Entitlement culture and the squeezed middle in Ireland

Creative83 · 25-07-2018 10:29PM #1

It would seem that that the less well off have it very handy in terms of "entitlements" The Wealthy have it all, well, just because they are wealthy. Where do the middle class sit?

Is there a fundamental unfairness in Irish society today regarding the middle class?

Wanderer78 · 25-07-2018 10:33PM

Leo has you covered, wouldn't worry about it now

Try_harder · 25-07-2018 10:34PM

Poor squeezed middle! Fiachra mightened get his ski holiday this year!

Twenty Grand · 25-07-2018 10:36PM

Creative83 wrote: »

Take a look at the State Benefits forum on here... lot's of threads, entitled to this and entitled to that... erm no you aren't!

But.. you are.

You're entitled to your tax credits, child benefit, sick pay and jsa/jsb if you need it.
You're as entitled as everyone else in this country.

The Rape of Lucretia · 25-07-2018 10:42PM

There is no squeezed middle. The middle class is doing quite nicely in a middle of the road, middling rich sort of way.

Anyone who regards themselves as part of a squeezed middle just hasnt woken up to the fact that they are working class, and too poor to be middle class. They are simply deluded. Wannabe middle class as it were.
Feeling squeezed ? Then you arent middle class in the first place.

The Crowman · 25-07-2018 10:43PM

Annnnnnnd its another AH dole thread.

MayoSalmon · 25-07-2018 10:45PM

Tax Credit.. oh wow thanks for giving me some "credit" back on my own hard earned wage that you thieved in the first place ...how gracious.

SEPT 23 1989 · 25-07-2018 10:48PM

if you choose to self elevate yourself from your actual position in the working class to this "middle class" keeping up with the Jones nonsense you deserve to be squeezed

4ensic15 · 25-07-2018 10:51PM

ireland has a lot of poor people who labour under the illusion that they are "middle class". Just because they have a mortgage and pay some income tax they think they should have it made. the real middle-class scoff quietly at them and occasionally pretend they are grateful to them for all their hard work, dedication and community spirit. The Working class openly laugh at them, working for a living and buying their own house and spending money on their childrens' education.

Chaos Tourist · 25-07-2018 11:03PM

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

There is no squeezed middle. The middle class is doing quite nicely in a middle of the road, middling rich sort of way.

Anyone who regards themselves as part of a squeezed middle just hasnt woken up to the fact that they are working class, and too poor to be middle class. They are simply deluded. Wannabe middle class as it were.
Feeling squeezed ? Then you arent middle class in the first place.

Indeed. Unless you're part of the professional class - doctors, solicitors etc - the real middle class - forget it.

It's a very nebulous term these days - deliberately put that way I think.

GarIT · 25-07-2018 11:06PM

What are people interpretation of middle class. I've hear different answers like, "anyone who works in an office", "anyone with a private pension", "anyone on a salary", "anyone on 30k", "anyone paying the ~40% tax" and "anyone on 60k or more" huge difference there, some people say 100k is above middle class others say 100k take home so about 190k is the upper limit.

Creative83 · 25-07-2018 11:10PM

GarIT wrote: »

What are people interpretation of middle class. I've hear different answers like, "anyone who works in an office", "anyone with a private pension", "anyone on a salary", "anyone on 30k", "anyone paying the ~40% tax" and "anyone on 60k or more" huge difference there, some people say 100k is above middle class others say 100k take home so about 190k is the upper limit.

I think Leo said anyone above 28k

25-07-2018 11:14PM

What, according to the denizens of After Hours, is the gross minimum salary an individual or couple must earn before they can be considered part of the "middle class"?

Donald Trump · 25-07-2018 11:21PM

Deleted User wrote: »

What, according to the denizens of After Hours, is the gross minimum salary an individual or couple must earn before they can be considered part of the "middle class"?

If you have to ask - you don't belong :pac:

The Rape of Lucretia · 25-07-2018 11:23PM

Deleted User wrote: »

What, according to the denizens of After Hours, is the gross minimum salary an individual or couple must earn before they can be considered part of the "middle class"?

80k each for a couple. 160k if only he is working.

100k suffices for singles to make the middle.

Nermal · 25-07-2018 11:32PM

GarIT wrote: »

What are people interpretation of middle class. I've hear different answers like, "anyone who works in an office", "anyone with a private pension", "anyone on a salary", "anyone on 30k", "anyone paying the ~40% tax" and "anyone on 60k or more" huge difference there, some people say 100k is above middle class others say 100k take home so about 190k is the upper limit.

As originally coined it referred to around the top 10%.

Though regardless of how rich I was I'd still resent the freeloaders, so I don't really see the relevance.

Capt'n Midnight · 25-07-2018 11:34PM

MayoSalmon wrote: »

Tax Credit.. oh wow thanks for giving me some "credit" back on my own hard earned wage that you thieved in the first place ...how gracious.

Today's word

Intaxication : - Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to begin with.

The Rape of Lucretia · 25-07-2018 11:37PM

Creative83 wrote: »

Ok, that would be "upper middle class"... normal middle class would be a couple on 80k combined max

No, and thats the problem. They are simply middle class. Its the people on 50k or 80k combined, that think they are middle class, (but "squeezed"), but are in fact, working class.
Upper middle class is the several hundred k per year. Rich indeed, but having to keep working for it. And so below the level of the upper class, who can live without working at all.

Fann Linn · 25-07-2018 11:39PM

And all those 'squeezed middle' can flagellate themselves even more when the extra carbon taxes are added in October.

Leo certainly looks after the people who get outta their beds early.
Lol.

Twenty Grand · 25-07-2018 11:56PM

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

No, and thats the problem. They are simply middle class. Its the people on 50k or 80k combined, that think they are middle class, (but "squeezed"), but are in fact, working class.
Upper middle class is the several hundred k per year. Rich indeed, but having to keep working for it. And so below the level of the upper class, who can live without working at all.

Well Luas, IE and BE drivers regard themselves as working class and are getting into the 50k pa territory.

The Rape of Lucretia · 26-07-2018 12:11AM

Twenty Grand wrote: »

Well Luas, IE and BE drivers regard themselves as working class and are getting into the 50k pa territory.

Kudos to them for their realism, as they are indeed working class. If a BE driver isnt working class, then what is the world coming to ?

Twenty Grand · 26-07-2018 12:18AM

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Kudos to them for their realism, as they are indeed working class. If a BE driver isnt working class, then what is the world coming to ?

It's not all about wages though.

If a BE driver was earning 100k would they be working class.

Plenty of shift operators in pharma earninging that wage who would consider themselves working class.

KungPao · 26-07-2018 12:21AM

Does wearing a top hat make you upper class?

Hector Bellend · 26-07-2018 12:46AM

nice bit of an oul entitlement

Fann Linn · 26-07-2018 12:47AM

KungPao wrote: »

Does wearing a top hat make you upper class?

Only when you pass 'Go' and collect £200

26-07-2018 05:34AM

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

80k each for a couple. 160k if only he is working.

100k suffices for singles to make the middle.

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

No, and thats the problem. They are simply middle class. Its the people on 50k or 80k combined, that think they are middle class, (but "squeezed"), but are in fact, working class.
Upper middle class is the several hundred k per year. Rich indeed, but having to keep working for it. And so below the level of the upper class, who can live without working at all.

For a more accurate definition of middle class income in Ireland in 2018 PEW Research has the following calculator and analysis. You must put in your net income and household size:

Are you in the Irish middle class?

Cookie_Monster · 26-07-2018 05:54AM

Twenty Grand wrote: »

But.. you are.

You're entitled to your tax credits, child benefit, sick pay and jsa/jsb if you need it.
You're as entitled as everyone else in this country.

there are significant drawbacks in being able to qualify for that though...

Geuze · 26-07-2018 09:05AM

GarIT wrote: »

What are people interpretation of middle class. I've hear different answers like, "anyone who works in an office", "anyone with a private pension", "anyone on a salary", "anyone on 30k", "anyone paying the ~40% tax" and "anyone on 60k or more" huge difference there, some people say 100k is above middle class others say 100k take home so about 190k is the upper limit.

Three classes aren't enough to divide society.

30k is well below the mean and median earnings, so that is not middle class.

PlaneSpeeking · 26-07-2018 09:08AM

I used to be working class, until people (the the political parties who support them) starting using that term for people who don't work and have no intention of.

No idea what class to be now!

PlaneSpeeking · 26-07-2018 09:09AM

Geuze wrote: »

Three classes aren't enough to divide society.

30k is well below the mean and median earnings, so that is not middle class.

Agreed, I pay the higher rate in tax (only just) - and it has taken me 30 years graft to get here.

Apparently I am now "the 1%" and should pay for everything.

Suuuuuure.

Wanderer78 · 26-07-2018 09:10AM

PlaneSpeeking wrote:

I used to be working class, until people (the the political parties who support them) starting using that term for people who don't work and have no intention of.

If you consider yourself working class, you re working class, ignore others classification of such words, unemployment is actually complex

Entitlement culture and the squeezed middle in Ireland

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