Every country and society divides into the “haves” and “have-nots”. We want to believe that all men are created equal but some people seem to be more equal than others. From research, social class is roughly identified into six classes:
1. Upper Upper
2. Lower Upper
3. Upper Middle
4. Lower Middle
5. Upper Lower
6. Lower Lower
So what are the hidden rules and unspoken cues of a wealthy upper class?
Quiz: Could you survive in wealth? Check all that applies to you.
(I did not make these questions. They are from the source below)
1. I can read a menu in French, English, and another language.
2. I have several favorite restaurants in different countries of the world.
3. During the holidays, I know how to hire a decorator to identify the appropriate themes and items with which to decorate the house.
4. I know who my preferred financial advisor, legal service, designer, domestic-employment service, and hairdresser are.
5. I have at least two residences that are staffed and maintained.
6. I know how to ensure confidentiality and loyalty from my domestic staff.
7. I have at least two or three “screens” that keep people whom I do not wish to see away from me.
8. I fly in my own plane or the company plane.
9. I know how to enroll my children in the preferred private schools.
10. I know how to host the parties that “key” people attend.
11. I am on the boards of at least two charities
12. I support or buy the work of a particular artist
13. I know how to read a corporate financial statement and analyze my own financial statements.
How many did you check on the list? Surprised? All the items in this list are taken for granted by the upper class.
Now here’s another quiz for the middle class.
Could you survive in middle class? Check all that applies to you.
(I did not make these questions. They are from the source below)
1. I know how to get my children in to sports teams and piano lessons.
2. I know how to properly set a table.
3. I know which stores are most likely to carry the clothing brands my family wears.
4. My children know the best name brands in clothing.
5. I know how to order in a nice restaurant.
6. I know how to use a credit card, checking account, and savings account — and I understand an annuity. I understand term life insurance, disability insurance, and 20/80 medical insurance policy, as well as house insurance, flood insurance, and replacement insurance.
7. I talk to my children about going to college.
8. I know how to get one of the best interest rates on my new car loan.
9. I understand the difference among the principal, interest and escrow statements on my house payment.
10. I know how to help my children with my homework and do not hesitate to call the school if I need additional information.
11. I know how to decorate the house for the different holidays.
12. I know how to get a library card.
13. I know how to use the different tools in the garage.
14. I repair items in my house almost immediately when they break — or know a repair service and call it.
What does the result say about you? Not much. Is wealth always associated with class? No. Social class isn’t just about how much money you have; it’s also a matter of what you do with your money and how you define your role in society. This is an extract from a book written in 1998 and some of the points are still valid. Today, the terms middle class and upper class are becoming blurred with the increase in purchasing power and access to resources. In many ways, the term “upper class” is a term that has little meaning these days.
Wealth is no longer defined as an income bracket and certainly not by what you own. In fact, the ‘wealthy’ are increasingly choosing not to follow fashionable products as this is seen as too mainstream. To all social classes, true wealth lies in social and cultural capital such as skills and education which, thanks to technology and globalization, are no longer confined to the few.
Source: Payne, Ruby. The role of language and story (Chapter 2), Hidden rules among classes (Chapter 3) / from A framework for understanding poverty. Baytown, Tex: RFT Pub., 1998 pp. 42–62.
