Fuck! Apparently I'm The Elite!!!

[hopefullyhelpfully]

Genuinely a bit confused. At a Halloween party tonight when a friend of a friend who I know vaguely said that I was part of The Elite and so would automatically be biased towards maintaining status quo. She was sort of joking but not IYSWIM?

This is news to me. Do I get a badge? Is there a T-shirt? A handshake?

I suppose I'm interested in other people's opinions. Does the Elite now encompass the well off middle class whatever their background? I don't know anyone with any influence nationally....
In context I'm from Manchester, went to a bog standard Comprehensive. DH from Luton. Our parents are respectively a printer, teacher, nurse and warehouse manager. We both benefited enormously from free university education (Oxbridge and Imperial) and the house price boom (we're late 40s) and are in lucrative jobs London living in an expensive house. We privately educate both children for secondary but not for primary.
This makes me the poshest person I could ever have imagined as a child BUT surely not this nebulous Elite???
I'm honestly interested in how other people see this...
(DH just laughing. He's now drinking a cup of tea in his dressing gown and a bow tie!)

Ok, so pine dresser and a Belfast sink in our kitchen but no island. I am typing this wearing Boden trousers. Went to a very ‘right on’ arts college. Two degrees plus professional qualifications. And I tick the boxes for hummus consumption and remain voting. O M’Netters’ privilege mavens, where do I stand?

free university education (Oxbridge and Imperial) and the house price boom (we're late 40s) and are in lucrative jobs London living in an expensive house. We privately educate both children for secondary but not for primary.

Depending on one's definition of the elite, I'd say you could potentially fit one of them. And in the context of the sort of conversation you seemd to be having, I can see why she used the word.

You're well off beyond the dreams of most people, and the way the country is working at the moment benefits you hugely compared to people who are struggling to make ends meet. So yes, I can see what she might have meant about you being in a position to want to stick to the status quo.

Well my parents were from India, from wealthy landed families, both had their own large mansion sized homes with servants. In England we lived in a modest semi, went on holiday to India once a year and lived like kings. But I went to a comprehensive, a FE college for A levels and then a Russell Group uni. Not elite. But my parents were. I would never consider myself to be any more than averagely MC

And I tick the boxes for hummus consumption and remain voting. O M’Netters’ privilege mavens, where do I stand?

Pitch pine or cheap orange pine? - devil's in the detail m'dear.

Well I came out as elite on the BBC thing, load of nonsense, I just have a DP with a very good pension, we live in London in a house we bought 17 years ago which has of course soared in value, and have friends who do high-powered jobs, but I never did, I dropped out of university and don't have a degree.

I just took that BBC quiz and I'm elite. I must tell the neighbours.

Saraclara
You're well off beyond the dreams of most people, and the way the country is working at the moment benefits you hugely compared to people who are struggling to make ends meet. So yes, I can see what she might have meant about you being in a position to want to stick to the status quo.

You're absolutely right about it benefitting us but what annoyed me was the implicit assumption that I'd therefore want things to stay the same - we're ok, screw everyone else. My mum worked as a nurse full time for 37 years. DH's mum was a teacher. Neither mum would speak to us again if there was even a whiff of Tory....

Tbf there is a certain type of champagne socialist who when professing their love of multiculturalism & diversity are talking about their European nanny or childminder and the ability to buy authentic Baba Ghanoush from the deli. In the same way they are worried about knife crime affecting their kids, although less fussed about the young black kids dying (because they are obvs all in gangs) but don't seem to link their recreational drug taking with any criminal activity.

I really wouldn’t dwell on it op. It’s not important.

Well I never do drugs and don't like aubergine....

@hopefullyhelpfully would you vote for a party that increased income tax or lowered the threshold of inheritance tax or abolished private schools?

Well who do you vote for OP?

I'm not sure I would tbh

Well, obviously you are one of the Liberal Elite, unlike the privately educated, hugely wealthy Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage and the sort of hugely elitist hedge fund managers who think they will make a killing out of changing the status quo. Obviously, they are not the Elite that your friend was thinking of - they are clearly the salt of the earth.

Craftycorvid
I think you're like me. And my friends. In fact you could well be one of two friends...

Neither mum would speak to us again if there was even a whiff of Tory....

This just completely changed my opinion of you.

You're absolutely right about it benefitting us but what annoyed me was the implicit assumption that I'd therefore want things to stay the same

Sure but that doesn't mean you're not elite. I think it is possible to be elite and have a social conscience. If you're going to take offence at anything I'd suggest it's the assumption that that;s not possible. Don't try and argue away your privilege or you'll tie yourself in knots.

People's perceptions are funny aren't they?
DH and I were discussing it the other day. I always felt a bit poor and like we didn't fit in in our old town and now we've moved I feel all happy and settled. DH on the other hand feels poorer here.

Try not to dwell on it OP - I once got told I was speaking from a position of priviledge - I grew up on an estate and had FSM!

Okay, she's wrong about you wanting the status quo. But yep, you are pretty elite. And given your background, I don't quite understand how you don't see that.

Cherrysherbert
Neither mum would speak to us again if there was even a whiff of Tory....

This just completely changed my opinion of you.

Interesting. Why? In a positive or negative way?

Surely your children have to board

You have at least one horse

You say champers

Yes I think you're part of 'The Elite'; you have lucrative London jobs and an expensive house and are able to afford a lifestyle that the majority of people cannot afford.

You were not born into the elite but an Oxbridge education, progress in your chosen careers etc. means you now are a member. If you vote liberally though then it sounds like you still care about other people so you obviously don't fit the stereotype!

Vanya
no!

If your children aren’t privately educated from Pre Prep then you’re definitely non elite

I've never met anyone under the age of 50 who's confessed to voting Conservative, even though their policies benefit those in my circle. It's very fashionable to read The Guardian & bash the Tories (not saying it's not deserved) but clearly plenty of liberal elites do want to keep the status quo but just never admit that.