Middle class life

[Blueandsilver]

Not one of those goady or provocative titles. I suppose I see Mumsnet in this bracket although perhaps less so than maybe ten years ago.

I’m just thinking things like Downton Abbey, John Lewis, national trust memberships, NCT classes, Volvos, Labradors.

What else?

'Codes' will be acceptable modes of behaviour, dress, accent, words used, and so on. It's not unique to any particular class either, in my opinion.

As long as you have basic good manners nobody worth their salt, as they say, will care about the rest.

As an example- I socially would be around a lot of traditional middle class but work with working classes. The cultures are quite different.
Working class- strong local accents, use a lot of slang. Swear more. Poor grammar.
Great sense of humour (dark), take the piss out of each other. Very affectionate. Come from big families and very inclusive. Don’t mind piling 25 people in for Christmas dinner into a house you couldn’t swing a cat in. Not bothered kids going to local secondary school as opposed to passing eleven plus and going to grammar. But do sometimes give it a go- but no tutors.
Often smoke. Drink spirits and alcopops. Diet not great and seem to have more health issues.
Very up on popular culture- go to lots of concerts. Watch a lot of TV.
Often have a static caravan

Middle class
Softer accent, sometimes over the top in trying to sound well spoken. Rarely swear (publicly anyway)
Not as funny generally.
Less affectionate. Come from smaller families.
obsessed with education and getting children into grammar school. Pay a fortune for tutors.
Kids in lots of activities- hockey and rugby, horse riding, swimming, speech and drama, girl guides/ scouts.
Don’t smoke.
eat relatively healthily but like wine.
Often go to church and church related activities.
Like going to farmers markets, local events.
Often have a second home.

These are just my observations of the two groups where I am in the UK.

I am sure others will disagree

I said above I lived in Northern Ireland! It is nothing like London.

you can say that again!

Yes- it is parochial and class is very much alive and well. But I previously lived in Scotland and it was the same.

I'm actually wondering if I'm middle class now? I mean my mother breastfed me, and I was a natural birth. She went to a grammar school and became a librarian, before becoming an engineer. My dad was a very skilled man, he earned a lot of money in the 80s and 90s, and pissed it all up against the wall. He served an apprenticeship.

I went to university twice. I have a well paid job which is nothing to do with my university degrees. My partner never went to university, but owns a company which remunerates well.

We are also from Yorkshire and we've never owned a whippet. We are extremely polite though.

I would've fiercely said I was wc, but the breastfeeding comment has got me 😕

@HMSSophia genuinely one of the most intelligent posts I’ve ever seen on here

Yes- it is parochial

absolutely

Thank you for the explanation about the codes. Very interesting.

Protestant?

That wasn't my point - the middle classes on low income are the ones who grasp on tightly to their supposed social superiority - the middle class wealthy have less to prove. Income matters....eventually.

i thought class wasn't just about money?

It isn't

the middle classes on low income are the ones who grasp on tightly to their supposed social superiority

Not necessarily, so perhaps remove the chip from your shoulder. Maybe they just recognise that they are not bona fide 'working class' and still have mostly middle class characteristics as defined by society.

Strikesagain- maybe 🙈. Forgot to mention for the middle classes ‘partial to a traybake’

No chip on my shoulder😂 they just come across as desperate wannabes clinging on.

a shed load of people in England don't even realise NI is not part of Ireland & that many there consider themselves English or that anyone from there is not wc so it's interesting that there are such strict class codes between yourselves @Janedoe82

I think you are confused - British and English are not the same. No one born in NI considers themselves English - many consider themselves British.

Yes- people in NI do not see themselves as English but as either British or Irish.
And yes- there are many people who are not working class. The educational attainment (for those that do not go to secondary schools) is higher than in England.

British and English are not the same. No one born in NI considers themselves English - many consider themselves British.

But do English people consider them British?

It's not my opinion just stuff I've seen/read.

Do any English people consider themselves British then?

Well I am not English so can’t say but bearing in mind they are collectively known as ‘brits’ I would assume they do.

That wasn't my point - the middle classes on low income are the ones who grasp on tightly to their supposed social superiority - the middle class wealthy have less to prove. Income matters....eventually.

Are you talking about lower middles, and isn't that just lack of confidence generally, or just unpleasantness by 'grasping to supposed social superiority'.

I don't think income has much to do with it. The first marker of class for some, rightly or wrongly, will be your appearance and accent.

Appearance? What sort of “appearance” denotes middle class?

Please explain in simple terms the MC code... Anyone?

@Naturelover5 I would say the code is very different depending on location. @Janedoe82s examples would be very different to what I've observed in London.