What class are you? Poll results/discussion

Lakelady_2

I`m a cleaner and Dh is very disabled so I decided underclass is probably the right box for us.

Lakelady_2

Oh dear I really should read more posts before I have my say.
I`ll correct my original post and say - I`m effing underclass in ay!

teddyco

Didn't the class system go out with the stock market crash of 1987 and when employees stopped working for one company their whole life?

Nowadays, anyone who works hard can have a lifestyle that only the rich could afford 100 years ago.

We are living in a wonderful age!

Cinders2001

Difficult this one as we all have our own ideas about what we are. Others have other ideas about what we are too!

ceridwen

donaldtramp wrote: »

I also believe that people who think they are in a class above than their income/job can provide for causes real problems financially, socially and mentally. I've read a really good book on the topic,
Affluenza, by Oliver James, (here is the Wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affluenza

A great deal of society (though probably less so if you are on MSE;)) have bought into this "because I'm worth it" culture. We are told that we NEED this or NEED that, and aspire to have material things that we really cannot afford hence taking on debt to acquire things that we don't really need or can afford.
I do think this idea of class is a bit outdated and people trying to live up to (Hyacinth Bouquet types!) cause untold harm to their finances and lives.

Just my ramblings....
DT

I find this quite an odd sentiment to express - particularly in view of the "poster" having classified themselves as "upper middle class" and with a "nice car...that gets keyed" frequently.

Odd - because I too have read the affluenza book and quite agree. I believe in simple living myself and have a relatively simple lifestyle. I am the first to agree people shouldnt take on debt to lead a consumerist lifestyle. But the comment about "people believing they are in a class above their income/job" is very odd. Assume we believe there is a class system - then some people will "fit" the income/job they have - but many dont. Why should people mentally "downgrade" themselves because their job/income isnt up to scratch? We arent the job/income we have. Many of us have a job/income that is totally different to how we are ourselves are.....and have that job hermetically-sealed off into a different "world" that we have to go and temporarily inhabit each workday for some hours - and there is no crossover at all between the World of Our Job and our own World (in which we live our lives for the rest of the time - which is after all the majority of our time). Our values/tastes/etc are what they are totally apart from the job that is funding this.

That comment in fact smacks a bit of trying to "keep people in their (even if it isnt) place" - ie an employer who wishes to pay their staff less than the job is worth and less than they need to live on.

Matilda

Makes sense to me - I've always said that the bargain is the great middle class ethic!

donaldtramp

Ceridwen,

Good book isn't it?

But as for the comments about the nice car...

I find this quite an odd sentiment to express - particularly in view of the "poster" having classified themselves as "upper middle class" and with a "nice car...that gets keyed" frequently.

Odd - because I too have read the affluenza book and quite agree.

I do agree it's a bit odd after me saying I had read Affluenza but I did not have to take any debt whatsoever to buy the car. I used my switch card to buy it (he wouldn't take my egg cash back card;) ) I am not bragging and I admit I'm very lucky but the car didn't hardly dent my savings. It is not above my means in any sense. After all you have to enjoy life, we are only here once. When you compare this to the guys running about in cars that are so deep in credit all they consider when buying the car is the amount per month it will cost them. Not a financially savvy way to live your life.

But the comment about "people believing they are in a class above their income/job" is very odd. Assume we believe there is a class system - then some people will "fit" the income/job they have - but many dont. Why should people mentally "downgrade" themselves because their job/income isnt up to scratch? We arent the job/income we have. Many of us have a job/income that is totally different to how we are ourselves are.....and have that job hermetically-sealed off into a different "world" that we have to go and temporarily inhabit each workday for some hours - and there is no crossover at all between the World of Our Job and our own World (in which we live our lives for the rest of the time - which is after all the majority of our time). Our values/tastes/etc are what they are totally apart from the job that is funding this.

I take a totally different tack from you. I think a great deal of people will "upgrade" themselves. Is it right to do so? I believe this causes a huge number of issues.

I wish people all the best and would never knock anyone but your job/income does (unfortunately) mean a lot in this day and age. Why shouldn't it? I worked hard to attain my qualifications and my job/income. I'm just reaping the benefits of hard work

Cheers
DT

annemarigold

I prefer not to subscribe to a class. Far too rigid! I'm thinking of inventing the glass class - wysiwyg!

I am retired and living in Spain. I thought retirement would be a great leveller but interestingly it's proved the opposite. Where I live everyone seems to have notched their past up a bit. All the ex airport baggage handlers have become ex pilots!!!

This whole class thing is about status. I'm a 60s child and we thought then that individuals would be judged on their own personal merit not having regards to age, gender, religion, class, physical characteristics etc etc. Sadly the opposite seems to be true. Think of looks. We have teenage girls spending money on boob jobs etc in order to conform to some "ideal". I even think some people vote on the basis of perceived class. E.g. a person with a "working class" background who has a mortgage feeling they have now arrived in the "middle class" so can now afford to vote tory!!

annemarigold

annemarigold wrote: »

I prefer not to subscribe to a class. Far too rigid! I'm thinking of inventing the glass class - wysiwyg!

I am retired and living in Spain. I thought retirement would be a great leveller but interestingly it's proved the opposite. Where I live everyone seems to have notched their past up a bit. All the ex airport baggage handlers have become ex pilots!!!

This whole class thing is about status. I'm a 60s child and we thought then that individuals would be judged on their own personal merit not having regards to age, gender, religion, class, physical characteristics etc etc. Sadly the opposite seems to be true. Think of looks. We have teenage girls spending money on boob jobs etc in order to conform to some "ideal". I even think some people vote on the basis of perceived class. E.g. a person with a "working class" background who has a mortgage feeling they have now arrived in the "middle class" so can now afford to vote tory!!


"I wish people all the best and would never knock anyone but your job/income does (unfortunately) mean a lot in this day and age. Why shouldn't it? I worked hard to attain my qualifications and my job/income. I'm just reaping the benefits of hard work."

Ah that old chestnut that the level of remuneration in the UK correlates with effort. Sadly that is and never has been the case. Many poorly paid workers work extremely hard whilst there are high earners who do not

annemarigold

I prefer not to subscribe to a class. Far too rigid! I'm thinking of inventing the glass class - wysiwyg!

I am retired and living in Spain. I thought retirement would be a great leveller but interestingly it's proved the opposite. Where I live everyone seems to have notched their past up a bit. All the ex airport baggage handlers have become ex pilots!!!

This whole class thing is about status. I'm a 60s child and we thought then that individuals would be judged on their own personal merit not having regards to age, gender, religion, class, physical characteristics etc etc. Sadly the opposite seems to be true. Think of looks. We have teenage girls spending money on boob jobs etc in order to conform to some "ideal". I even think some people vote on the basis of perceived class. E.g. a person with a "working class" background who has a mortgage feeling they have now arrived in the "middle class" so can now afford to vote tory!!


Quote "I wish people all the best and would never knock anyone but your job/income does (unfortunately) mean a lot in this day and age. Why shouldn't it? I worked hard to attain my qualifications and my job/income. I'm just reaping the benefits of hard work."

Ah that old chestnut that the level of remuneration in the UK correlates with effort. Sadly that is and never has been the case. Many poorly paid workers work extremely hard whilst there are high earners who do not. Also one's gender plays a part. Women are still paid less for like work so presumably belong to a lower class than their male counterparts?