So whats it like to be a white male from a middle class family or richer?

Originally Posted by Brolic Scholar

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I coulda swore this dude retired...
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damn this is dope!
 
I'm half Portuguese, half Indian and as a result once in a while I've experienced racism for every race/ethnicity that people mistake me for 
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Mexican/Latino, Brasilian, Persian, and Filipino are the ones I usually get. The only people who have been openly racist towards me are Indians though 
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I guess my "whiteness" isn't "American white" if that makes sense. My dad's Portuguese but in the US he passes for Mexican or Indian (people assume he's Indian since hes tan and since my mom's Indian too). So I haven't really experienced any sort of "white privilege" that most white people in America have. Living in the Bay Area it doesn't really matter though. Over here pretty much everyone gets along with everyone, and most of the upper-middle class people are Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indian. White people are the minority here
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I'm half Portuguese, half Indian and as a result once in a while I've experienced racism for every race/ethnicity that people mistake me for 
laugh.gif
Mexican/Latino, Brasilian, Persian, and Filipino are the ones I usually get. The only people who have been openly racist towards me are Indians though 
30t6p3b.gif
 
laugh.gif


I guess my "whiteness" isn't "American white" if that makes sense. My dad's Portuguese but in the US he passes for Mexican or Indian (people assume he's Indian since hes tan and since my mom's Indian too). So I haven't really experienced any sort of "white privilege" that most white people in America have. Living in the Bay Area it doesn't really matter though. Over here pretty much everyone gets along with everyone, and most of the upper-middle class people are Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indian. White people are the minority here
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I wouldn't know. I'm white btw and in college. But because I'm poor and get pretty decent grades the government pays for me to be in school.
 
I wouldn't know. I'm white btw and in college. But because I'm poor and get pretty decent grades the government pays for me to be in school.
 
Originally Posted by wawaweewa

Originally Posted by eiddyfouw

Originally Posted by Mojodmonky1

maybe its not a race thing, but more of a socio-economic status thing?

my life growing up seems pretty similar to some of these stories. the only exception is that my dad used to beat me with a stick and he is a dead ringer for a "High Expectation Asian Father" x "Y U NO" meme collaboration.
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yes it is, because every now and again, I'm reminded that even though I drive a Benz, I'm still a N in a coupe.
And I'm not just saying that cause of Ye.  It actually happens. 
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Don't take this the wrong way but I'll break it down on how it really is. Don't listen to Kanye. He tries to make it seem like he's still on that poor level but he isn't. Like he can still relate to the poor folks. He can't.
You're only a N in a coupe if some see it as " ghetto rich", "hood rich", etc. If you're Kanye or Jay Z or Robert Johnson you're def not seen as a N in a coupe, even by the racists. I'm talking about when it's known by the observer that the individual is wealthy/rich. 

Money sees no color. There's a monied class and a non monied class. 

For obvious reasons Kanye wants to make it seem like he can still relate to the poor kids in the hood but he can't. No matter where he grew up. Now he's monied and that's the end of the story. 

A lot of people will disagree but that's th truth at the top. Nobody gives a %%*# about your color. It;s how much capital you bring/ can generate .
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Thanks for completely missing the point. 
We're not talking about Kanye/Jay-Z/of the sons and daughters of extremely wealthy.  I used that line because it symbolizes what happens to many young black people.  We're not talking bout the mega rich.  We're talking about middle class people here. 

My point is, I drive a Mercedes and I'm far from "ghetto rich" and I'm also far from Forbes status, yet I still get looked at funny for driving one (being young and black).  I still get older white people making silly comments, and giving me strange looks, even though they don't do the same to my friends (and some of them have much better vehicles than I do).  

Again, ask any young black person (and possibly other minority) who comes from money/is making money who is not living that hood rich life, whether they are quickly reminded what some people really think of them, and the majority of them will say yes & often. 
 
Originally Posted by wawaweewa

Originally Posted by eiddyfouw

Originally Posted by Mojodmonky1

maybe its not a race thing, but more of a socio-economic status thing?

my life growing up seems pretty similar to some of these stories. the only exception is that my dad used to beat me with a stick and he is a dead ringer for a "High Expectation Asian Father" x "Y U NO" meme collaboration.
Click to expand...

yes it is, because every now and again, I'm reminded that even though I drive a Benz, I'm still a N in a coupe.
And I'm not just saying that cause of Ye.  It actually happens. 
Click to expand...
Don't take this the wrong way but I'll break it down on how it really is. Don't listen to Kanye. He tries to make it seem like he's still on that poor level but he isn't. Like he can still relate to the poor folks. He can't.
You're only a N in a coupe if some see it as " ghetto rich", "hood rich", etc. If you're Kanye or Jay Z or Robert Johnson you're def not seen as a N in a coupe, even by the racists. I'm talking about when it's known by the observer that the individual is wealthy/rich. 

Money sees no color. There's a monied class and a non monied class. 

For obvious reasons Kanye wants to make it seem like he can still relate to the poor kids in the hood but he can't. No matter where he grew up. Now he's monied and that's the end of the story. 

A lot of people will disagree but that's th truth at the top. Nobody gives a %%*# about your color. It;s how much capital you bring/ can generate .
Click to expand...
Thanks for completely missing the point. 
We're not talking about Kanye/Jay-Z/of the sons and daughters of extremely wealthy.  I used that line because it symbolizes what happens to many young black people.  We're not talking bout the mega rich.  We're talking about middle class people here. 

My point is, I drive a Mercedes and I'm far from "ghetto rich" and I'm also far from Forbes status, yet I still get looked at funny for driving one (being young and black).  I still get older white people making silly comments, and giving me strange looks, even though they don't do the same to my friends (and some of them have much better vehicles than I do).  

Again, ask any young black person (and possibly other minority) who comes from money/is making money who is not living that hood rich life, whether they are quickly reminded what some people really think of them, and the majority of them will say yes & often. 
 
I'm gonna defy the thread and tell you ima black man living in high middle class.'(lower upper class maybe)
im very fortunate for what I had, (wish I was more tho)
 
I'm gonna defy the thread and tell you ima black man living in high middle class.'(lower upper class maybe)
im very fortunate for what I had, (wish I was more tho)
 
I like it kinda. its not fun to be just like everyone else though, so i pass as native 75% of the time
 
I like it kinda. its not fun to be just like everyone else though, so i pass as native 75% of the time
 
Originally Posted by doyung9

I'll give you guys another POV to look at.

My parents are white, but I'm not. Adopted, small town (25,000 max). 90-95% of all my friends growing up were white. I'd say the breakdown of races where I'm from was like 85% white, 10% Mexican (not Spanish, like illegal alien, speak no english, constantly people being deported, no offense to anyone), then split the last 5% between black people and Native Americans.

The cost of living where I'm from was so much lower than most places, I'd say we were upper middle class and my parents combined probably brought home between $150,000- $175,000 yearly.

To say the least, it was different. Honestly, like I said, due to cost of living and stuff, unless it was a 4, 5, 6 member family, you could live off of $60,000-70,000 like it was $200,000 anywhere else. I never wanted for anything, always food on the table, parents always had good jobs. Dad could have taken an office position a few times in my life and taken a bit less money a year, and he'd have been home more, but he was a working kind of guy. Still working now, even though he's retired.

We never had a Benz, never had a BMW, but my dad's had like literally 8 boats, my parents love camping so they've had 4 different RVs, I've been on vacations pretty much everywhere. I used to get new Jordans when I got a good report card or silly $%*! like that in elementary and grade school
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.

My mom came from I'd say a "standard" middle class home, 2 sisters, mom and dad. My dad however came up in what I'd say is lower class and just worked his %$% off. As I've gotten older, I've come to respect him more and more for this, and frankly, like someone else said, he's my hero.

THE HARDEST PART, and it's the thing that will probably separate me from most that fit into the "white male from a middle class family" category, is that being from a small town, even if your parents are white, if you aren't, the race card comes out quick when things get heated. I've had some of my closest friends go there, when they were younger and more immature, just because it's an easy way to pit the "you vs. me, us vs. you" when you're in an argument. I've never really against any of my friends because frankly in arguments between friends, it's always about who can get the 3rd, 4th, 5th friend to side with them.

However, with people I didn't consider friends, some messed up $%*! has happened. Instance I can't ever forget is in the 1st or 2nd grade, I got a lot of praise from my teacher for being really intelligent at a young age and I enjoyed being "good" at something. Well one day, someone's mother came in as a substitute because our teacher had jury duty or something (yeah, in small towns sometimes someone's mom will teach, forget professional substitutes) and this particular lady thought her daughter was the chosen one or something. Well as we're going out for recess, the lady pulls me to the side and says "You don't have to show off for all the kids, you think you're so smart. Well if you're so smart, why didn't you real mom and dad want you and they threw you away".

It was the first time I ever asked my parents about me looking different, we had the wholeeeeeeeeeeeeeee discussion about adoption, etc. If you're curious, no, nothing ever happened to the woman. My mom went to school, it ended up being a "child's word against an adult" thing, but it helped me out in the long run because my mom rode for me no matter what from that day through high school graduation
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Oh yeah, one last thing. Even though my parents made great money, even in a small town, we weren't really "accepted" by the "upper" class. Because my dad was a high school dropout and we weren't millionaires, there was always that unspoken, unsaid line there. Now had we been upper class in terms of income, none of his education or stuff would have mattered, because there were alot of multi-millionaires who didn't have formal education. There was also people who made more money than my pops but had college degrees (You have to remember, that generation values a Bachelor's alot more than we do) so they also kind of looked down on us. I always had upper and lower class friends because of sports. Our high school basketball team was made up of kid's with parents on welfare to the son of the high school principal to the 3rd richest man in town's nephew.

Sorry for the long read. Hope it answered your questions. If somehow I didn't cover something, feel free to ask.
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Out of curiosity. What is your ethnic background?
 
Originally Posted by doyung9

I'll give you guys another POV to look at.

My parents are white, but I'm not. Adopted, small town (25,000 max). 90-95% of all my friends growing up were white. I'd say the breakdown of races where I'm from was like 85% white, 10% Mexican (not Spanish, like illegal alien, speak no english, constantly people being deported, no offense to anyone), then split the last 5% between black people and Native Americans.

The cost of living where I'm from was so much lower than most places, I'd say we were upper middle class and my parents combined probably brought home between $150,000- $175,000 yearly.

To say the least, it was different. Honestly, like I said, due to cost of living and stuff, unless it was a 4, 5, 6 member family, you could live off of $60,000-70,000 like it was $200,000 anywhere else. I never wanted for anything, always food on the table, parents always had good jobs. Dad could have taken an office position a few times in my life and taken a bit less money a year, and he'd have been home more, but he was a working kind of guy. Still working now, even though he's retired.

We never had a Benz, never had a BMW, but my dad's had like literally 8 boats, my parents love camping so they've had 4 different RVs, I've been on vacations pretty much everywhere. I used to get new Jordans when I got a good report card or silly $%*! like that in elementary and grade school
laugh.gif
.

My mom came from I'd say a "standard" middle class home, 2 sisters, mom and dad. My dad however came up in what I'd say is lower class and just worked his %$% off. As I've gotten older, I've come to respect him more and more for this, and frankly, like someone else said, he's my hero.

THE HARDEST PART, and it's the thing that will probably separate me from most that fit into the "white male from a middle class family" category, is that being from a small town, even if your parents are white, if you aren't, the race card comes out quick when things get heated. I've had some of my closest friends go there, when they were younger and more immature, just because it's an easy way to pit the "you vs. me, us vs. you" when you're in an argument. I've never really against any of my friends because frankly in arguments between friends, it's always about who can get the 3rd, 4th, 5th friend to side with them.

However, with people I didn't consider friends, some messed up $%*! has happened. Instance I can't ever forget is in the 1st or 2nd grade, I got a lot of praise from my teacher for being really intelligent at a young age and I enjoyed being "good" at something. Well one day, someone's mother came in as a substitute because our teacher had jury duty or something (yeah, in small towns sometimes someone's mom will teach, forget professional substitutes) and this particular lady thought her daughter was the chosen one or something. Well as we're going out for recess, the lady pulls me to the side and says "You don't have to show off for all the kids, you think you're so smart. Well if you're so smart, why didn't you real mom and dad want you and they threw you away".

It was the first time I ever asked my parents about me looking different, we had the wholeeeeeeeeeeeeeee discussion about adoption, etc. If you're curious, no, nothing ever happened to the woman. My mom went to school, it ended up being a "child's word against an adult" thing, but it helped me out in the long run because my mom rode for me no matter what from that day through high school graduation
laugh.gif


Oh yeah, one last thing. Even though my parents made great money, even in a small town, we weren't really "accepted" by the "upper" class. Because my dad was a high school dropout and we weren't millionaires, there was always that unspoken, unsaid line there. Now had we been upper class in terms of income, none of his education or stuff would have mattered, because there were alot of multi-millionaires who didn't have formal education. There was also people who made more money than my pops but had college degrees (You have to remember, that generation values a Bachelor's alot more than we do) so they also kind of looked down on us. I always had upper and lower class friends because of sports. Our high school basketball team was made up of kid's with parents on welfare to the son of the high school principal to the 3rd richest man in town's nephew.

Sorry for the long read. Hope it answered your questions. If somehow I didn't cover something, feel free to ask.
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Out of curiosity. What is your ethnic background?
 
My spin is a little different, Grew up middle class in NJ, Black father - Educator, White mother - dental hygienist, always went on two vacations a year. First car I got for free, but 18th bday, dad got me a 12K used car. Never went without anything. Always had nice gear, and all the toys. Lol If I could make a compelling reason why I needed something, pops always made sure I had it. Went to catholic school, my whole life. Got so so grades, bummed it thru CC eventually transferred to Rutgers, did alright graduated, my grad present from my parents was that they paid off my student loan balance, and beginning of senior year, my pops told me I could quit my job waiting tables and just enjoy my senior year. Anyway, I've been exposed to so much the world has to offer, Europe, the Carribean, South America, etc.

At the end of the day, I'm still brown. Funny thing is though, anytime I open my mouth people always take a step back, even now at work, being there for a year, it's like people are suspicious that a minority can formulate coherent sentences.

Prob the worst racial experience, I had in my life was Jr Prom, asked this girl Kristin, that I had a crush on, it took a lot for me to ask her, bc I really liked her. She immediately said yes. I was on cloud 9, next day I walk into school feeling myself, and everyone's like have you seen Kristin yet, I'm like nah what the heck? She walks up to me, crying so hard she can't even breathe, well her mom wouldn't let me take her bc I'm brown. In like a moment a wisdom beyond my years, I just gave her a hug and said, no worries, but inside I was hurt. Funny thing was at the time, my boy who was PR was dating her best friend, and had been to Kristin's house countless times, he was blown away, like Mrs R. is always cool with me, and I'm like yea cuz you ain't trying to knock down her daughter. The one thing I always said though was, it really didn't bother me when I thought about it, bc the lady never met me. If she knew me and wouldn't let her go, I really would've been devastated. Funny thing is, I grew up nicer than what they had, and now I do better for myself, than the guy she's with, so in the end she hurt her daughter.
 
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