How do you define being Common !!!

Oh dear have I accidently trod on toes? I dont see it as as being critical. My opinion as I said. It seems weird if one doesnt agree suddenly your judged as critical. Im an individual with views of my own.I probably wont comment on the "snobs" thread. Never judge a book by its cover I was taught.

But you did comment on the 'common' thread, expressing your opinion that we were judging others...?

I assumed most posts were light-hearted. It is only a forum.

Jeni it's perfectly normal for someone to go on a thread in order to disagree with it.

grannygrace hang on in there. You've made a perfectly valid point which needs to be reiterated on this thread every now and then. I can understand why someone new would be appalled by the seeming snobbery.

@Greatnan -- BBC never used laugh tracks! And ITMA certainly had all the laughter they needed from their studio audiences.

My apologies to the BBC. Do you remember Thursday nights - Take it from Here, Raise a Laugh and Life with the Lyons?I can remember all the introductory songs! Round the Horn had some very dangerous double entendres at a time when homosexual behaviour was still a crime - 'I'm Sandy, and this is my friend Julian'.
Hancock, Al Read.......giants amongst comedians. The 6.30 p.m. comedy slot on Radio 4 now is very patchy but I suppose they have to give newcomers a chance. We still have Just a Minute on radio, and The News Quiz. The Now Show has some good satirical bits.
I watched the TV programmes about Bob Monkhouse and Tommy Cooper very late last night - I couldn't stand the oleaginous Monkhouse but loved Cooper.

Sadly, it is all too common for people to drop litter, as the state of the heads of many sea lochs in Scotland proves. I would not call someone who drops litter common. In fact, I wouldn't call them anything (for fear of being attacked) but I think it's slobbish and selfish and uncaring behaviour. I think I'm allowed to make that judgement based on behaviour.

Bagitha, you are allowed to make any point you like within forum etiquette - what on earth would we do without your sharp wit and wisdom!
I think sometimes irony is not fully appreciated so perhaps we need a special emoticon - but that would rather defeat the purpose,wouldn't it?

Greatnan!

When I was at school, kids from the local secondary used to pick on me for being a 'grammar school snob' I definitely thought they were a bit bonkers.

Then years later, I discovered some people including my in laws thought I was common because of being a Grammar school kid as opposed to privately educated. I thought they were bonkers too.

wicci

I used to get stones thrown at me when I wore my grammar school uniform (which was second hand as the new uniform could only be bought from one, very expensive, shop).
The head nun did one kind act - she lent me the whole term's dinner money so I wouldn't be embarrassed when the form teacher collected it. I paid her back week by week - the only way my mother could afford it.
My sister and I have agreed that we were never 'hungry poor' - just 'humiliated poor' - it was my job to ask the grocer if we could have bread and milk 'on tick'.
We thought the height of luxury was to have pyjamas, slippers, and a tooth brush.

@ Greatnan, we were 'humiliated poor' too.

Some people have thought me common because of my job, when discussing family trees recently, I mentioned we have an Admiral way back somewhere, & this women declared "ooh! your quite high class really, aren't you?" I just had to add that my grandad was a member of the IRA, her face was a picture!

The awful common job I do? I'm a nurse.

Nowt wrong with that. Two of my aunts were nurses. I think it's harder work than being a doctor if it's done properly!

Mr Reeves, our milkman, circa 1947-ish, was heard to remark...'there go the ** snobs...' At the time, I would have been six and my sister four. We lived in a council house on the downside of our village. We had been taught polite ways - p's and q's and such. Our young parents had always made sure that, apart from behaving like little ladies, we also wore polished shoes and nicely laundered clothes. I have NEVER forgotten how hurtful his throw-away remark was to me at such a young age.

Nursing is a profession.

Agreed!

I was going to college for a year to learn shorthand/typing after leaving school at 15. Anyway, we had to pick one other subject and I asked mum for her advice and she said 'needlework'. The other kids burst out laughing when they heard what my subject was going to be. They weren't being kindly and I realised needlework wasn't appropriate; it had to be something academic.

However poor you are it's a benefit to have parents who know their way around the system a bit.

I managed to claw my way up the social scale in the end, though, and as proof that I did here I am on Gransnet

Thanks guys, I know I'm in a worthy profession, Mum, Dad & my other Grandad were all nurses, plus 3 aunties, 1 uncle, 1 cousin, 1 sister & 1 sister in law.

I'm just surprised that some people view it as 'common'

I don't think anyone has said nursing is common! One of my grand-daughters is taking a nursing degree in New Zealand - she can switch to a medical degree at the end of this year as her grades are so high (she has been given a scholarship for next year's fees). She loves nursing and her Director of Nursing says she will go right to the top if she stays in the profession. She would probably earn more in the long run if she became a doctor, but she loves the close contact with patients and may well work as a nurse for at least a few years.
I believe all nursing courses in the UK are also at degree level - in fact I have read some criticism of the fact that it has been over-professionalised so that some nurses are reluctant to do any of the traditional jobs, like washing patient and changing beds.
In the past, there were State Registered Nurses and State Enrolled Nurses, and the latter usually carried out the work now done by care assistants.

I hope membership of Gransnet is seen to be open to all who wish to join, irrespective of what life might have offered them in the way of educational chances and qualifications. Wisdom does not depend on having a degree - looking at the Boat Race idiot, it might be thought they are inversely proportional!

Greatnan, no one here has said nursing was common, it's just been my unfortunate experience in the real world.

I'm an old style SRN and even within the profession there's snobbery about not having a degree, although we have to keep up to date & the many courses I've done would add up to a degree if I was bothered about getting the accreditation.
As however, it won't achieve better pay or promotion, I don't see the point.

Frankly, wiccibat, I think the 'old style SRNs' were far better nurses than the new style ones with degrees who are reluctant to get their hands dirty. No need for snobbery there!

Yes, I am an old style SRN too. I started at 16 as a cadet nurse so I already had two years practical experience before I went into PTS. All of our lectures and exams were done alongside of our ward work, it was hard work but I would not have had it any other way.

They have a placement every three months in NZ - my GD loves them. She is fancying geriatric nursing which might come in handy!

Ladies Day at Aintree as shown on the BBC News at 6 tonight, takes common to a whole new level!