How do the poor and the middle-class feel about each-other in the USA?

Question

Do they appreciate each other? Are they united as a people... as Americans?

Or do they see each-other as the enemy?

I would categorize the working poor as, "poor". A family of four that lives on 23 grand a year is "poor".

Answer 1

We don't judge people based on money/earnings.

When we got married, we didn't have the proverbial pot to p_iss in. Actually, neither did my wife's parents when they got married. But we both did OK and both marriages have lasted a good long time. Because there was love and forgiveness.

And when we got to the point where we had a little more money, we didn't hesitate to share it with those who had less than we did.

These days, we're doing pretty well, but we will always feel closer to the poorer people than to the richer.

We don't "hate" the rich, but we do believe that at some point, when one has accumulated a certain amount of wealth, they often tend to lose their connection with the rest of society.

Not some - like Bill Gates. There are many good-hearted philanthropists, but there are also a lot of cold-hearted people, too.

It's the old "I got mine ~ you get yours" attitude.

Answer 2

That is a very hard question to answer! I think that there is generally a lot of misunderstanding about who the real enemy is. I was raised in a middle class home, and as an adult I have been I guess you could say, lower working class, and at times poor! So, I have first hand experience with both sides.
I think that the poor and working class don't resent the middle class, that much, because that income level is only slightly out of reach. But, growing up I saw a lot of middle class people looking down their noses at poor people. A majority of the super wealthy seem to think that money actually makes them superior to the rest of us. But, they are mistaken, and the smartest people must know that this attitude is the real enemy to all humanity! *sm*

Answer 3

Middle class Neo-cons look down on the poor. They constantly tell them to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. As someone that grew up in a poor home after my father was killed, I can never look down on poor people.

Fact: A poor person can have better morals than a middle income earner AND a millionaire. Being poor does not equate to being a bad person. If a person has morals and a good heart, how could anyone look down upon them?

Answer 4

Its a fantastic question and one that isnt really addressed. I have thought about it and I think the illusion of upward mobility has a very soothing effect on possible friction. I think 23k in the USA gets most americans all the things they cherish. I hope that doesnt sound nasty its intended to show the average american just wants a cell phone a car and house on lease they will never own.

Answer 5

If you are poor and religious then they appreciate the middle. I feel both see the high income with animosity since they keep most of the money. The middle income to what I have read is slowly disappearing.

As for me I try to respect people for who they are.

Answer 6

I am middle class, I work hard, my husband works hard, we made all the sacrifices to raise children and pay for college and then I stand in the line at the grocery store behind a huge women with dirty children, a carton of marborals and a shrimp ring and she is swiping her welfare debit card. To be honest I recent what they do with our hard earned money. I have seen them bringing in cloths they bought with clothing vouchers trying to get cash back, it's such a problem that stores will cut the tags out of cloaths so they know they were purchased with vouchers. I don't personally know any HARD Working poor people, they don't have a PlayStation 2 but they have self respect .

Answer 7

well... first you forgot about the "working class"... which is between the two... and probably is larger than both...

those people who aren't quite poor... but aren't middle class either... they work long hours and get little pay for it... just barely making it by...

this is a key class that is often overlooked...

and those that are closer to those in poverty are much more "appreciative" of those in poverty... while those closer to the upper class (your upper middle class) are much less sympathetic on average...

Answer 8

Middle classes feels that the if the poor would just work harder they would be better off. Poor hate the rich, not so much the middle class. What we all should be concern with is that the middle class is starting to disappear.

Answer 9

Most feel compassion and unity with one another, as Americans and human beings. Our president sees both as the enemy, and only pays homage to his "base", which are millionaires and captains of industry. How much blood will this man be allowed to spill before divine intervention turns back his deadly tide?

Answer 10

The poor and the middle class hate the rich, and the poor democrats hate the middle-class republicans, and the middle class democrats hate the rich republicans, and the rich republicans hate liberal politicians that keep saying the rich do not pay their fair share, when in fact it is the poorest 50% of wage earners that pay only 11% of the income tax burden and the top 20% of wage earners pay 85% of the income tax burden.