--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't define what's middle class…" description: "\"You can't define what's middle class, what is wealthy, what is poor.\" — Michael Bloomberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/michael-bloomberg-1293_class_you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-wha_2974349.png" --- # You can't define what's middle class, what is wealthy… ![“You can't define what's middle class, what is wealthy, what is poor.” quote by Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/michael-bloomberg-1293_class_you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-wha_2974349.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/michael-bloomberg-1293_class_you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-wha_2974349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/michael-bloomberg-1293_class_you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-wha_2974349.png) > “You can't define what's middle class, what is wealthy, what is poor.” [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic categories are fluid and context‑dependent, making strict definitions of middle class, wealth, or poverty unreliable. **In simple terms:** Economic labels shift with context. Key Takeaway Avoid rigid economic labels. Themes economics social class definition Mood analytical neutral Type sociological philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - social analysis - public discourse Key Concepts sociology inequality Questions to Reflect On - How do you define your own economic status? - What factors should shape class definitions? A Different Perspective Labels can oversimplify complex realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Class Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-wealthy-1076481/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy/) [Wealthy Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy-poor-536027/) ## Related quotes > [You know, its interesting to me that so much of the population is living under the poverty line, but when you look at television,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-wayans/you-know-its-interesting-to-me-that-so-much-of-the-population-is/) [Kim Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-wayans/) > [The life of our class, of the wealthy and the learned, was not only repulsive to me but had lost all meaning. The sum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-life-of-our-class-of-the-wealthy-and-the-learned-was-not-only/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [New York is for everybody; it's for the poor, it's for the middle-class, it's for the wealthy. We can't punish any one group and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-catsimatidis/new-york-is-for-everybody-it-s-for-the-poor-it-s-for-the-middle-class/) [John Catsimatidis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-catsimatidis/) > [Without regard to whether some place is wealthy or poor, everybody should have the chance at clean air and clean water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/without-regard-to-whether-some-place-is-wealthy-or-poor-everybody/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Today's wealthy are poor though they don't know it. They can't bring their possessions to where we're all going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/today-s-wealthy-are-poor-though-they-don-t-know-it-they-can-t-bring/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Being a foreigner - especially a white and relatively wealthy one - in poor, underdeveloped countries is inherently fraught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chesa-boudin/being-a-foreigner-especially-a-white-and-relatively-wealthy-one-in/) [Chesa Boudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chesa-boudin/) > [“When I was poor, I was rich because I was happy; when I was wealthy, I was poor because I was sad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/when-i-was-poor-i-was-rich-because-i-was-happy-when-i-was-wealthy-i/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Many of those living in poverty in this country, in fact, would be considered quite wealthy by poor people in other countries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-carson/many-of-those-living-in-poverty-in-this-country-in-fact-would-be/) [Ben Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-carson/) > [The people is a very heterogeneous and confused mass of the wealthy and the poor, the wise and the foolish, the good and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-people-is-a-very-heterogeneous-and-confused-mass-of-the-wealthy/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The American middle class always wants to be upper class and is scared to death of being lower class. 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It will not last another generation if we don't boldly change course now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-middle-class-in-america-is-at-a-tipping-point-it-will-not-last/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > ['Middle class' used to be synonymous with secure, with steady, with boring, because middle-class people were people who were pretty much safe from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/middle-class-used-to-be-synonymous-with-secure-with-steady-with/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I feel that rich women are soft targets… There's a lot of legitimate resentment and anger about inequality in our culture, about money... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wednesday-martin/i-feel-that-rich-women-are-soft-targets-there-s-a-lot-of-legitimate/) [Wednesday Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wednesday-martin/) ## More by Michael Bloomberg > [I'm not going to run for president. No way, no how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/i-m-not-going-to-run-for-president-no-way-no-how/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Now, you might say – “But why should we pay people for doing what they’re supposed to do?” It’s a fair question – but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/now-you-might-say-but-why-should-we-pay-people-for-doing-what-they-re/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [What I'm trying to do is to create excitement. So people looking at the Bloomberg's office building say, "My goodness, what's going on here?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/what-i-m-trying-to-do-is-to-create-excitement-so-people-looking-at/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [You have to understand, we have better communications and better transportation, so people know what's available elsewhere and can get a message out, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/you-have-to-understand-we-have-better-communications-and-better/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [ The system \[in U.S.\] is designed for a two-party system. And those two parties have an interest in keeping third parties out. There's too… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-system-in-u-s-is-designed-for-a-two-party-system-and-those-two/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [If you want to do something for your children and show how much you love them, the single best thing-by far-is to support organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/if-you-want-to-do-something-for-your-children-and-show-how-much-you/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [We haven't had a world war in a long time. We do have mass movements of people out of Syria and North Africa. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-haven-t-had-a-world-war-in-a-long-time-we-do-have-mass-movements/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [I think one of the great dangers here is going and categorizing anybody from one religion as a terrorist. That's not true... That would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/i-think-one-of-the-great-dangers-here-is-going-and-categorizing/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Stubborn isn't a word I would use to describe myself; pigheaded is more appropriate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/stubborn-isn-t-a-word-i-would-use-to-describe-myself-pigheaded-is/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Many of America's and New York's sons and daughters are around the world fighting for the freedoms that the Statue of Liberty stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/many-of-america-s-and-new-york-s-sons-and-daughters-are-around-the/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [If you really believe that you're making a difference and that you can leave a legacy of better schools and jobs and safer streets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/if-you-really-believe-that-you-re-making-a-difference-and-that-you/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [The next day after I got fired, literally the next day, I started a new company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-next-day-after-i-got-fired-literally-the-next-day-i-started-a-new/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [We all must recognize that homeland security funds should be allocated by threat and no other reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-all-must-recognize-that-homeland-security-funds-should-be/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [In New York City, a lot of people think "the great outdoors" is the area between your front door and a taxi cab.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/in-new-york-city-a-lot-of-people-think-the-great-outdoors-is-the-area/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Is your company so small you have to do everything for yourself? Wait until you're so big that you can't. That's worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/is-your-company-so-small-you-have-to-do-everything-for-yourself-wait/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) [Explore all 259 Michael Bloomberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) ## More Class quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) [Browse all 7,637 Class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't define what's middle class, what is wealthy, what is poor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Bloomberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-what-is-wealthy-what-is-poor/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Class" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-what-is-wealthy-what-is-poor/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/michael-bloomberg-1293_class_you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-wha_2974349.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/michael-bloomberg-1293_class_you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-wha_2974349.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/michael-bloomberg-1293_class_you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-wha_2974349.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't define what's middle class, what is wealthy, what is poor.” — Michael Bloomberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Bloomberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't define what's middle class,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-what-is-wealthy-what-is-poor/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/you-can-t-define-what-s-middle-class-what-is-wealthy-what-is-poor/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```