What class would you place yourself in?
30 December 2009, 12:07 PM
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What class would you place yourself in?
Reading through SNet I have seen people categorised as middle/lower-middle/working class etc.
What in your opinion divides these classes, and of interest what class would you place yourselves in and why?
Also do you believe you can "work your way up" or do you stay in the class you were born into?
What in your opinion divides these classes, and of interest what class would you place yourselves in and why?
Also do you believe you can "work your way up" or do you stay in the class you were born into?
30 December 2009, 12:19 PM
#2
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working class, last year I would have considered myself creeping out of working class as both myself and my partner bringing in more than the national average and had quite a lavish life style........then i bolloxed it all up and now we're skint!
30 December 2009, 12:25 PM
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To answer the last question, then maybe!
My mother was 16 when I was born, she was from a council house in central Middlesborough and I was born in a Home for Fallen Women in the West End of Newcastle. My father does not appear on my birth certificate, all I know is that he was asian, probably Malasian.
My mother's father was a motor engineer and her mother a shop girl.
So I guess I was born working class.
I now run my own business, up until five years ago I was a director of a major UK financial services company before deciding to leave.
So I guess you can be upwardly mobile if you choose to be. If I am honest I think I have been amazingly lucky. I have no idea what class I am in. I am not working class; although I do not meet many of the aspects of being middle class either.
My mother was 16 when I was born, she was from a council house in central Middlesborough and I was born in a Home for Fallen Women in the West End of Newcastle. My father does not appear on my birth certificate, all I know is that he was asian, probably Malasian.
My mother's father was a motor engineer and her mother a shop girl.
So I guess I was born working class.
I now run my own business, up until five years ago I was a director of a major UK financial services company before deciding to leave.
So I guess you can be upwardly mobile if you choose to be. If I am honest I think I have been amazingly lucky. I have no idea what class I am in. I am not working class; although I do not meet many of the aspects of being middle class either.
30 December 2009, 12:28 PM
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To answer the last question, then maybe!
My mother was 16 when I was born, she was from a council house in central Middlesborough and I was born in a Home for Fallen Women in the West End of Newcastle. My father does not appear on my birth certificate, all I know is that he was asian, probably Malasian.
My mother's father was a motor engineer and her mother a shop girl.
So I guess I was born working class.
I now run my own business, up until five years ago I was a director of a major UK financial services company before deciding to leave.
So I guess you can be upwardly mobile if you choose to be. If I am honest I think I have been amazingly lucky. I have no idea what class I am in. I am not working class; although I do not meet many of the aspects of being middle class either.
My mother was 16 when I was born, she was from a council house in central Middlesborough and I was born in a Home for Fallen Women in the West End of Newcastle. My father does not appear on my birth certificate, all I know is that he was asian, probably Malasian.
My mother's father was a motor engineer and her mother a shop girl.
So I guess I was born working class.
I now run my own business, up until five years ago I was a director of a major UK financial services company before deciding to leave.
So I guess you can be upwardly mobile if you choose to be. If I am honest I think I have been amazingly lucky. I have no idea what class I am in. I am not working class; although I do not meet many of the aspects of being middle class either.
And what would they be?
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30 December 2009, 12:35 PM
#11
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No, but i considered myself at the time as moving up because i felt i had the same as the Volvo crowd, in reality was just working class getting into debt to punch above my weight.
It is money that dictates your class in the eyes of others but it doesn't dictate your class although money will dictate the class of your children.
It is money that dictates your class in the eyes of others but it doesn't dictate your class although money will dictate the class of your children.
30 December 2009, 12:39 PM
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No, but i considered myself at the time as moving up because i felt i had the same as the Volvo crowd, in reality was just working class getting into debt to punch above my weight.
It is money that dictates your class in the eyes of others but it doesn't dictate your class although money will dictate the class of your children.
It is money that dictates your class in the eyes of others but it doesn't dictate your class although money will dictate the class of your children.
How about education or career?
30 December 2009, 12:55 PM
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30 December 2009, 12:56 PM
#16
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Really don't know what class I would place myself in... not that I want to!
My Mum studied law at St Andrews, got the dux medal at her school etc so is very well educated. My Dad came from the worst upbringing imaginable and builds sheds and industrial steel for a living, and funnily enough earns more than my Mum now.
I was given every opportunity by my Mum's side of the family to have private education, but didn't want it, as all the pals I'd made where I stay were going to comprehensive. Don't regret that one bit.
I dropped out of college when I was doing a music degree because I got fed up with it, then started doing various labouring jobs just to have some cash. I was then offered a job and apprenticeship with a joiner, so I did that for a year, leaving due to the fact he didn't get me the apprenticeship as promised. Then I worked for my Dad for two years building all sorts of steel-framed buildings, which I loved, but unfortunately just couldn't get on with my him in the end.
So I started learning about the stock market(something I was interested in previously anyway) and dabbled while still working for my Dad until I was confident I could sort of support myself doing it full time.
What class would you place me in based on that detailed description? Lol I like to think I can talk to or get on with anyone from any 'class', and wouldn't consider myself above or below anyone I could get on with.
If I had to, I'd probably say I'm somewhere between working and middle class.
My Mum studied law at St Andrews, got the dux medal at her school etc so is very well educated. My Dad came from the worst upbringing imaginable and builds sheds and industrial steel for a living, and funnily enough earns more than my Mum now.
I was given every opportunity by my Mum's side of the family to have private education, but didn't want it, as all the pals I'd made where I stay were going to comprehensive. Don't regret that one bit.
I dropped out of college when I was doing a music degree because I got fed up with it, then started doing various labouring jobs just to have some cash. I was then offered a job and apprenticeship with a joiner, so I did that for a year, leaving due to the fact he didn't get me the apprenticeship as promised. Then I worked for my Dad for two years building all sorts of steel-framed buildings, which I loved, but unfortunately just couldn't get on with my him in the end.
So I started learning about the stock market(something I was interested in previously anyway) and dabbled while still working for my Dad until I was confident I could sort of support myself doing it full time.
What class would you place me in based on that detailed description? Lol I like to think I can talk to or get on with anyone from any 'class', and wouldn't consider myself above or below anyone I could get on with.
If I had to, I'd probably say I'm somewhere between working and middle class.
30 December 2009, 01:02 PM
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surely if you have to work to live/survive, you must be working class? actually i guess hourly paid, rather than salaried, maybe
also, possibly public school education might dictate a leaning towards middle class.
being a lord of the manor / friend of the queen etc might place an upper class tag on you.
as said above though.... money does not buy you class.
a difficult thing to describe, is class.
also, possibly public school education might dictate a leaning towards middle class.
being a lord of the manor / friend of the queen etc might place an upper class tag on you.
as said above though.... money does not buy you class.
a difficult thing to describe, is class.
Last edited by WRX_Dazza; 30 December 2009 at 01:04 PM.
30 December 2009, 01:03 PM
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As for class, who gives a t*55 apart from Gordon Brown and the rest of his party of political pygmies??
Dave
30 December 2009, 01:09 PM
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surely if you have to work to live/survive, you must be working class? actually i guess hourly paid, rather than salaried, maybe
also, possibly public school education might dictate a leaning towards middle class.
being a lord of the manor / friend of the queen etc might place an upper class tag on you.
as said above though.... money does not buy you class.
a difficult thing to describe, is class.
also, possibly public school education might dictate a leaning towards middle class.
being a lord of the manor / friend of the queen etc might place an upper class tag on you.
as said above though.... money does not buy you class.
a difficult thing to describe, is class.
Those that class themselves as middle class have to eat etc, (survive), I doubt they get that for free.
30 December 2009, 01:13 PM
#23
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Does "daddy" not supply everything to the middleclass? It turns my stomach hearing full grown adults talking about "daddy" and how "daddy" is going to do this and get that. Infact i'd go as far as saying it makes me ill.
30 December 2009, 01:35 PM
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Interesting subject - and one which is completely open to debate as there are lots of ways of determining class. From wiki;
In Britain people considered of lower social standing can earn high incomes, but an individual's social class is still largely assessed by their parent's mannerisms, education and the status. People are often perceived as being upper class if they were educated by a public school, use Received Pronunciation and own a large number of inherited items such as antique furniture, even if they hold a job that has a lower rate of pay or is regarded as socially inferior. Similarly, many high earners can be perceived as belonging to a lower class by dint of having attended state schools or having occupations that society deems lower class, even though they pay relatively well.
30 December 2009, 01:41 PM
#27
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My parents came from Working Class families. They've worked hard all of their lives to give my sister and I the best they could (not just materialistic stuff, but a better way of life than they had - which in all fairness was good anyway)
I would like to think that I'm Middle-class, but I've got Working-class values too. I've worked and studied hard to get to where I am now. I have a good job, as does my Wife, we live in a nice house etc etc, but we also have good family values that focus on education, circle of friends (due to our jobs), and wholesome activities - ie not hanging around at night, or lying in front of the TV etc - not that we sit there debating stuff etc!! LOL!
Class seems to mean different things to different people - academia, finance, accent and location, manner in which one conducts oneself.
IMHO, there's nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself in any way. The whole issue of not forgetting your roots is an interesting one - you have to remember where you came from to know where you're going to, but you bring with you the things you want to bring with you.
Hope this kinda makes sense - it's not a subject that I usually talk about, as I just get on and do what I do.
I think that other people judge your class rather than you.
Dan
I would like to think that I'm Middle-class, but I've got Working-class values too. I've worked and studied hard to get to where I am now. I have a good job, as does my Wife, we live in a nice house etc etc, but we also have good family values that focus on education, circle of friends (due to our jobs), and wholesome activities - ie not hanging around at night, or lying in front of the TV etc - not that we sit there debating stuff etc!! LOL!
Class seems to mean different things to different people - academia, finance, accent and location, manner in which one conducts oneself.
IMHO, there's nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself in any way. The whole issue of not forgetting your roots is an interesting one - you have to remember where you came from to know where you're going to, but you bring with you the things you want to bring with you.
Hope this kinda makes sense - it's not a subject that I usually talk about, as I just get on and do what I do.
I think that other people judge your class rather than you.
Dan
30 December 2009, 01:52 PM
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When I got my BSc I thought I was upper class, that notion was quickly robbed from me when getting my first real job, so went onto do a MSc and now doing a MPhill/PhD which is sponsored by my employer. I don't think it matters what level of education you have, it still doesn't change what class you are, you could argue that high level blue collar occupations bring you class, but to get there you (parents) would need immense amounts of cash to fund you through childhood/teenage years.
Same with money, you could go win 30 million of the euro lottery, but still be a total scumbag.
I think class is probably something you are born into. How much power and influence you can leverage over other people, wither that be political or in a business sense.
I must be working class, I have bosses I have to appease and if I don't, I'm out. Even if you are self employed, you are working for somebody. I suppose if you are totally independent from all this, have enough capital to invest into growing markets or the like and make a lavish lifestyle from, you could consider yourself middle class.
Same with money, you could go win 30 million of the euro lottery, but still be a total scumbag.
I think class is probably something you are born into. How much power and influence you can leverage over other people, wither that be political or in a business sense.
I must be working class, I have bosses I have to appease and if I don't, I'm out. Even if you are self employed, you are working for somebody. I suppose if you are totally independent from all this, have enough capital to invest into growing markets or the like and make a lavish lifestyle from, you could consider yourself middle class.