Working vs Middle vs Upper Middle Class??? (New York, Hempstead: apartment, car insurance)

[Rachael84]

You're right about how LIers are viewed as wealthy compared to other parts of the country. My friend who lives outside of Portland, OR wants to move here. Her mom said she'd never be able to afford it here. A lot of people just totally put LI/NYC out of the question because it's too expensive. I tried to tell her that her salary would be more here since the cost of living is higher.

[clamboy]

Originally Posted by nbres

Clamboy is correct. Compared to most other places all over the US Long Islanders do earn much more. That is exactly why so many Long Islanders are frustrated when they move to Florida or North Carolina. They find that wages are extremely low. All those states have right-to-work laws and are hostile to all unions.

However, if you play your cards right and are able to buy a home with all cash using your Long Island home equity then I think the wage difference matters less.

Exactly Nbres

If you can take it with you then great....if not, forget it.

C

[clamboy]

Originally Posted by Rachael84

You're right about how LIers are viewed as wealthy compared to other parts of the country. My friend who lives outside of Portland, OR wants to move here. Her mom said she'd never be able to afford it here. A lot of people just totally put LI/NYC out of the question because it's too expensive. I tried to tell her that her salary would be more here since the cost of living is higher.

Hell even Upstate thinks were rich.

(Just look how they dole out School Aid....another argument for later)

My sister lives in Syracuse....when we tell the locals were from LI ...its like telling them were from Beverly Hills.

LI to them ="Growing up Gotti" X The Hamptons


We need to do some more negative PR or something.

Im thinking something like "Growing Up Mastic" as a reality show for CMT or SPEED.

: )


C

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by nbres

That's right. Now lets say Joe's next door neighbor, William, earns $120,000/year as well. However, William subscribes to National Geographic, has his kids taking tennis lessons, doesn't drink or smoke, drives a Honda Accord, wears a shirt and tie to work, and worries a great deal about his property values. Oh...and William hates the fact that his neighbor Joe likes to put up a million and one Christmas lights attracting all sorts of gawkers. Is William working class? middle class? or upper class?

When he goes down to the "community meeting" and gets a town ordinance passed against his neighbors for the Christmas lights (watch him call it "environmentalism") he joins the class of people that make up this...wonderful place.

The leisure class, a la Thorstein Veblen.

[middleman18]

Originally Posted by clamboy

South of Montauk Upper otherwise Middle.

Pretty much true for the whole S.Shore.

C

Here's what throws me-
Bellmore is a very expensive place to buy a house, provided that the house isn't a winterized bungalow.

I grew up in Bellmore, and always considered it lower middle class- with money. Basically, folks were either educated at public universities and modestly paid, or were nouveau riche. Relatively few true professionals, and alot of people who grew up in Brooklyn (especially Flatbush and other areas south of Linden Blvd) in the 1940s-1960s who purchased their first real houses in Bellmore. In terms of employment, alot of people who were employed in industries related to the garment district in NYC, as well as schoolteachers and accountants. By and large, these were not Ivy League graduates, and many had nothing more than an associates degree.

By and large, the children who grew up in Bellmore cannot afford to purchase homes there...

[nbres]

Bellmore is really white working class or at best lower white middle class with a few middles here and there. Money is not the only determining factor of class. Are there any boats parked in the driveways in Bellmore? - a definite working class symbol. The working class loves to display its mechanized toys - motorcycles, jet skis, RVs, campers, etc... How many homes have illegal apartments? - working class need extra income. Does anyone there fly a Met, Yankee, Jet or Giant banner from their home? - working class sport/hero worship.

The problem with your confusion is that most of us were brought to believe we are middle class, but in reality the vast majority of Americans (probably 70%) are part of the working class. The working class on Long Island is just paid very well, but the extra money has not changed their tastes?

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by nbres

The problem with your confusion is that most of us were brought to believe we are middle class, but in reality the vast majority of Americans (probably 70%) are part of the working class. The working class on Long Island is just paid very well, but the extra money has not changed their tastes?

Then, they send their kids to college, where they learn left wing politics, and contempt for people who work with their hands.

Once upon a time, I had a weekend gig picking up trash. Twelve bucks an hour, it worked out to, nice money for a broke college guy in 1979. I go to the lady to interview for this, and she says, in a tone of voice generally reserved for lepers:

I can't imagine how anyone could do this job!

I said, of course, nothing. But, I'm thinking: Jesus, lady...it's trash not infected body parts...don't you make trash?

This sort of indoctrination...it points up the "leisure class goods" aspect of a college education. For it to be too useful in any practical way...that wouldn't do. The uselessness of it is just another kind of conspicuous consumption.

At least, I can see the good in a boat.

[nbres]

I can't imagine how anyone could do this job!

When I was kid in the 70s my dad had an old station wagon with his tools and ladders which he used to do side jobs in Garden City, to earn some extra money. I would go with him and we would do things like clean gutters, put in window airconditioners and anything else the homeowner wanted. It was then that I realized there was a big difference between the working class and the upper class.

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by nbres

When I was kid in the 70s my dad had an old station wagon with his tools and ladders which he used to do side jobs in Garden City, to earn some extra money. I would go with him and we would do things like clean gutters, put in window airconditioners and anything else the homeowner wanted. It was then that I realized there was a big difference between the working class and the upper class.

How any intelligent person with character could pay any serious attention to "class" has always puzzled me.

I think it is frequently those who've been snubbed by being on the wrong side of the barrier, and did not have the self-respect to see the "fool's reproach as the kingly title" that it is.

[nancy thereader]

to paraphrase clamboy : class class class