I think the point was that those things have historically constituted the definition of American middle class:

I believe this is the main point people are straying from. If you are considered middle-class, you shouldn't have to survive on 10+ year old cars and 800 sq.ft. apartments, bare-minimum retirement plans and no college tuition for your children. Everyone's comments make it sound like you should live in what I would…

Tuition for my kid's *state* university is approximately $10k / year. That's before books, lab fees, housing, and food. She's worked throughout college. Even with that, I've made sure she doesn't have to take out any student loans — that'd be like kicking her out of the nest with a ball-and-chain latched around her…

"Kid's college, hello loans!"

Retired people need health care too. If you get rid of Medicare and Part D how are they going to get it?

I'm surprised you're getting eaten alive for some pretty reasonable propositions here. The OP was about what it takes to be middle class in this country, not the minimum you can earn to barely survive. And there was a time when middle class meant you owned a home and a car, had health insurance, some savings and some…

Okay, but think about how much more difficult your path was than your parents' (if they went to college) — and then think about how much more difficult their path likely was than the college experience of their parents. What makes you think that this pattern won't continue to get worse? Your future children are at…

The young public school teachers I know tell me their pensions are a joke. Only the older folks retiring now are getting a good deal.

They're things that are traditionally considered to be part of a middle-class lifestyle. Although they're not necessities, the fact that they're now unaffordable for much of the middle class is significant.

He didn't say they were needs. I think the things he talks about should be attainable to a middle class family. Newish cars (under 100k miles), a mortgage, saving for retirement, and kid's college. I agree with him.

These numbers are concerning. I often wonder how anyone can have a family of four with a mortgage and newish cars on less than $100k a year while still saving for retirement, the kids' college, and general vacation money.

THIS IS HOW DIRECTIONERS MUST FEEL I GET IT NOW I'M SO SORRY I MOCKED YOU THIS FEELING IS OVERWHELMING. *CRIES*

My meltdown was over food too. My junior year of college, I was so in love with a guy who was in love with me too, but in a three year relationship. He would later dump his girlfriend, date me for six months, dump me, and then get back together with his original girlfriend. They later got married.

The girl was being stalked and it probably made her feel very uncomfortable. If little mister gets his feelers hurt from being stalked by kids who refuse to listen to him tell them to go away I would call that both a college level life lesson and karma. My sympathy is with the girl.

That said, I am a member of the privileged class, so what the hell do I know?

There are LOADS of White people who have done way, way, way more to fight for and protect civil rights for African Americans than I have, for instance (I am African American). Why wouldn't the Jezebel audience want to read an article by someone fighting for civil and human rights regardless of his or her race? I…

Last time I checked, being a feminist is about the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. It says nothing about it being a girls club or anything like that

1994, suburbs of Chicago, summer before my senior year of high school. I'm a sexually frustrated 17 year old gay boy and my parents have left me home alone so I'm having a party - nothing outrageous - with my friends. My 18 year old girl friend has brought the 20 year old dude she's screwing around with and he - in…