Class

lemon
That was said by the lovely Alan Clarke about Hestletine.

Class is still alive and well in England, whatever anybody says. We all know David Cameron is upper middle, and the Beatles were working class to lower middle. David Beckham is working class to the day he dies. His children will probably be middle class.

Very definitely not money, but education, interests, outlook and speech. I am very middle middle with my interests in the arts, theatre and literature. I do not have the upper class taste for hunting, dogs and the outdoor life. Here in the north I have the reputation of being ‘posh’ because if the way I speak - but I am not. They’ve clearly not met any really ‘posh’ people.

I can honestly say I've never given it a thought.

You cannot buy class you either have it or you do not.

Those that have it would not dream of discussing it.

It’s the middle classes and socially observant who discuss it.

I'd like to feel that we have moved forward from defining people by class these days. It feels very dated, although I suppose it still exists. I don't feel I belong in any particular class. I'm just me.
Jason Manford made me laugh the other day, saying that although he considers himself to be working class, he knows his children are going to grow up to be middle class. (I can't make it sound funny like he did!)

hentha you have just made me think about the difference between comedians on TV and in their live shows. Now I will make my own definition of class. Someone with 'class' does not need to put the 'f word' throughout their speech. In fact I have decided that on a personal level anyone who needs to constantly swear has no 'class' at all!

MOnica...NO, I don't think I'm anything special at all! Far from it. I just dislike snobbery and class, and for someone to say she thinks working class = someone with no higher than GCSE qualifications and in manual work is very snobbish.

I am PROUD to be ordinary.

Class is a weird one. I agree that it isn't really relevant today,

I am as working class as they come - Dad worked hard all his life but we lived in a condemned slum when I was born. We moved to a council house, ate bread and dripping, wore hand me down clothes which were darned.

I suspect nurture might play a part now as to where we fit, and aspirations of course. My parents loved reading and we were read to and would read anything we could get our hands on. I lapped up learning as a result. Comprehensive school education (in it's infancy back then) and it was strict and I don't think I could have had better teachers. They introduced us to classical music, Latin, poetry, languages, the arts. I left with good A levels and went on to higher education, twice. Education might be the key?

I went on to become a decision maker, hold meetings and manage large teams of people, some of them better educated than me, and earn a good wage. My accent didn't change. I was also a single parent for much of my working life, so was never really affluent.

Flat vowel sounds put me in my place probably, but I have had a richer, more 'upper class; experience than many I suspect. No idea where I fit in but I appreciate my roots.

There is a difference between belonging to a certain social class and having class. People can be of any classification of "a class" and at the same time either have class or don't.

To me that means dress well, (not necessarily expensively), have attractively decorated and welcoming homes (of any size and in any street of any town) can speak to anyone without using coarse or swear words ( except when under great stress) or ranting at them, have a sense of humour (but don't make fun of others) , have wide general knowledge from observing the world and noticing things (but don't push their knowledge up people's noses) Well, you could add more definitions I am sure, but these things depend neither on money, aristocratic forebears or education.

You cannot buy class .... you only have to look at many celebrities and wannabe’s, who are loaded financially, but the way they dress, speak and behave prove without doubt that class cannot be bought.

There is a difference between belonging to a certain social class and having class. People can be of any classification of "a class" and at the same time either have class or don't.

Exactly. A perfect example might be Meghan - born working class, now royalty, but in my view has and always did have 'class'. Whatever class is (confidence and good manners, perhaps?), she exudes it.

I think the reason we're obsessed with it is because class isn't purely determined by wealth. There are so many indefinable aspects - background, accent, tastes, hobbies, schooling, dress... A lot of the problems seem to arise from distrust of the confidence and charm that are absorbed from a "good" private education. It would be wonderful if all our children could leave school with the same mental armour.

But frankly, nobody should do anything other than treat everyone else with courtesy and respect - whatever their background and current standing.

I was lucky, comfortably off parents and academic achievement - but I would never, ever, consider myself to be "better" than anyone else.

Wow - class post

The British Class system seems to depend for the most part on having no interest in practical things - say like physics, engineering, science, maths, etc.

So is it the case that the further up this insane idea of class structure you slot in, is based on ditching practical matters for more 'aesthetic' culture?

Does an interest, knowledge and expertise, or working in engineering matters make you upper middle class? So long as you have the cash to go with it of course

The British Class system is divisive - but we seem to be stuck with it - and it probably explains that obsession with queuing!

I can tell the class of a person by how they hold their knife and fork, how they eat and their general behaviour.

HildaW love what you had to say.

Me brought up on a council estate with warring parents(dreadful) in spite of this knew I wanted a better life.

Fast forward to now and living in my own retirement apartment in a nice area and my playing Bridge three times a week. Two married sons who own their own homes, one son has two properties(one is a pension investment) Both have a good work ethics.

So what class am I? 'working class' and have never considered anything else.

Its not where you start its where you end up!

DIL17


On your scale I would have been working class until my mid 20s/30s then raised myself to lower middle class although I have more money than many who would claim to be middle class.
Manners maketh man...and decent speech.

You are of a class called "Genteel Poverty", as am I.

Blue collar workers and white collar workers ?

Actually, who cares. I’m a human being and that’s all that counts, not stupid labels or categories thought up by another human being.

Can anyone tell me why the Labour party is always boasting that it is the party for the workers of our nation ?
I would say that at least 80% of us are (and were, up to retirement), workers!
Does "Class" come into the Labour party's promises ?

The person with class is the one who treats everyone courteously and equally, who is considerate and kind and who does not worry about class.

To have wealth is a status. Class is a position we are either born into ie royalty/title or we earn ie military, medical or what ever path we chose in our lives.

There is no such thing as 'class' now, and it certainly would not be defined as money or education. The important thing is that everybody achieves the best they can without putting others down on the way.

I worked surrounded by people who were obsessed with class. All professed to be working class and proud of their heritage. I did not have a working class background so kept quiet. It seems to me that it's OK to be 'working class and proud of it' but woe betide anyone who takes pride in being middle class.