Pippa Middleton has had a baby girl[smile]

BigBertha1 - Too right!

I have a lot of sympathy for Pippa and her contempories. This thread and comments elsewhere have raised again a question I have thought about often. I wish someone could explain to me why it is nowadays preferable to have been born into a poor family, rather than a middle class one, or God forbid, an upper class one. The worse thing to admit is that you were privately educated, a big no-no, it might result in sounding ‘Posh’. No-one chooses the family into which they are born, no-one should feel they have to disguise their birthright be they born in castle or cottage, nor should they have to put up with snide remarks. The child of a rich man with 4 A*s at A level has as much right to a top university place as the daughter of a poor one and vice versa.

Rant over, By the way before there is any speculation I was not born into a rich family, nor a poor one, but I was privately educated for 8 years.

Which begs the question Lexisgranny is it inverted snobbery or jealousy?

Totally agree with your post Lexigranny

What is perceived as unearned privilege always divides people Lexisgranny. Unfortunately it wouldn't matter how hard a family had worked for what they have, or how little they had the perception of them having 'more' than others is often disproportionate to the ability to live and let live.

Strangely it seems to be acceptable to be born into a wealthy family and be a millionaire if you decide to become a left wing politician. Tony Benn springs to mind.

I entirely agree, but difficult to fight when you are on the end of it as I am sure Pippa has found.

Lexisgranny

I have a lot of sympathy for Pippa and her contempories. This thread and comments elsewhere have raised again a question I have thought about often. I wish someone could explain to me why it is nowadays preferable to have been born into a poor family, rather than a middle class one, or God forbid, an upper class one. The worse thing to admit is that you were privately educated, a big no-no, it might result in sounding ‘Posh’. No-one chooses the family into which they are born, no-one should feel they have to disguise their birthright be they born in castle or cottage, nor should they have to put up with snide remarks. The child of a rich man with 4 A*s at A level has as much right to a top university place as the daughter of a poor one and vice versa.

Rant over, By the way before there is any speculation I was not born into a rich family, nor a poor one, but I was privately educated for 8 years.

Fair enough. Out of interest- assuming you have children- did the papers cover the birth and announce the name? Did total strangers obsess over it? That’s the sticking point. Not how rich or otherwise she is.

Surely it is preferable that nobody is born poor

Yes of course.

grandmajet

Strangely it seems to be acceptable to be born into a wealthy family and be a millionaire if you decide to become a left wing politician. Tony Benn springs to mind.

I don’t think this is generally true - wealthy left of centre people are frequently sneered at by right of centre people.FWIW there is nothing wrong with it - many of our great social reformers have been wealthy and left of centre

Polarbear2. I just started my post by saying that I had sympathy for Pippa etc.

Maybe I should have started a new paragraph then, because then I went on to speak about those who get a lot of snide remarks about the way they speak and where they went to school, not necessarily in newspapers, but from what some might call privileged homes.

JaneJudge In an ideal world, no one should be born poor, but neither is it a crime not to be poor.

Sorry. Feeling v grumpy today. Apols.

I don't think anyone has suggested it is a crime have they? you posted;

" I wish someone could explain to me why it is nowadays preferable to have been born into a poor family, rather than a middle class one, or God forbid, an upper class one."

It is never preferable to be born poor. Can you explain why you think it is preferable to be born into a poor family? You have mentioned snide comments but has it affected you in adverse manner to have been given 8 years of private education or to have been 'middle class'?

People have agreed with you but no one has explained the benefits of being born poor. I'm interested to hear what they are

No need to apologise, I should have written more clearly. Hope you have a good evening.

Is it unkind to be called posh? I don’t think most people would prefer to be poor than posh - I’m guessing most people would rather be posh than poor given the choice wouldn’t they?

Vegansrock It is possible to be called Posh in a very derisory way based on the way you speak. It is a form of bullying that I have experienced, as have members of my family.

Thanks for the Joan Hunter Dunn poem posted upthread.
Years since I read it.

All I want to say is that whatever your background it is quite possible to face difficulties, I would just like to see this more universally acknowledged. Everyone deserves a fair chance if they work hard and do their best and whereas I applaud all those who succeed against adversity, I don’t condone that, as happens so often, it is implied that those from more affluent backgrounds have had everything handed to them on a plate, yes there are advantages, but there are still exams to pass etc.

I don’t intend to say any more, this could go into a marathon,

Lexisgranny

All I want to say is that whatever your background it is quite possible to face difficulties, I would just like to see this more universally acknowledged. Everyone deserves a fair chance if they work hard and do their best and whereas I applaud all those who succeed against adversity, I don’t condone that, as happens so often, it is implied that those from more affluent backgrounds have had everything handed to them on a plate, yes there are advantages, but there are still exams to pass etc.

I don’t intend to say any more, this could go into a marathon,

Well I’ve been poor and I’ve been better off - better off is better.

Lexi, I think it would have been kinder and more influential if you'd actually said why you feel disadvantaged because you went to private school and were/are middle class as it is quite alien to people who are poor and that being preferable. I work with disadvantaged families (not just financial disadvantage) and take away one luxury you take for granted for a few days and see how you would cope with that. I always use hot water as an example as having a cold wash in a cold bathroom instead of a quick warm shower in a warm room, is the reality for some people, then you have you have to put on the clothes you have had to wear for the last few days as you haven't got the facilities to dry your clothes even if you washed them. Being cold is a reality for lots of people who are poor. I don't want to lecture you but can you please think before you post coming from a poor family is seen as preferable. It is never preferable to be poor.

I also have some seriously seriously wealthy friends - inherited wealth handed to them on a very very very big plate. I have friends from modest backgrounds who have succeeded in building up a successful business or a thriving career and I’ve friends who despite working hard and being thoroughly decent people have never been materially comfortable, it’s much more complex than is being presented by some posters on here.

That is absolutely true. However no one should be on the receiving end of an insult based purely on the wealth or otherwise of their birth family.

grandmajet

That is absolutely true. However no one should be on the receiving end of an insult based purely on the wealth or otherwise of their birth family.

I never said anyone should be

Right, I said I wouldn’t do this but now I am forced to reply, JaneJudge you are, as I suspected some would, looking for things that are not there.

You know nothing whatsoever about me, and I take great exception to what you have said. You say you don’t want to lecture, but that is exactly what you are doing,

I have not claimed to be from any class, you are making assumptions. Incidently there are students of all classes at private schools, have you never heard of scholarships and Bursaries?

At no time in my life have I personally felt disadvantaged from being privately educated so it would be very difficult to do what you suggest. My accent has been mocked, but that says more about those doing the mocking than it does me.

What I was referring to was the way that coming from a poorer background has somehow become a major virtue, and those that have been more fortunate are made to feel guilty about the fact that they are more fortunate. Examples of this can be seen in the press regularly, think politicians in all parties. Similarly, there have even been articles about various individuals in the Public Eye who try to imply a poorer background because they think it gives them more kudos.

I too have worked with families in very reduced circumstances, so I really didn’t need to hear your homily, once again you know nothing about me, my career, my life

You have obviously read something into my post that was not intended, for which I am sorry, of course material wealth makes life easier, only an idiot would disagree, but that was not my point.