That is, indeed, what is usually referred to when people are called
middle class. I remember saying that once myself on this list and it set
off Alice into one of her rants. She insisted that the professional
types that I mentioned were upper class. It still remains, though, that
this does not tell you anything about their role in the economic system.
Insofar that lawyers are partners in a law firm and that doctors have
private practices they are probably best included in the petty
bourgeoisie. They would be expected to have petty bourgeois attitudes
too. However, I still have never heard one of these professional types
call himself middle class. That might have something to do with the fact
that these are not the kind of people I hang around with and when
dealing with them the subject of what class they might belong to has not
come up. But the only people I have heard call themselves middle class
have been workers, usually, but not always, clerical or white collar
workers, and it is always in a context such that they want to show
themselves to be better than others. Do gooder liberals are especially
guilty of that. They may help out with fund raisers or sometimes they
will even lower themselves to volunteer in a soup kitchen, but they
always want to make sure that absolutely no one ever would mistake them
for the targets of their charity work. To make sure of that they
probably repeat that they are middle class more than anyone. But here is
something that I have not figured out. Why is it, Miriam, that you are
so offended that I have a distaste for the phrase middle class? Why are
you so hung up on it? Ever since I mentioned it the very first time you
have been pestering me about it.
---
Voltaire
??? Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
???
??? Voltaire,
On 7/26/2019 3:42 PM, Miriam Vieni wrote:
Middle class
the social group between the upper and working classes, including
professional and business workers and their families.
