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[VAN DELL JORDAN <vdjor AT yahoo.com>]

Many years ago I read an article, believe it was in
"Atlantic Monthly" c 1969.  It was entitled "A Theory
of the Lower Class".  In this case there was no value
judgment attached to what class you were in it was
simply a socio-economic analysis.
The theory was that a pro dominant characteristic of
the lower class was an inability / unwillingness to
plan for the future.  They might spend what money they
had and then not be able to pay the rent.
The middle class looked to the future enough to ensure
the foreseeable needs.
The upper class planned for future generations.
sometimes good fortune would allow the lower class to
live a middle class life style.  But middle class
economy can quickly end with a job loss.    
I don't know if any of us wish to identify ourselves
as "upper class" but I expect that we mostly are more
concerned with planning for the future than most
people.  


--- Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com> wrote:

> I think there are plenty of poor people who don't
> have good survival skills.
> I've worked professionally with a large number of
> extremely poor people over
> the course of my career. I recall talking with one
> young man who was in
> desperate need of a job. He did not have decent
> interview clothes. I
> suggested that he go to Good Will or the Salvation
> Army, or, better yet, an
> upscale resale shop. He had enough money to outfit
> himself well at such a
> store, but not enough to buy new. He looked at me
> like I had two heads - it
> was a completely foreign concept to him. I told him
> that I was wearing a
> business outfit that I obtained at an upscale resale
> store for a total of
> less than $10 for the outfit. It was a completely
> new and foreign concept to
> him.
> Gloria