11 Things The Middle Class Think Are Status Symbols That Mean Nothing To The Less Fortunate
Many low-income families are more concerned with comfort than unnecessary lavish spending.
Jacob Lund | Shutterstock.com Status symbols often shift over time, depending on the nature of our society and the beliefs of the people operating within it. However, it's possible for different communities, groups, and demographics — characterized by things like gender, age, or income status — to simultaneously leverage and craft different status symbols.
In regard to income, especially coupled with our society's wildly inequitable distribution of wealth, there are certainly things the middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate. As more people struggle with rising housing costs, affording basic necessities, and maintaining job stability in roles with equitable compensation, the status symbols that motivate them are less luxurious and unnecessary, and more focused on financial comfort, freedom, and ease.
Here are 11 things the middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate
1. Curated social media feeds
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Our social media pages and the choices we make around sharing media are rooted in our consumerist habits, beliefs, and aspirations. According to writer and cultural critic Rayne Fisher-Quann, "It's become very common for [people] online to express their identities through an artfully curated list of things they consume, or aspire to consume."
However, simply having the time and energy to invest in social media and curated feeds is a status symbol in itself that can easily be overlooked by middle class families and individuals investing time into it without a second thought.
Less fortunate families aren't nearly as concerned with aesthetically curating their Instagram or spending time crafting content — they're already struggling to find time for the basic necessities. For this reason, many — not all, but the majority — of influencers and content creators that become profitable on platforms like TikTok already had the financial comfort or time to spend creating their content and appealing to audiences.
2. Branded clothing for toddlers
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Considering young children and toddlers grow out of their clothes within a year, it's not surprising that many low-income families aren't spending money on designer or luxury brands focused on longevity.
However, branded clothing for toddlers is one of the things the middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate. It's the sheer absurdity and unrealistic nature of this spending habit that makes it prestigious in the eyes of many middle class parents.
3. Aesthetic home renovations
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While many lower class families struggle to afford unexpected home repairs and functional renovations, it's not surprising that one of the things middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate are aesthetic home renovations like "opening up the space" by tearing down a wall or replacing carpet for hardwood floors.
Considering a record number of American households are struggling to afford rent alone, according to data from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, having disposable income for aesthetically curated living spaces is a luxury only upper middle class and high income families are afforded.
While it may be unsuspecting, it's these small and subtle status symbols — like having the money to craft a space that's a reflection of your identity or functionally comfortable — that contribute to the sentiment of isolation, unhappiness, and stress in many people's lives.
Especially after coming home from a stressful day, worrying about money and having to work multiple jobs, feeling uncomfortable or unreflecting in your space can be further emotionally draining.
4. Expensive pet breeds
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Even a quick Google search online reveals that "expensive pet breeds" and "high-status luxury dogs" are all the new rage amongst middle and upper class households.
From seeking out a thorough-bred dog, to investing thousands into maintaining a high-maintenance cat, and even purchasing exotic pets with incredibly high demands, pet ownership has become one of the things the middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate.
Especially considering a large number of Americans can't afford to own a pet at all, it's not surprising that this niche and expensive market isn't something the less fortunate are all that concerned about investing in.
5. Frequent vacations
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While some middle class families jet off to Florida every few months, invest in popular vacation destinations for holidays, and take last-minute trips — despite higher plane ticket costs and little to no prior planning — many low-income families can't even consider affording a break from work or their practical responsibilities.
While some admit they've taken on debt to afford a vacation — plagued by a need to rest from burnout or guilt over their kids missing out — having the freedom to take vacations is largely unrealistic for many struggling households.
6. Obscure niche hobbies
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Having the means to afford investing into a niche hobby — like horseback riding, crocheting, or even reading popular novels — isn't the only thing keeping lower income families from adopting the habit, it's also the luxury of time. According to a study in Nature Human Behaviour, many people feel "time poor" on top of their economic struggles, contributing to lower productivity, well-being, and physical health.
Especially for lower income families with children, these individuals — who also take on the role of being a caregiver and a parent — have around 14 hours per week less free time than those who don't, taking away their opportunity to invest in personal growth, development, rest, and habits like niche hobbies.
While many of the things the middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate are rooted in financial strain and struggle, there's also an element of time that contributes to the divide, forcing lower income individuals to forgo the benefits of leveraging their alone time in pursuit of money, parenting responsibilities, or more work.
7. Having a home office
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While having the practical space and time to set up a home office is a status symbol in itself for middle class families, the impracticality of finding and maintaining a remote job seems much less feasible for less fortunate workers.
In addition to it being more uncomfortable for marginalized workers to work in remote roles, like a 2020 WayUp survey suggests, there's also an element of digital inequality in the workforce that keeps lower income workers from benefiting from the upsides of remote or hybrid work.
While middle and upper class workers in remote roles have the freedom of time, comfortability at home, and a more flexible schedule, lower income workers struggle to find remote jobs, create a space to work, or acquire the technology needed to be fully productive and successful.
So, having the luxury of setting up a home office might be a status symbol for middle class workers with the ability to land and thrive in a remote office, but for less fortunate workers without the opportunity, it's likely to mean much less.
8. Having the newest device
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According to a LendingTree survey, nearly 30% of Americans have acquired debt to stay up-to-date with new technology, purchasing new iPhones, upgrading their laptops, and investing in unnecessary devices to maintain a level of status and prestige.
While truly having the disposable income to make these purchases — outside of necessary expenses like rent and without debt — has become a status symbol for even upper middle class families, they mean close to nothing in the daily lives of less fortunate households struggling to make monthly rent, living paycheck-to-paycheck.
When lower-class families are cutting part of their grocery bill to afford utilities or working multiple jobs to afford rising rent costs, they might consider the joy of being able to spend on things like a new iPhone or clothing as motivation, but pragmatically speaking, those expenses mean close to nothing to them.
They're yearning for financial stability and comfort, being able to pay for groceries without pinching pennies or fearing the next month of necessary bills.
9. Overscheduling kids with extracurriculars
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While extracurriculars and crafting a busy schedule might be the key to securing affordable higher education, necessary life skills, and even social connection for young children and adults, many low-income families don't have the freedom, time, or money to invest.
From the rising costs of once-affordable extracurriculars like recreational sports, to the unsuspecting prices of after-school clubs and activities, and even the dedicated time parents are required to spend getting their kids to their obligations, overscheduling children is one of the things the middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate.
Of course, like many of the other status symbols amongst the middle class, it's not that lower-income families don't recognize these disparities and acknowledge how they're proving harmful to their households, they simply don't have the means to consider fixing them.
Whether it's feeling "time poor" or genuinely only being able to make ends meet by working multiple jobs, having their older siblings at home to babysit, or cutting costs like extracurriculars, low-income families can't sacrifice anything more to afford these status symbols, even alongside middle and upper class families spending on them without reservation or a second thought.
10. Expensive and unnecessary home appliances
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From the newest air fryer, to luxury tech washing machines, and automated vacuum cleaners, expensive and unnecessary home appliances have become one of the things the middle class think are status symbols that mean nothing to the less fortunate.
While these trendy technological items may be aesthetically curated for well-off families displaying their wealth, they're completely out of reach for low income families struggling to pay rent or put food on the table.
Wealth inequality and our society's outrageously inequitable distribution of wealth isn't an issue that individuals can fix themselves, but the choices well-off families make — like buying an unnecessarily expensive kitchen appliance — while others sacrifice their groceries for the week, can be a clear example of its harmful effects.
11. Overspending on food and drinks
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While upper middle class and high-income families with the luxury of a disposable income might not think twice about spending $12 on a latte every morning or going out for lunch everyday at work, it's these small purchases that quickly add up for people operating on a strict budget.
Despite living above the poverty line, many less fortunate families are still struggling to pay for basic necessities, according to data from the United Way's United for ALICE program. Having the means to spend without thinking — going out for drinks, dinner as a family, or spending on coffee before work — is truly a status symbol, whether well-off individuals actively recognize it or not.
Considering that other people are strictly budgeting and sacrificing for basic groceries, rent costs, and necessary bills, the reality of mindless spending on unnecessary food and drinks means nothing, outside of being something to yearn for.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.