I’m happy to admit that I live the life that you described. For the most part. Big house and a desirable neighborhood. Couple of six-figure jobs. Couple of nice cars, at least one warm vacation every year and another one to visit family. Kids educations will be fully funded by the time they’re 18. Registered savings accounts are nearly maxed out and will be by the end of this year. The house I grew up in was a single parent home that went through bankruptcy when I was a young teenager, so I’m quite familiar with the other end of the spectrum and I’m putting plans in place to avoid ever ending up there… While still not thinking twice about picking up $1,000 dinner, tap while out with friends for a celebration. Balance as possible if you’re willing to sacrifice some of the shiny things that people seem to want these days.
I’m grateful for our fortunate position. When I look around I see people living lives quite a bit more extravagant than ours and I don’t quite understand it, but I’m more focused on building my family’s future. So I keep the blinders on and keep doing what seems to be working for us. I’d suggest more people do the same and that would involve spending less time on sites like this.
whoreticulture@lemmy.world 2 months ago
You should still recognize that you are in the top 2%, and are wealthy. Poorer people look at what other people are spending money on because it’s unfair that so many people can’t afford the basics. You have to look around to understand the situation. You sound like you don’t other people looking at you… trying to downplay your weath as “well-to-do” or “upper middle class”, which we all know are euphemisms. It’s ridiculous that you would think of yourself as not wealthy, but also not think twice about a $1000 tab.
S_204@lemm.ee 2 months ago
Nah man, redefining things doesn’t work at all. I’m not wealthy. I’m pretty firmly middle class based on just about every definition of middle class that’s available to any sociologist on this planet. People ignorantly seem to think that middle class is tied to your salary or household income which is not the case.
I’ve got no problem with people seeing me living the life that I live. I grew up in a twice broken bankrupted household and I’m pretty damn proud of what my partner and I have been able to achieve. I live a pretty comfortable middle-class life and I try to help uplift the people around me so they can do the same.
I look around me and I see people struggling to achieve the middle class lifestyle that I’m grateful that I have but the fact that parts of society are falling behind doesn’t by default make me wealthy. If I were wealthy I wouldn’t have a mortgage or a host of other things that are currently saddling me financially. The people who can be categorized as wealthy are those who don’t need to work for a living and whose capital sustains them.
You might not agree with me but that doesn’t change. The facts are reality surrounding our individual financial situations.
whoreticulture@lemmy.world 2 months ago
You are literally amongst the wealthiest people and are trying to create your own categories. Not working on me, and you barely seem like you’re convincing yourself.
S_204@lemm.ee 2 months ago
If I were wealthy I sincerely doubt I’d be driving my broken down Ford but you tell yourself whatever you gotta to alleviate your feelings of failure.