A common misunderstanding is that yuppies are somehow wimps when it comes to getting their hands dirty. They are simply afraid to do anything that is not “in.” But a closer analysis of today’s yuppie may vary from country to country.

A yuppie in Chicago, is not a yuppie in Madrid. If I told my friends that there were yuppies here in Spain that wore Burberry coats and pants that never reached their ankles, they would think I was putting them on.

The word yuppie means Young Urban Professional….but it has developed into a stereotype for the young business people who live in big cities, normally right next to their office and nine out of ten times in a condo. They like to go around in their fancy cars, spend lots of money, and no, they do not like to get their hands dirty. At weekends they want to go to all the latest hot spots in the city and be the first ones to see the latest film that has just come out. They like to follow trends and so they can also be considered quite “trendy” people. They seem like sheep following the shepherd, which in this case is not a shepherd, but a comfort-seeking way of life. They may be very good professionals, however. (One thing does not take away from the other.)

So now ask yourself this:

1. Do I like to go out to all the trendy places of the city?

2. Do I find myself at the cinema at the weekend to watch the latest film (even though I don’t really like it!)

3. Do I own the latest mobile device, PC, laptop or communications device?

4. Do I like to drive around in fancy cars?

5. Do I live close to the office so I can live a comfortable, convenient life?

Not all yuppies live in big cities, though. And certainly not all of them have the pleasure or luck to live nearby their office. Some may not even own a car – (they may like to taxi around town.)

In Madrid, I suppose the epitome of a Yuppie would be a person who drives a BMW, goes out to eat at VIPS every weekend or most weekends, is a tremendous slave to fashion from El Corte Inglés, likes to wear hair gel, perfume or cologne and definitely dresses smartly. They like to go out to places like the Botellita, or Archies and may even stop in for a few beers and tapas at “The Lateral”. But of course, you can not generalise nor stereotype people. Americans like to categorise things though, so classifying is considered politically correct. (They call me the Spaniard in Chicago because I speak Spanish from Spain, instead of Mexico – for example.)

One thing is for sure, being a yuppie is not all it’s cracked up to be. It is a very dynamic, and sometimes tiring lifestyle that has its limits. I am a San Sebastian yuppie (I think), but not because I am afraid to get my hands dirty, but because I think I worry too much about appearances and live close to work. Are you the same way?