What makes someone Upper rather than Middle class?

[DirtyDiggs]

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If you totally disregard personal debt, that might make sense. No, actually it still wouldn't make sense.

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however if you are suggesting that someone who is in debt because of their purchasing decisions can be knocked down a class then i disagree.ie, owning a really big house, nice cars, and a boat rather than having a more modest lifestyle is not cause to be dropped down a class because you leveraged yourself in the process of attaining that lifestyle.

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From a sociological perspective, this is almost exactly what defines class. i.e. Taking your kids to Disney World 5 times by the time they are 14 and buying them a car on their 16th birthday, but telling them they have go to Community College becaue you can't afford University. Continuing to live in a neighborhood with high crime rates and little greenspace because your two 50,000 SUVs consume a large portion of your discretionary income and leave you with little savings.

There are issues of tastes also involved in the academic definition, but the choice allocation of your wealth and income is the most relevant factor.