How to be middle class — You can’t
Its a common catchphrase of politicians and one that is loved by all who want it or those who have it. Its the “middle class”
But what exactly is the middle class and does it even exist? Can you ever become it? Is it something you would even enjoy if you were it?
The short answer is no. No to it all.
The middle-class is more of a state of mind rather than an actual state of being. Now I know there are going to be economists, policy advisors, and even the ones claiming to be middle class slamming their fists into the screen but it just doesn’t exist.
I asked AI to render me an image of what it would consider middle class and it came back to me with several different results which made me understand that even AI is not exactly sure what it is. Besides the somewhat nightmare fuel of results you get, you can tell its thinking process is somewhere along the lines of “Middle class…a house? a kid? A lawn? Clothes?
The AI though goes through the same process we do, which is not really knowing the details. If middle class is a house, what type of house? How big? If middle class includes kids, how many, what gender? If it includes a lawn or property. how much property? What is the property worth? I could go on but the basics of being middle class is as much as a mystery as being an Atlantian. Did they ever exists and if they did what were they like?
I know some people will say that its about how much money you have, or the debt to cash ratio, or some sort of financial instrument which only works in one location not another.
What I see from the photos is almost something close to a “malcom in the middle” type family, but in that show the Wilkerson (Yes they had a last name that they almost never spoke of) are nowhere near financial stability. They look the part but are not the part. To a foreign audience however they might be considered extremely well off.
So why do people keep perpetuating this idea?
Well for people in power its primarily a free and easy way to address something that is everybody but isn’t really anybody. It’s as if I were to address people who are interested in being happier.
For businesses its just a way to generalize people in to something they feel they can market to. Marketing to the imaginary group of people that want something nice but isn’t to hard on the wallet.
For regular people it’s all about aspiration. We see it on tv, hear about it from the news, and feel like it belongs to us on a more personal level. You aren’t at a stage where you never have to worry about money but aren’t quite at a stage where you aren’t making enough.
However it just doesn’t exist. Inflation chases you everyday pushing that finish line further, politicians continuously put the financial burden of their shitty decisions on to you as a taxpayer, and corporations will further push you in to their debt as they make you believe that you “need” something. The game is stacked against you and you can’t win. It’s a lottery where no number is ever drawn.
For the rich and politicians, they want to thank you for playing, and say better luck next time.
