Is this money embarassment or classism or what else?

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Why do people react so strongly about anything new/shiny/'flashy?
Everything seems to be 'naff' and 'chavvy'.

Ok i dont personally like some things i.e. designer clothes, flashy cars, gold, pools but i don't mind if others like them. It brings some fun in our streets.

Some other 'naff' things i do like them i.e. leather sofas, i-phone, electronic gates.

Too much modesty is boring. We need some glamour

Why are people so scared of commiting the 'chav/naff' sin? Is this to do with 'classism' or something else?

True Class is being confident enough to buy what you like and stuff what everybody else thinks!!!

... but perhaps also remembering that our planet doesn't have infinite resources ? that all those new shiny things one day will end up in landfill ? that the people whose work it is to make these things could never afford them themselves because like most of the world's population they weren't born in the rich western world ?

True Class for me means rising above unecessary material possessions, however shiny and expensive !!! Glamorous and fun are attitudes, not ownership-related IMO.

True class for me is driving an 11 year old mpv into Jack Barclay to collect a bill for the fleet owned by DH's company. Oh their faces when I gave my name .

married

catgirl, do you work for them?

saying things like "I have stayed at some of the most luxurious hotels in the world" But in murdoch times who paid?

I don't agree that true class is about rising above material possessions (how else is wealth spread if the haves don't spend it), as there are some very classy broke people I know. I think if you can afford nice things, its about not feeling the urge to show everyone you have money, but if you can't afford it, then not pretending that you do. Having said all that I love glitz, just not oodles of it!!

No don't work for them.

I agree novice.

Can someone explain to me what wealthy people who 'rise above material possessions' do with their money then? Unless you give it all to charities how do you rise above materialism?

invest it to accumulate more!!

I think one reaches a limit. We have a large Victorian Terrace in London in a prestige location. When the children were smaller we thought one day we'd buy a stonking great place on the Coombe Estate or similar. Now we're thinking - well they won't be at home for much longer - we don't need any more space and the garden will be too much for us - perhaps we should buy something smaller - that we can then live in forever - even though we could buy something bigger and posher outright now and have change for a holiday home.

What do I do with my money: well, I don't think I'm extravagant. I shop at M&S and John Lewis and buy a few better bits, ie, LK Bennett, Reiss, Phase 8, etc.. I have a weakness for shoes and might spend 100 a pair but am wearing three year old Joseph Siebel sandals at the moment. I have everything I want; the DC have everything they want - I take my dd shopping and say "would you like to chose a new outfit, have a new pair of shoes" and she says "no thanks - can we just go to Waterstones/Game please". Where she might spend her pocket money (she gets 12.50 pcm from me and probably 10 from one or the other grandmas). I might buy a Radley handbag or the equiv every year.