Social class quiz

[King sns]

Imagine that, some working class people like literature.

That's why all of this class stuff gets on my nerves, it really does.

This is really backwards though. This is my family. With their musicals and their Christianity and their word puzzles and novels that are thousands of pages long.

I'm like DAMNIT. SPEND YOUR TIME GETTING A REAL JOB INSTEAD!


/end personal rant.

 

[Thalassa]

This is really backwards though. This is my family. With their musicals and their Christianity and their word puzzles and novels that are thousands of pages long.

I'm like DAMNIT. SPEND YOUR TIME GETTING A REAL JOB INSTEAD!


/end personal rant.

I really think it's absurd to associate intelligence or intellectualism with class.

"Oh look! Poor people like to read Camus!"

It's as though those of the upper classes were witnessing a dog dance. It makes me want to punch them.

 

[King sns]

I really think it's absurd to associate intelligence or intellectualism with class.

"Oh look! Poor people like to read Camus!"

It's as though those of the upper classes were witnessing a dog dance. It makes me want to punch them.

Yea, that's true. Class is more about a certain combination of values, I suppose.

 

[Elfboy]

You Scored as Upper middle Class
Your determination have soared you this high, yet not high enough to enjoy the luxuries of the upper class. Your most valued posession is your country club membership which is kept framed in the office.



Upper middle Class
58%
Middle Class
54%
alternative
46%
Luxurious Upper Class
42%
Lower Class
17%

 

[Thalassa]

Yea, that's true. Class is more about a combination values, I suppose.

The concept of high culture emerged because those with wealth had the leisure time to pursue such things. However, if you're born with a natural bent toward loving Tolstoy, The Bronte sisters, and European cinema, who gives a flying fuck what your Daddy did or where you went to school?

There are middle class people with NO TASTE. NONE AT ALL. Being exposed to the best schools is really no guarentee that you'll be able to appreciate fine art, philosophy, or literature. You may be able to discuss them in a superficial, pseudo-intellectual manner because you were exposed to it, but if you lack the innate interest or talent, you're not really all that developed in your literary or artistic pursuits.

Sure, there may be more working class people who do not appreciate literature, but is that because they weren't given the opportunity? Or perhaps they simply didn't have the interest, and prefer to do highly-skilled labor because they honestly enjoy hands-on work rather than study.

It's one of the reasons why I'm so rabid about my political beliefs. Intelligent people are everywhere, as are intellectuals. Money and class are guarentees of nothing at all. Everyone deserves a chance.

 

[figsfiggyfigs]

This test didn't ask about any of that at all, which is what made it strange. Most of the questions ask about your views on things. (Which is why "alternative" is a result for some people. Though the people who ended up with that answer may have a well defined lifestyle monetarily, they don't mentally choose to participate in societies class statuses, and therefore don't belong to a class.)

yup, the test focuses on the taker's views more than relative info.

Fussell claims that middle class mostly identify status by which university one went to. Also middle class are generally fraught with class insecurity, like YWIR

I was agreeing with FDG, I think its more relative to the job you have than the university you went to. I believe luxury/Upper middle class is more likely to associate universities with status. Ie *sipping tea* " ohh yes, my daughter has her selection of Brown, Harvard, or Yale. yadda yadda yadaa"<-- more likely to afford it.

ps, don't make assumptions, I just wanted an accurate reading.

 

[onemoretime]

The concept of high culture emerged because those with wealth had the leisure time to pursue such things. However, if you're born with a natural bent toward loving Tolstoy, The Bronte sisters, and European cinema, who gives a flying fuck what your Daddy did or where you went to school?

The upper classes also loved reading about themselves, and the lower classes loved reading about the upper classes. Furthermore, both would pay to do so. Meanwhile, the middle class values were that such things were decadent and detracted from necessary work. Thus, the idea of "bourgeois culture" being inferior.

One of the nice things about the 20th Century is that the music of the lower classes began to spread over a wider area than folk music once did, and thus more people were able to appreciate its creativity, and synthesized it into completely new areas of musical comprehension. IMO, the rise of popular music did more to advance musical creativity than the previous 400 years of sanctioned classical music.

There are middle class people with NO TASTE. NONE AT ALL. Being exposed to the best schools is really no guarentee that you'll be able to appreciate fine art, philosophy, or literature. You may be able to discuss them in a superficial, pseudo-intellectual manner because you were exposed to it, but if you lack the innate interest or talent, you're not really all that developed in your literary or artistic pursuits.

I agree. At the same time, there are certain things that are part of one's cultural capital. This is especially important in the middle class, where educational level is so important. For example, practically everyone's used the phrase "pound of flesh," but it's only people of a certain education level (usually post-graduate), or who are particularly interested in Shakespeare, that understand how and why it is offensive to certain people. Those bits that one will pick up as a result of education, even if one doesn't have a whole lot of taste, do register as important shibboleths.

Sure, there may be more working class people who do not appreciate literature, but is that because they weren't given the opportunity? Or perhaps they simply didn't have the interest, and prefer to do highly-skilled labor because they honestly enjoy hands-on work rather than study.

I'd also say that it's because there are fewer people around to talk about literature with. One of the most important things about having cultural capital like that is that through sharing one's thoughts on what that person's read, that person can understand others better, and others understand the person better. There's this idea that reading is a particularly introverted activity, but as you're aware, that's not necessarily the case. Millions of people take great pleasure in their book clubs, even if sometimes those books do not constitute "high literature."

I think even in the case of someone who prefers hands-on labor, a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance could radically shift their perspective on what books can do.

 

[onemoretime]

I was agreeing with FDG, I think its more relative to the job you have than the university you went to. I believe luxury/Upper middle class is more likely to associate universities with status. Ie *sipping tea* " ohh yes, my daughter has her selection of Brown, Harvard, or Yale. yadda yadda yadaa"<-- more likely to afford it.

ps, don't make assumptions, I just wanted an accurate reading.

Well, it depends on what you mean by "middle class". I think the definition Edgar's going by defines middle class as the professional class, such as doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers, etc. along with entrepreneurs. Those are the ones who make sure to mention if they went to an elite school, or if their children are accepted into one of these schools.

The upper class knows that they'll go to those schools through legacy contacts, anyway, so they hardly give it a second thought.

It's a decidedly middle class belief that you gain status through your employment, and that you risk losing it if you lose your job. That's the class insecurity he talks about.

The upper class belief is that your status is secured through your membership in a particular family. It's that gap in perspective which is why the nouveau riche are never accepted by old money, at least not for a few generations, by which time the status-through-family-identity has taken root.

 

[figsfiggyfigs]

Well, it depends on what you mean by "middle class". I think the definition Edgar's going by defines middle class as the professional class, such as doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers, etc. along with entrepreneurs. Those are the ones who make sure to mention if they went to an elite school, or if their children are accepted into one of these schools..

I really think I need to do more research regarding this subject, because I honestly have not paid a sufficent amount of attention to the details of class. However, I still don't think they would apply as middle class. That would be more like upper middle class.
Wiki:

As the American middle class is estimated at approximately 45% of the population

I don't think 45% of american workers are lawyers, doctors, and architects.

The upper class knows that they'll go to those schools through legacy contacts, anyway, so they hardly give it a second thought.

Again, luxury class is relative to what you just said.
Wiki: Upper-middle class

Typical professions for upper middle class include professors, accountants, architects, attorneys, urban planners, engineers, economists, physicians, political scientists, pharmacists, premier management consultants and civilian contractors.

It's a decidedly middle class belief that you gain status through your employment, and that you risk losing it if you lose your job. That's the class insecurity he talks about.

Right, middle class is a lot more likely to feel insecurities at maintaining their current life style/status.

The upper class belief is that your status is secured through your membership in a particular family. It's that gap in perspective which is why the nouveau riche are never accepted by old money, at least not for a few generations, by which time the status-through-family-identity has taken root

Upper class= Luxury class. You have the LUXURY of security. I agree with you here. I also think this is where the "legacy" contacts come in. Upper middle class, although can likely afford Ivy league education, they're less likely to be as influential as upper/luxury class. IVY League education might be the norm, however, WHICH Ivy league education their children get is still a relatively "brag" worthy subject.

 

[Falcarius]

You Scored as Middle Class
You're content in your position and would prefer a house or a family than a seven figure pay cheque. But you have your moments of weakness when you buy a lottery ticket in the hope of knowing how the rich and famous live.

Middle Class
71%
Upper middle Class
50%
alternative
46%
Lower Class
29%
Luxurious Upper Class
13%

 

[Edgar]

Anyway, anyone bragging about their ability to become *something* without study or w/e here would be considered working class, but I don't know if it can be extended to the US.

I think that's very much the case in the US as well.

 

[Beargryllz]

You Scored as Upper middle Class
Your determination have soared you this high, yet not high enough to enjoy the luxuries of the upper class. Your most valued posession is your country club membership which is kept framed in the office.

Boy, this test may have yielded the least accurate answer imaginable. I bolded the inaccurate parts.

 

[skylights]

the whole idea of this quiz strikes me as not classy?

 

[Thalassa]

It just strikes me as wildly inaccurate.

 

[lunalum]

I have no class...

You Scored as alternative
You're partially respected for being an individual in a conformist world yet others take you as a radical. You have no place in society because you choose not to belong there - you're the luckiest of them all, even if your parents are completely ashamed of you. Just don't take drugs ok?

Upper middle Class 58%
alternative 58%
Middle Class 50%
Lower Class 46%
Luxurious Upper Class 38%

 

[skylights]

It just strikes me as wildly inaccurate.

that too

 

[Virtual ghost]

You Scored as alternative
You're partially respected for being an individual in a conformist world yet others take you as a radical. You have no place in society because you choose not to belong there - you're the luckiest of them all, even if your parents are completely ashamed of you. Just don't take drugs ok?


alternative
88%
Middle Class
58%
Upper middle Class
50%
Lower Class
50%
Luxurious Upper Class
46%


Why I am not surprised at all ?

 

[Valiant]

You Scored as Upper middle Class

Your determination have soared you this high, yet not high enough to enjoy the luxuries of the upper class. Your most valued posession is your country club membership which is kept framed in the office.

Upper middle Class
67%
Middle Class
67%
Luxurious Upper Class
63%
Lower Class
42%
alternative
38%

Edit: I take the country club crap with a laugh. I'd never be a member of such an establishment, it's incredibly pretentious.

I think it is fairly accurate. Intellectually and family-wise I am definitely upper middle class, but the kind who didn't get anything for free.
My family was even poor when I was little, but we've always had a big house and *a lot* of books and deep discussions.
For being swedes, my family is incredibly cultured, educated and a bit refined/conservative socially and taste-wise.
To be honest, we've all held blue-collar or low paid healthcare jobs, but we're all highly educated or going there.
There's also a strong politically active streak.
What's also funny, in a family of six, we are predominantly NT/NF.

My dad and my brother both tests as ENFJ but they more resemble ENTPs. Me, ENFJ. If they are ENFJs too, it would explain why Christmas is so intense, at times...
Mother INFJ, little sister INTJ, i'm unsure about my big sister. She's not the intellectual type, she's more like an ISFJ stereotype with an ENTJ stubbornness and spiked club.
Perhaps ESTJ. But it's hard to know, sometimes she could even be an INFP, because she's really emotional in the Fi-way. She's bipolar. No idea who she got it from.

Anyway, it's an entertaining family.

 

[King sns]

I think it is fairly accurate. Intellectually and family-wise I am definitely upper middle class, but the kind who didn't get anything for free.
My family was even poor when I was little, but we've always had a big house and *a lot* of books and deep discussions.
For being swedes, my family is incredibly cultured, educated and a bit refined/conservative socially and taste-wise.
To be honest, we've all held blue-collar or low paid healthcare jobs, but we're all highly educated or going there.
There's also a strong politically active streak.
What's also funny, in a family of six, we are predominantly NT/NF.

My dad and my brother both tests as ENFJ but they more resemble ENTPs. Me, ENFJ. If they are ENFJs too, it would explain why Christmas is so intense, at times...
Mother INFJ, little sister INTJ, i'm unsure about my big sister. She's not the intellectual type, she's more like an ISFJ stereotype with an ENTJ stubbornness and spiked club.
Perhaps ESTJ. But it's hard to know, sometimes she could even be an INFP, because she's really emotional in the Fi-way. She's bipolar. No idea who she got it from.

Anyway, it's an entertaining family.

I didn't think it was terribly accurate. I don't think I'm upper middle class by any stretch of the imagination- (though I may end up there in the end, which is why I thought it may have been testing for mentality over actual current class.) Fun to answer the questions though, and unpredictable. I really had no idea what it was going to say.

 

[Valiant]

I didn't think it was terribly accurate. I don't think I'm upper middle class by any stretch of the imagination- (though I may end up there in the end, which is why I thought it may have been testing for mentality over actual current class.) Fun to answer the questions though, and unpredictable. I really had no idea what it was going to say.

Probably depends on how we interpreted the button-thingy scales etc. I had a pretty good idea where i'd end up.