NationStates Jolt Archive

What are they like, what's their lifestyle? How rich are they and what are their politics in general?

That's an impossible question to answer, as they're all over the map politically, religiously, and socially, no matter how you classify as working class. It's too large a group to define in such limited ways.

To answer the first question: Not very.

To answer the second question: The class is too extensive to generalize that.

They are all like me, but with more freckles and smaller genitalia. :D

That's an impossible question to answer, as they're all over the map politically, religiously, and socially, no matter how you classify as working class. It's too large a group to define in such limited ways.

Quite so. A "working class" person from the rural town I live in will be quite different from someone from Detroit, who will be quite different from someone from NYC, etc.

More on the foreign misperception that the US is a homogeneous place...

Damnit, looks like I have asked yet another retarded question. Let's narrow it down to the urban ones.

Damnit, looks like I have asked yet another retarded question. Let's narrow it down to the urban ones.

Depends on the city, and a lot of other factors.

Are they factory workers in Detroit? Are they hotel maids in New York? What ethnicity/culture do they hearken from?

The list goes on...

Damnit, looks like I have asked yet another retarded question. Let's narrow it down to the urban ones.

Even that's too wide a segment. Something you have to realize about the US is that the notion of the American dream of class mobility--false as it is--has become so ingrained that Americans identify less with economic class than they do with almost any other segment of the population. They're more likely to identify with a religious group or a social organization or a political party or a sports team than they are as an economic class, at least in my opinion. That may be changing because of the growing disparity between rich and poor, but for now, I think it's almost certainly the case.

I cannot answer for anyone but myself but if you want to know about this working class American I am happy to fill you in.

I am a 39 year old "white" (English/French/Native American) male.
I have three children, Samantha (13 in November) who lives with my ex-girlfriend, William (11 in November) and Casey (2 in November...he is a boy btw).
I am seperated from my wife of 12 years and my sons live with me because their mom has drug/alcohol/scumbag boyfriend problems.
I work 50 hours a week for a major telecommunications company as a technical support representative.
Right now I do not have much of a social life between working and caring for my children.
I still love my wife and hope that someday she can turn her life around and come back home to her family.
My mother is shortly going to be moving back to the state I live in and moving in with me.
She was living with my brother (also a single dad) but had a falling out with him when he met a new woman and moved out of the home they were sharing.
He wants to sell the house and so my mother must move.

I hope that my story has helped you understand at least one "working class American's" life.
If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Even that's too wide a segment. Something you have to realize about the US is that the notion of the American dream of class mobility--false as it is--has become so ingrained that Americans identify less with economic class than they do with almost any other segment of the population. They're more likely to identify with a religious group or a social organization or a political party or a sports team than they are as an economic class, at least in my opinion. That may be changing because of the growing disparity between rich and poor, but for now, I think it's almost certainly the case.

Very well put. In fact when people are getting to know one another, financial status usually has the least significance at all on wether they will become friends, its considered rude to bring up generally. Political status according to wealth is also highly variant depending on location. Most urban poor tend to lean left whereas most country poor tend to lean right.

But about the class mobilty; The US still has an excellent percentage of it. The only thing that has changed is that we aare no longer at the top, we are still heads and shoulders above many other first world countries.

But about the class mobilty; The US still has an excellent percentage of it. The only thing that has changed is that we aare no longer at the top, we are still heads and shoulders above many other first world countries.
Not compared to Europe. (http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0606-27.htm)

What are they like, what's their lifestyle? How rich are they and what are their politics in general?


Are an increasingly small portion of the American population.

They are all like me, but with more freckles and smaller genitalia. :D

You have genitalia :eek:

They are all like me, but with more freckles and smaller genitalia. :D

Well, I'll admit to having more freckles, but my genetalia has to have its own car.:D

What are they like, what's their lifestyle? How rich are they and what are their politics in general?

They're normal people... just like everyone else. Their lifestyle is to get as much stuff as they can afford... and often, currently, it seems more, considering the habit people seem to be in of getting into debt over a vacation or a plasma TV. They're poor compared to Donald Trump - but rich compared to some peasant in Zambia. And their politics in general seems to be a conglomeration of anything that lets them keep their money, and what they think is going to help the most people the most, depending on their ideals.

I'm sure that doesn't help, becuase all of those are broad and sweeping statements, but that is the most precise answer that would be remotely fair to give.

Well, I'll admit to having more freckles, but my genetalia has to have its own car.:D

Oh? Which matchbox does it have? :p

What are they like, what's their lifestyle? How rich are they and what are their politics in general?

Um...

Socially conservative, varying fiscal independence, high school education, addicted to daytime TV, gullible, like sports, slightly xenophobic, but otherwise quite generous, caring, humble, incredibly humble, enjoys whiskey, fishing, a good cigar and a fight.

Of course I'm just going off my grandfather who was a factory worker his whole life.

Oh? Which matchbox does it have? :p

Ouch. Good one.

Oh? Which matchbox does it have? :p

Mine rides atop a 1:18 scale 1988 Chevy Monte Carlo lowrider, on 22s with gold spinners. And I gotta stand three inches back so it doesn't hang over the front. I just thought you'd like the visual.