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I got 38, which checks pretty well with my background (grew up lower-middle class, now educated and middle-middle class with friends who grew up upper-middle class).
I think my point score was lowered by my lack of interest in most pop culture productions. For the chain restaurant question, I could only answer that I've been to a Chili's once in the past twelve months. I HAVE, however, worked blue collar jobs that, on occasion, I was sore from. Also, I don't THINK most people in one of the neighborhoods I grew up in had college degrees. But I'm not really sure what the percentage might have been.
I think these questions reflect a baby boomer or early gen x conception of middle america. Young people don't watch network TV for example. Evangelical Christians are not common in the entire country, even in parts of the Midwest they are pretty rare, you won't find them in rural New England either. So are evangelicals the bubble or are we? Also, not everybody drinks, I've been sober for 7 years so no mass market beer in my fridge.
A deeper issue here is that it thinks the rural white working class is middle America while the middle class is the bubble. It completely ignores the existence of the urban working class which has its own set of values and cultural markers. I would say that there is no middle America anymore. What they are calling middle America is just another bubble.
I got a 47. It pegged me for a first generation member of the middle class but it got it backwards. I grew up in the middle class but have had working class jobs (in cities) for my entire adult life.
Last edited by Drewcifer; 04-02-2017 at 10:14 AM..
I don't think I'm in a bubble though. I live a comfortable life, and was raised in a smallish city (200,000 people MSA) by parents who had raised themselves up from the lower middle class. I went to public school, succeeded, went to a respected university, raised myself to further, and now live in a major metro area. (which has more people than most of the tiny-towns combined that this quiz seems to think define "Middle America.")
I really take issue with this quiz though. (Which is sad, because I really like PBS News Hour.) Why is it me that's in the bubble? Most people don't live in cities under 50,000 people. Aren't those that do in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't work in factories, and most aren't below the poverty line. Aren't those that are in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't smoke, and most have never been in the military. Aren't those that have in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't care about NASCAR, and most don't have pickup trucks. Aren't those that have in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't fish, and most don't hitchhike. Aren't those that do in a bubble of sorts?
I don't think I'm in a bubble though. I live a comfortable life, and was raised in a smallish city (200,000 people MSA) by parents who had raised themselves up from the lower middle class. I went to public school, succeeded, went to a respected university, raised myself to further, and now live in a major metro area. (which has more people than most of the tiny-towns combined that this quiz seems to think define "Middle America.")
I really take issue with this quiz though. (Which is sad, because I really like PBS News Hour.) Why is it me that's in the bubble? Most people don't live in cities under 50,000 people. Aren't those that do in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't work in factories, and most aren't below the poverty line. Aren't those that are in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't smoke, and most have never been in the military. Aren't those that have in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't care about NASCAR, and most don't have pickup trucks. Aren't those that have in a bubble of sorts? Most people don't fish, and most don't hitchhike. Aren't those that do in a bubble of sorts?
While I agree about some of those things, a LOT of people fish, however and a lot of people own pick up trucks. Though it depends where you are. I dunno about where you live, assume in the west but in a lot of coastal areas in the East and South and in a lot of the Midwest fishing is very popular. I grew up in Florida there's a LOT of fishing going on down there, especially sportfishing. Texas may not have all that much water but you better believe fishing is popular here too.
Pick up trucks are also very popular especially in the South but really, all over the country in general. They're extremely useful especially for hauling things. I'd like a pick up truck someday.
I got a 41. I think some of the questions were just poorly constructed like the one about going fishing. Lots of rich people fish, too. Who do you think is out there with those really fancy speedboats? xD
I like the quiz idea but it could be done better. And I worked at Denny's so I can't even count how many times I've eaten there.
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