What is a "yuppie" (Chicago, Lincoln: buying, income, to live in)

[aragx6]

Btw... the book lookout mentioned Bobo's in Paradise is very good. Anyone with an interest in this stuff would certainly enjoy it. It's funny, informative and at least in my case made me exclaim "Hey, I resemble that remark!"

[Irishtom29]

A yuppie is a guy who thinks an accountant who drives an Audi is different in some fundamental and important way from an accountant who drives a Buick.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

Go to Lakeview, sit on a bench and just look at all the folks walking by.
That should answer your question. Pay close attention to any Starbucks and "designer" $900 babystrollers. Those are red flags!

Oh come on, Starbucks is as commonplace as McDonalds among the middle class--and not all of those Starbucks customers are Yuppies...

A $900 baby stroller is indeed a dead giveaway, though! What a waste of money. Sure, they look cool... But you can get one that looks cool for a lot less money than a $900 Bugaboo.

Instead of saying, "look what I can afford", these strollers say to me "I spend my money stupidly".

[Humboldt1]

I would say generally a yuppie is more inclined to have a Rolex than a Fossil. Your thoughts?

I have a buddy who works with me at the bank, makes nearly what I make, has his Rolex and condo in Bucktown but likes to go to dive bars and drink PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon-for those who don't know).

It always cracks me up how people making $50K per year think they are too good for Wal-Mart or even Sears. I shop at Wal-Mart regularly for socks, undergarments and basic food items as it is just cheaper.

[moving_time]

Interesting discussion. I read Bobos in Paradise when it was pretty new (2001?). I was a sheltered college student then, but now that I'm remembering it, I suppose it does describe me somewhat. For example, I don't have a $900 stroller nor do I want one, despite having a 1 year old. In my circles, a $150+ hand-sewn cloth baby carrier inspired by a traditional Asian baby carrying style is more in demand. Made from organic cotton if possible.

Seriously, though, this yuppie thing seems to get into all sorts of class issues, gentrification pros and cons...fascinating stuff.

[Ron.]

LOK,

I could not resist the Starbucks comment.

In Lakeview, those strollers are everywhere. I checkout lots of books from the library and they have a childrens reading time, you should see all of the strollers lined up in the library lobby, it looks like a truck stop.

I can't stand those things. They look like HUMMERS.

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Oh come on, Starbucks is as commonplace as McDonalds among the middle class--and not all of those Starbucks customers are Yuppies...

A $900 baby stroller is indeed a dead giveaway, though! What a waste of money. Sure, they look cool... But you can get one that looks cool for a lot less money than a $900 Bugaboo.

Instead of saying, "look what I can afford", these strollers say to me "I spend my money stupidly".

[sharkylittleton]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

A yuppie is a guy who thinks an accountant who drives an Audi is different in some fundamental and important way from an accountant who drives a Buick.

Sounds like your saying that a yuppie could be defined by having materialistic tendencies. That's true, but can't be applied all yuppies. Just the ones that are a** holes!

[Humboldt1]

There is nothing wrong with wanting nice things. If an accountant wants to drive an audi that is their business. It is when people think they are better than other people based upon their education or income that makes them a**holes.

And seriously, if those strollers cost $900 we should start a crime wave at the local library and sell them to second-hand stores.

[Digital Entropy]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

There is nothing wrong with wanting nice things. If an accountant wants to drive an audi that is their business. It is when people think they are better than other people based upon their education or income that makes them a**holes.

And seriously, if those strollers cost $900 we should start a crime wave at the local library and sell them to second-hand stores.

Do you think they'd pay extra if someone accidentally left a kid in one?

[Lookout Kid]

Ron, I'll be pushing my stroller around Lakeview this weekend, (though it's a cheaper stroller). See you there! Maybe we'll even join in the stroller madness in Lincoln Square with our other young parent friends who live over there...

I know I look like a yuppie because (1) I wear "those glasses that only architects and gay dudes wear" (as I once heard a contractor say to a Chicago cop... LOL), and (2) I don't dress like frat boy. Feel free to assign any derogatory term you like as I just try to get outside with my family to enjoy the weather.