Serious question: why is it bad to be a champagne socialist?

[JawJaw]

Being a champagne socialist is apparently a bad thing. I am mystified about this. Can someone explain why?

Yeah but that's not very socialist, is it? It's like Diane Abbott sending her kid to private school even though she thinks private education is a bad thing for society, but it's somehow OK because "it's different when you're Black".

Me too!
Cheers

Exactly this. Know people like this too who would call anyone who raises issues about immigration racist then put their kids in private school because there were too many non white people in their local school. Same people voted Corbyn telling people you need to raise tax to fund the NHS but sit with their accountants to be more tax efficient. It is totally the hypocrisy element.

TV, Film and Sport is full of them

No, it doesn’t. Partaking in behaviour that you criticise others for doing does though:

1. Wanting to squeeze others out of private school via VAT while knowing you can still afford to send your own kids (hello James OBrien)
2. Being opposed to private schools in their entirety but sending your own child because… they’re yours (hello Diane Abbott)
3. Being opposed to grammar schools but sending your own child because…they’re yours (hello Rosie Duffield)
4. Being critical of ‘nimby racists’ who don’t want their areas filled with refugee hotels, while living in a comfortable white middle class area where this would never happen (hello half of mumsnet)
5. Waxing lyrical about your children going to a state school and how progressive this makes you, while failing to disclose the fact you live in a £1.5 million house in an exclusive catchment in Surrey means your kids’ ‘wonderful state comp’ is almost as posh as Eton

I think this is why although the tories are ‘worse’ people tolerated their nonsense - they’re brazen baddies, which feels less bad than slimy/hypocritical.

Of course the person didn’t volunteer to pay extra tax! Individuals want the best for themselves and their families; the best schools and neighbourhoods etc. That’s human nature and it’s also right. But a left wing government wants to put in place a system which is fairer. If I knew that everybodywho could afford it had to pay more tax but they would then be living in a more equal society of course I would do it. In fact, that is my personal situation. I want the government to organise a fairer society which will mean me paying more.

Wanting to squeeze others out of private school via VAT while knowing you can still afford to send your own kids (hello James OBrien)
That is so hypocritical.
I found this quote from James O’Brien but I can’t work out if this means he is or isn’t using them. I think he is, isn’t he?

future generations of his family, “it won’t be a case of breaching the barricades of privilege, it will become a case of sustaining them. And that’s why I agree with the abolition of private schools, despite the fact that I’m damned if I’m going to let Jacob Rees Mogg’s children have advantages in life that I can afford to give my children.”

Both of his daughters are privately educated. He justifies it by saying that’s what his deceased father would’ve wanted. Does he think we were born yesterday?

Both of his daughters are privately educated. He justifies it by saying that’s what his deceased father would’ve wanted. Does he think we were born yesterday.

Unbelievable. I feel a bit sorry for his daughters as I’m sure the other students at their school would have pointed out their father’s hypocrisy.

He made his money working for the Express newspaper. He’s a Tory wolf in sheep’s clothing. At least Rees Mogg (🤮) doesn’t hide his odiousness, he’s open about it for all to see.

I think it's more when you call people posh w**ers from your multi million west London pad

Like Rishi Sunak and Farage did then, both were investment bankers and Sunak in particular played a role in the 2008 crash ?
Why’s being a Tory toff ok ? Like Johnson. Never understood why one section could get away with it.

But socialists should lead by example. I am not a socialist but will always pay the tax I owe without complaint. If you truly are socialist you would redistribute your own wealth to benefit others. Otherwise you aren’t a true socialist as you will always be looking to better your family over others . True socialism means you never put your family above others.

Yeah but when someone like Angela Rayner does well, none of you lot like her.

People will always want the best for themselves and their families. Nothing can change that, nothing should change that. This means that people who can afford it will always want to find the best schools for their children and the nicest neighbourhoods. It would be weird if they didn’t.
I would call myself a socialist but Diane Abbott or James O’Brien’s decisions don’t bother me because they are personal and private. I am a left winger because I think that the government should be concerned with making sure that people benefit fairly from the wealth created by society. That is a systemic concern and nothing to do with bitching about or envying others.

I actually think Angela rayner is an example to everyone . But she’s kidding herself that she is still working class.

Example -

Lily Allen: 'I would take in a refugee'
Lily Allen says that she would "of course" take a displaced child migrant into her own home after visiting the "jungle" migrant camp in Calais.
She was speaking on the Victoria Derbyshire show after being asked why "supercilious celebrities like Lily Allen and Bob Geldof do not take in refugees".

Lily Allen - the outspoken singer, who a couple years ago came under fire after apologising to Calais migrants on Britain's behalf and vowing to take in a displaced child, was asked how many refugees she's housed since. Her reply: "None."

Lily Allen - Lily Allen has sparked a furious Twitter backlash after claiming she is unable to move back to the London flat she owns because her tenants are claiming 'diplomatic immunity'.

The row has seen the singer accused of 'profiteering' by renting out the property to wealthy foreigners instead of taking in refugees as she had previously pledged.
In the now-deleted tweet, Ms Allen wrote: 'Meant to be moving back into my flat this week, but my tenants just dropped that they can't find anywhere to go up to their standards.

'Then they said they're diplomats and have diplomatic immunity and there's nothing I can do about it.
'So, who fancies a family of 3 for Xmas?'
Her plea comes after the mother-of-two – the daughter of actor Keith Allen and sister to Game of Thones star Alfie Allen – sold her £4.2million Cotswolds mansion last year after she was hit by a hefty tax bill.
Miss Allen’s tweet sparked a flurry of angry responses from fans, with many branding her a ‘champagne socialist’. Others started using the sarcastic hashtag ‘PrayForLily’ to poke fun at the star.
Twitter user Paul Watson commented: ‘Why do you have paying tenants in your flat, Lily, when you could be housing Syrian refugees?’ Eleanor Black wrote: ‘Welcome to the real world. One major difference, you’ve plenty money – go buy another house.’
Another user said: ‘Just sing outside their front door, that’ll get them shifted in under an hour.’

......

Champagne socialists are utterly vile, utter hypocrites.

@CollyBobble

Champagne socialists are utterly vile, utter hypocrites

Wow. So people who vote so that others can have a better life are utterly vile? Ok

I think the implication is that while they say they care about social issues they don't really DO anything to address them or create a genuinely equal society.

Like I've a friend who has refused to post anything on her instagram that isn't Gaza related since the 7 Oct. Fine it's maybe raising awareness but it's also a bit performative and look at how right on I am.

She is. You can't change what class you are. Class is ingrained from your upringing.

If it’s ‘personal and private’ why do those people speak out to deprive others of the choices they made for themselves, rather than leaving it as a ‘personal and private’ matter..?

@CollyBobble

Like most people in the world, when it comes down to it Lily Allen protects her own interests. I know I do, and I’m sure you do too. I don’t know why you expect Lily Allen to be a saint. She’s just a singer. But if you had to choose an opinion about how to organise a society surely you would support a system which treats people fairly. Why wouldn’t you, even if you were rich. Especially if you were rich.

I guess we'll see how much their support of Labour extends if the govt introduce tax raids on the wealthy, trusts in particular. The wealthy who support a socialist government are generally known as champagne socialists

I work in legal wealth management so I anticipate interesting times ahead

Because champagne socialists don’t actually want things to be fair. What makes you think they do when they take advantage of inequality? They like the idea of being a cool hippy lefty socialist, they like the idea of looking benevolent and like they’re ‘saving’ people, they don’t actually want it to happen.

That would also fit into my definition of champagne socialist. Someone whom lives a middle class lifestyle but claims to be working class as that is the ay they were brought up.