomist (union pay). Just enough to save some money, but not enough to buy a house with 20% down in a reasonable time frame. I will come into an inheritance soon, but do not know how much yet. Should I save this money for when housing prices possibly drop? Or get into housing ASAP using first time home buyers loan. I come from a underclass dependent family with no wealth to pass down so the idea of buying property is very important to me to give my future children. I am 25, been in a relationship for 6 years and plan on proposing/marrying within the next year or two. I also live in a high cost of living area (30 minutes outside Seattle) but plan on buying in a more affordable area. I have started saving this year for housing and have 3000 so far and have less than 5k debt on a low miles, reliable car
Keep saving!
I think for someone in your situation the safest and most pragmatic option would be home ownership when said inheritance comes to fruition..
@@ousamaabdu794 I appreciate the advice guys. I got a call from my father and he is thinking I will recieve around 8k tax free. Bringing my savings to around 11k + whatever I accumulate in the next few months. I also have a 98 Camaro I am able to get around 4k for if sold but it will sell easier come summer time and could really help my situation. I just want to end the cycle of poverty in my family by being wise with what I have
Hey I identify as "old money" . Address me accordingly 🤣🤣🤣
Would you like some Grey Poupon? 😂
@AFNick it's already in my Rolls- Royce
Military careerist high potential for upward mobility especially from the poor or working class. Still consider underclass because of dependency on the system or different?
The government is an employer not a welfare provider for people in the military, so it’s different than dependent class. Most military is middle class.
@ thanks for the reply and clarification. Love the videos Nick! I always send them to my my aware and curious friends 👍
16:40 Canada is kind of a middle ground between the US attitudes and the ones in Europe.
I'm a slave class. 😂 Born in a 3th world country by uneducated parents, I moved from one form of poverty to another form of poverty. I work as a civil engineer. My mindset is totally socialistic because I grew up under that system. As much I tey to understand economic game in my new capitalistic home in the west, it is somehow so abstract to me, and I do not understand it. I will pay all possible economic schools for my kids, so at least they will have an understanding of the system and better starting positions.
Been comfortably retired for more than 10 years. Have a government pension and Social Security. Am I independent or counter elite or ?
Not enough information to determine that
@@AFNick what other factors are relevant in determining? Thinking about it more seems people like me are more fluid. My parents were immigrants starting as working class. Grew up around lower middle class. Went to college. Worked for government. So gradually I became middle class. when I retired seems like I became independent. Government pension/Social Security are entitlements, so the income might be more stable than a business. If the government went bankrupt and I lost my retirement income, I move down to dependent class. Or something like that.
You are retired middle class. Congrats on the happy retirement.
The independent professional class is still primarily middle class
Most of them have middle class level incomes, but they are not middle class due to their differing relationship with money,
I would argue that third generation athletes still belong to the middle class and new money, no matter how much money they earn, since they are still “employees” albeit highly paid.
Good point. Class is not the same and income. It’s relationship with money. However, there are many athletes who pivot their brands to a more entrepreneurial path.
Bottom 90 % are in the pitchfork class.
Depends on the country
Yup
Question: as the boomers get replaced by millennials would the class dynamics of current mold into something new or stay cemented?
I don’t think generational turnover wi change class dynamics but it could change the distribution of what ratio of the population is in each class