<<<ECO, your last post chases it's tale with some pretty convoluted and contradictory reasoning.

Let's see if I understand this--social mobility exists if we define it as ending up in the same class as your parents. There a better word for that, stasis. In other words, you're describing the opposite of mobility.

Additionally, you are describing pretty well why social mobility is a myth and not reality at all.

You are also describing the conditions which currently exist which are eroding our middle class.

Congratulations, you are now a class warrior.>>>

Well now, let me remind you that you injected the "myth" idea to argue that people are stuck in a class, the proof apparently being that most end up in the same class as their parents. MY point is that the main reason most end up in that class spring from human nature to aspire to the class they are familiar/comfortable with. Moreover, I pointed out that just because they end up in the class they chose, consciously or subconsciously, chances are they went through a lot of economic classes on the way there (the original point was addressed at some people's suggestion that the rich don't "get" what it is like to struggle). Moreover - and here is the important part if you're interested - changing their aspirations and being willing to work towards them, which they can do if they choose, makes all the difference in where they end up.

Go compare the rigid social classes in other countries and at other times in history to get an idea of how open our society is to social advancement. This is the land of Opportunity. It was given that name because people didn't have to remain in the same economic class of their birth family if they were willing to work hard. But to move upward, people have to do the work and make the sacrifices. It won't happen sitting around waiting for the rich people or the rich corporations to toss coins in a begger's cup.

Oh, and how did what I wrote talk about eroding the middle class? I didn't see that part. I think I discussed how people go different routes depending, in large part, on their aspirations and choices. If the middle class is eroding, by my analysis, it would be because most people either busted their butt to do better than their parents, or just threw in the towel and prefered to camp out in the trailer park. And if the middle class is eroding, as you claim, then how is social mobility a myth? Doesn't your argument underscore that you don't have to remain in the same economic class? It can go up as well as down. That is what mobility means. Talk about contradictory.