Accommodation v Disposable income dilemma

PlanLife

More impressed by average apartment and nice other things

Gone from me wanting a simple opinion on a simple question to me educating the 'money saving expert housing forum' that social mobility exists. Honestly embarrassing...

'Social mobility is defined as the movement of individuals, families, households, or other categories of people within or between layers or tiers in an open system of social stratification. Open stratification systems are those in which at least some value is given to achieved status characteristics in a society. The movement can be in a downward or upward direction. Absolute social mobility refers to the overall numbers of people who end up in a different layer of stratification from that of their parents.'

'Social stratification refers to a given society’s categorisation of its people into rankings of socioeconomic tiers based on factors like wealth, income, social status, occupation and power. In modern Western societies, stratification is often broadly classified into three major divisions of social class: upper class, middle class, and lower class. Each of these classes can be further subdivided into smaller classes (e.g. "upper middle").[1] Social strata may also be delineated on the basis of kinship ties or caste relations.'

Simple, as I said, if you can't see the glass ceiling because you've been in your situation so long and are unaware of social mobility then that is your issue and I am not interested in your opinion about the merits of the question, only opinions about what someone would be more socially impressed with.

HiToAll

I'm impressed by those who don't use Wikipedia to try to form an argument.

Cakeguts

Equally impressed by neither

I am unimpressed by material things anyone can get those. I am impressed by people who do things that make a difference to other people.

lynz68

You're just not getting it .... people are not socially impressed with possessions.

Have the schools broken up ..... is this GCSE Sociology .... and as any good tutor will tell you don't get your facts from Wikipedia

Kim_kim

marksoton wrote: »

But they don't own the asset. A lot of people could probably afford a decent Audi on finance on an average wage.

That wouldn't "Impress" me.

They will own it when they've made the final finance payment.

I find that a form of snobbery. Looking down on finance bought cars, does it really matter? Not many people have the cash to buy a car outright.

Kim_kim

PlanLife wrote: »

I know you probably heard it already but I think 'Tracy Chapmam - Fast Car' sums up why people see cars as something which could 'impress'. It's just that feeling of someone being in control (it's kind of cheesy but magic carpet ride from Aladdin too), I think it's just for people who are more keen to impress with the moment and excitement and spontaneity than people who want to impress by being a good host and being able to bring a lot of their friends together in one room and socialising and having fun in the moment in that kind of way.

But American society is different. It's all about wealth, monetary wealth. There is some snobbery between old & new money, but the dollar is king.

In the U.K. It's about breeding, background & education. If you're born working class, then you stay working class.
If you do well in life, send your children to a fee paying school & raise them in a middle class area, then your children will probably pass as middle class, if they continue like this, then their children definitely will.

[Deleted User]

I could only read as far as 'educating' - couldn't read any further due to a fit of unstoppable laughter. Oh dear.

But how sad too.

Davesnave

Can't be bothered to read the thread, but only one thing impresses me, and that's how well I'm doing.

Obviously others had more advantages, so they don't count.

seven-day-weekend

Equally impressed by neither

PlanLife wrote: »

Would you be more impressed with someone with a big, detached, modern, 3 bedroom house with an average, normal car and not a lot of disposable income to do want they want with (under £50,000) or someone with a new build, 2 bedroom, very modern, slightly smallish apartment with a nice car and a lot of disposable income to do what they want with (£100,000/£200,000)?

I wouldn't even think to be 'impressed'. If they are both doing what they want with what they have, then it is not up to me to judge, nor be 'impressed'.

DaftyDuck

Equally impressed by neither

PlanLife wrote: »

If it was your partner or your colleague from work invited you to come round and maybe hit the town after what would you rather they had?

I'd rather they had a different friend, frankly.

Look, you've had answers from so many, and they are all the same. Those answers have come from a wide spectrum of social and financial backgrounds.

None of us would be impressed, quite the reverse.

I think it's time to quietly reconsider your position on this. You may save yourself a lot of worry, money and time if you do so.