>the working poor and now, even many working middle class Americans.
The fact is that many of those middle class people are now poor but just don't want to accept it.
I'd always define myself as working class because while I have a STEM Masters degree I am entirely dependent upon my salary (which isn't that high, we don't have US level salaries in tech here in Southern Europe) and I have no other sources of income or wealth (real estate, investments etc.)
I think the insistence of many people that they aren't "working class" is bad as it prevents them from seeing what is really in their best interests.
The fact is that many of those middle class people are now poor but just don't want to accept it.
I'd always define myself as working class because while I have a STEM Masters degree I am entirely dependent upon my salary (which isn't that high, we don't have US level salaries in tech here in Southern Europe) and I have no other sources of income or wealth (real estate, investments etc.)
I think the insistence of many people that they aren't "working class" is bad as it prevents them from seeing what is really in their best interests.