A friend from high school who attended the generic reunion in Phil Campbell said something bout the "Upper Crust" of Phil Campbell, "Society People", she said. I didn't make much of the comment but in my recollection of the small town America I grew up in I have to assume she was speaking of those citizens who had shoes in the summertime.
The question arises from time to time of what is rich, what is poor, middle class, and what is truly wealthy. I recall once in the middle seventies seeing a government statistic that put middle class at a certain dollar amount per household member. I immediately took out my pencil and checked to see if I was middle class.. "Whew" Just made it by a few dollars. Unfortunately by the end of the year a new child was born and according to the United States Government I was poor again.
Unsatisfied with that set of rules I set about to establish my own standard of evaluating the classes, and myself among them and I came up with these guidelines. Actual lines one can draw in the sand to find out where you stack up in the socioeconomic ladder. I did no better in the standing but I did feel ownership of the measurement medium.
Test one, The line between poor and middle class.
Walk into the supermarket, if there is anything in the store you cannot buy then you are not middle class. Sorry to be the one to break the news but many in Alabama look into over the meat counter and wonder who buys a ten dollar steak. I have been there. You likely have been too.
I admit living on that line of middle class and poor America most of my life. Fortunately I have never been in the situation where I couldn't get in the supermarket. (although I was asked at a steak house once if I knew what it costs to eat there) If you just can't get in the supermarket then you are not on the socioeconomic ladder, you my dear friend, are a brick they use to scotch up one side of it.
The next rung on the social ladder occurs in the car dealership. If, like I, you sometimes find yourself in the automobile supermarket and your your transportation selection is influenced by the sticker price instead of your desire - you my friend are not rich. If you wonder as I do how any person can be so wasteful to drive a land barge or a hummer or that little red number that whispers your name as you walk past. Then my dear, you are not rich.
And the final line, or at least the last line that I know anything about is the Realtors office. If you dear friend have to base your home selection on your income. If they "pre-qualify" you for purchase.. then friend, you are not wealthy.
Of course we know that true wealth, wealth beyond measure is internal but it is somewhat difficult to engage in existentialism when the whispers of your soul are drowned out by the rumblings of the stomach.
My youngest reported being shunned once upon a time because she said she was rich, meaning that she had all she needed, she had food and shelter and clothes and she loved and gave love. The doctors daughters she ran around with said " You don't even have a four wheeler."
So don't get me wrong, money is not everything. Not unless you don't have it and the baby needs milk and school starts next week and there are no new shoes and check is late and the rent is due.
This is the center of my concern about the social ladder. That the people who live within a fifty mile radius of me live on that line between middle class and poor. And the people whey continue to elect to represent their interest have never seen even the line between wealthy and merely rich. Truly wealthy lawyers who manipulate us into believing that they are doing us a favor by giving us back a part of the taxes they levied on us right after the past election.
My concern is for the people. People just like you. And me.
The question arises from time to time of what is rich, what is poor, middle class, and what is truly wealthy. I recall once in the middle seventies seeing a government statistic that put middle class at a certain dollar amount per household member. I immediately took out my pencil and checked to see if I was middle class.. "Whew" Just made it by a few dollars. Unfortunately by the end of the year a new child was born and according to the United States Government I was poor again.
Unsatisfied with that set of rules I set about to establish my own standard of evaluating the classes, and myself among them and I came up with these guidelines. Actual lines one can draw in the sand to find out where you stack up in the socioeconomic ladder. I did no better in the standing but I did feel ownership of the measurement medium.
Test one, The line between poor and middle class.
Walk into the supermarket, if there is anything in the store you cannot buy then you are not middle class. Sorry to be the one to break the news but many in Alabama look into over the meat counter and wonder who buys a ten dollar steak. I have been there. You likely have been too.
I admit living on that line of middle class and poor America most of my life. Fortunately I have never been in the situation where I couldn't get in the supermarket. (although I was asked at a steak house once if I knew what it costs to eat there) If you just can't get in the supermarket then you are not on the socioeconomic ladder, you my dear friend, are a brick they use to scotch up one side of it.
The next rung on the social ladder occurs in the car dealership. If, like I, you sometimes find yourself in the automobile supermarket and your your transportation selection is influenced by the sticker price instead of your desire - you my friend are not rich. If you wonder as I do how any person can be so wasteful to drive a land barge or a hummer or that little red number that whispers your name as you walk past. Then my dear, you are not rich.
And the final line, or at least the last line that I know anything about is the Realtors office. If you dear friend have to base your home selection on your income. If they "pre-qualify" you for purchase.. then friend, you are not wealthy.
Of course we know that true wealth, wealth beyond measure is internal but it is somewhat difficult to engage in existentialism when the whispers of your soul are drowned out by the rumblings of the stomach.
My youngest reported being shunned once upon a time because she said she was rich, meaning that she had all she needed, she had food and shelter and clothes and she loved and gave love. The doctors daughters she ran around with said " You don't even have a four wheeler."
So don't get me wrong, money is not everything. Not unless you don't have it and the baby needs milk and school starts next week and there are no new shoes and check is late and the rent is due.
This is the center of my concern about the social ladder. That the people who live within a fifty mile radius of me live on that line between middle class and poor. And the people whey continue to elect to represent their interest have never seen even the line between wealthy and merely rich. Truly wealthy lawyers who manipulate us into believing that they are doing us a favor by giving us back a part of the taxes they levied on us right after the past election.
My concern is for the people. People just like you. And me.
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