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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Affluence and Class - Linked?

160 replies

deviladvocate · 17/10/2011 14:06

Prompted by thread in chat regarding being middle class, I was startled at how many posters were offended by the suggestion that being middle class was defined by income.

AIBU to think that affluence and class are inextricably linked? Doesn't being able to move beyond simply providing food and shelter for your family mean that you become middle class - by virtue of being able to focus on the nice-to haves and not just on the essentials?

OP posts:

Pendeen · 18/10/2011 14:54

In many circumstances it does not matter to which class a person considers they belong; their 'class' is often determined by how other people view them.

Whatmeworry · 18/10/2011 15:04

In many circumstances it does not matter to which class a person considers they belong; their 'class' is often determined by how other people view them

And what they do/own....true example where we lived, 2 families living next to each other, same house, same people mover car...but - one family's kids had the latest Nike trainers and footie shirts etc, and a big wall to wall telly. Other family didn't have any of that stuff but house was full of books and musical instruments.

One set of kids had short hair, one had long...I leave you to guess who belonged to which parents and who was which class.

Whatmeworry · 18/10/2011 15:06

Also, allb these kids went to same school, but I leave it to you to guess which kids were expected to go to Uni.

usualsuspect · 18/10/2011 17:04

NO its about how other people view them ,you just proved that whatmeworry

noddyholder · 18/10/2011 17:08

Good god whatme is there a prize for solving that?

Whatmeworry · 18/10/2011 17:19

NO its about how other people view them ,you just proved that whatmeworry

You are, I assume, saying that there is no difference?

Good god whatme is there a prize for solving that?

Just the satisfaction....answers are on page 10

usualsuspect · 18/10/2011 17:20

No I'm saying that you are talking rubbish

BloodyGoreyHairyKnickers · 18/10/2011 17:23

I was called middle class a few years ago which made me look like this as I've always thought of myself as working class.

usualsuspect · 18/10/2011 17:23

It may make you feel better about your MC self to believe the stereotypes though

Fo0ffyShmooffer · 18/10/2011 17:23

Jesus whatme not sure what to say to all that.

BloodyGoreyHairyKnickers · 18/10/2011 17:25

And I am skint even when working ft and had no Dc's I was potless...

Whatmeworry · 18/10/2011 17:25

No I'm saying that you are talking rubbish

Which bit do you think is rubbish - that these people did not exist (they did) or that there was a discernable difference?

northcountrygirl · 18/10/2011 17:27

I totally agree with LeQueen and said as much in the other thread about working class mothers.

According to the wiki definition I would be middle class as I've been to university and have a professional job. But, I'm not. I will never be anything other than working class as is doesn't matter how big my house is, or how much money I have, I will always be common!

I speak with a strong regional accent. I like package holidays to the costas, and haven holidays. I read tabloids. I drink pints of stella or cheap white wine. I dress myself and the children in chain store clothes - mainly next as I can get it all delivered next day as I'm lazy. If I'm buying a special outfit it would be something quite "chavy". Fornarina, desegual, save the queen for me. Replay, chipie, miss sixty for the older ones. Catamini for the 3 year old. All quite expensive, but lets face it - not remotely "classy". I would never, ever buy Boden. I don't even know what Boden clothes look like. My kids go to state school. It's a good state school - but it's still a state school. I like the idea of saving, and I can see the importance of it, but unfortunately, I like instant gratification too much. And holidays.

usualsuspect · 18/10/2011 17:29

ok another true story ,two 19 year olds

one long hair ,plays guitar, reads load,small tv
other neighbour big tv in every room ,ipad,iphone ,short hair

guess which one is on the dole? and which ones at university?

Fo0ffyShmooffer · 18/10/2011 17:34

northcountrygirl I might love you a bit and although I haven't read the wiki definition I'm guessing that I don't fall into the MC category.

randomness · 18/10/2011 17:40

I found a weblink to a very specific and detailed class index thing ages ago (have tried to find it since and never managed.)

It was a real eye opener because one of the sections was us, described in such detail it was uncanny, religious beliefs, earnings and earning capacity, politics, attitudes to technology, music and entertainment tastes, food choices, allsorts. The other sections were just as detailed (and most definitely not us!)

It was like they'd been spying on us obviously it's possible to categorise people far better than you'd imagine.
It just doesn't boil down to under/working/middle/upper class though.

randomness · 18/10/2011 17:41

'us' meaning me and my family, you understand, not Mumsnetters!

usingapseudonym · 18/10/2011 17:43

That's funny! We're in a rubbish house and I'm broke but pretty much opposite in tastes - love radio 4, like the guardian, when we have been on holiday its usually rural and walking or a friends house in france, small telly, neutral accent, like good red wine (but can't afford it).

I think I'd rather be in your position though and affluent - money does at least buy choices!

northcountrygirl · 18/10/2011 17:55

Pseudonym - you are opposite! I would hate all the things you love. I have never even listened to Radio 4. I find the guardian too lacking in celebrity gossip. We don't have a big TV but we do have lots and lots of smaller ones. I use to try and talk "posh" but I can't keep it up for long and it's just got broader and broader over the years. I can't dring red wine as it gives me headache and I find it dyes my teeth purple (probably due to the quantities involved). I have had one rural holiday this year though. My husband isn't as common as me and it was a compromise. To be fair I did enjoy it. But not as much as getting drunk in Spain and doing Cha Cha slide at the mini disco.

I'm not affluent though infortunately!

usingapseudonym · 18/10/2011 17:56

Hehe - bet we'd get on fine in "real life" though!

northcountrygirl · 18/10/2011 17:57

Foofy - you probably do fall into the wiki MC definition. Most people seem to!

northcountrygirl · 18/10/2011 17:58

Yeah as long as you kept your evil wine to yourself!

I do have friends who are middle class. Even one who's upper class. They all call me "down to earth" which as we all know is the polite way of saying "common"!

Whatmeworry · 18/10/2011 18:04

It may make you feel better about your MC self to believe the stereotypes though

Sterotypes exist for a reason, as they are fairly good predictors.

My point was (ref the OP question) that the families I referred to were probably of fairly similar affluence levels when viewed by others (same big ticket spending choices - street, house, car, school choice etc etc) - but the parents had very different class backgrounds when you looked at lifestyle choices.

Going forward to the next generation, to me the most telling differentiator was the expectation for the kids' further education.

usualsuspect · 18/10/2011 18:17

Not any more though ,many many WC children go to university now and some of the MC don't like it one bit .

usualsuspect · 18/10/2011 18:18

not just the WC Done good kids either

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