To think that people have the principles they can afford?

[Hullygully]

Do you have, or know anyone that does, principles that would absolutely not be ditched in the event of greater wealth?

Oh, and for long-haul flights I'd go business, or at least Premium Economy, but only because I'm rather tall and would really appreciate the legroom.

Indeed I am thinking about it all, LadyClarice.

I have had some Shocks that have set me a-pondering.

I agree with those who said that (for instance) organic, farmer's market food is something you only buy if you are comfortably off, because if you're skint you need food that is cheap, tasty and filling.
As to the private medicine/private education thing: if you pay for private medical treatment, you're freeing a place on the waiting list for someone else. ON the other hand, if you stick to state education and you are a concerned (and reasonably well educated yourself) type of parent, you can actively improve a struggling school by sending your DC there and getting involved. Though some schools are pretty much beyond one parent's efforts.

I have strong feelings about not driving - that we should be walking/cycling/using public transport. I have strong feelings about eating parentally-prepared home-cooked food made from seasonal produce round the table every evening. I have strong feelings about not overconsuming and overpossessing and about recycling anything we no longer need while it is still in good enough shape to be used by someone less fortunate.

I could easily afford to drive everywhere, have a housekeeper/cook and fill my cupboards to the brim. And life would be a lot easier... but...

About private healthcare...well. I am against the whole idea of it in principle, but I pay £40 a week to have someone listen to my brain worries. So I suppose I am a bit hypocritical in that. I have a personality disorder and the NHS just doesn't have the resources to treat it, so I don't have much choice. If I didn't, my life would be so much worse.

And if I was rich, I'd pay someone a lot more than £40.

I thought you meant it the other way around, like only (HUGE generalisation, apologies) the upper middle class can afford to be organic and what not, or that many man communists are middle class (like Lenin, Marx etc.). I thought you meant that principles can be expensive.

I would stop talking to poor people and insist on Rose petals being thrown before me wherever I go.

If I had money, I'd still have principles. I'd definitely not be one of these moaners who goes on about how much they have to pay in tax and would happily pay the higher rate knowing that I'm putting something back.

I don't have any that I would forget on developing great wealth. I would have fewer if in real poverty though.

I agree. I think it can go both ways. I could afford to buy a lot more 'stuff', but don't - partly out of principle, partly because I have no desire to do so. We could afford a great big flat screen telly (and a goat ), but make do with our tiny one because we're just not bothered (and because of environmental reasons etc). We could afford a big expensive gas-guzzler car, but we're happy with one old banger and another reasonable-but-not-top-of-the-range car that does everything we need from a car - again, partly for environmental reasons, but also because we just don't see the need to.

On the other hand, I can also afford to have some principles which I might have to abandon if I didn't have the money - buying mostly organic/fair trade, having a veg box etc.

I don't know. This all requires a bit too much deep thinking for a Wednesday afternoon.

I meant "many many communists" not many man communists.

The only principle I have that is relative to money is free-range eggs. I wouldn't ditch that, I'd just go without eggs.

I'd be able to afford more principles if I had more money.

Fortunately I have no moral objection to private schools, which I bet is the biggest thing that goes when one wins the lottery.

As I've got older and better off I've found it easier to keep to principles of buying ethically. If I got really stonking rich then I hope that I'd manage not to turn into a 'me me me' person overnight. I'd like to think that if I had squillions I'd set up some sort of organisation to do something good rather than just being preachy to friends and family

I did wonder about the man communists...

I have a friend that is a dyed in the wool hippie share all love person, that I have always admired greatly (and thought was extreme enough to kind of be doing my share too IYKWIM), but lately there have been signs of discontent and now I wonder if said person wasn't making a virtue out of necessity ie holding such principles because said person couldn't afford to live any other way.

Jean -that is marvellous.

Drawing the line at eggs.

If you pay for private medical treatment, you're freeing a place on the waiting list for someone else

I'm not sure it's that simple, SGB. Don't grill me on it, because I really don't know my arse from my elbow as far as NHS/private health economics are concerned. I should read up...

Principles become something to be apologised for to some middle-class parents, something you are expected to grow out of. "You can't put your principles before your children", after all. Because that's a super way to bring up your kids. So you'll get parents dutifully attending church for years just to get Jacinta into Catholic school, but can you imagine how this might work with other religions? "Oh, we had to attend a Jihadi Training Camp for a fortnight, but we don't mind really, the school has an EXCELLENT orchestra"...And it's fine, obviously to ditch those pesky principles when it comes to private schooling...as Mark Steel says, poorer types are expected to keep them though. I can't suddenly start burgling to send my kids to an "indie" ("I know stealing is wrong, but you can't put your principles before your children, can you, and at least I didn't shit in the wardrobe").

If you pay for private medical treatment or if you pay for private school you are indeed relieving the state of its need to pay for your treatment/your DCs education. It is the moral thing to do, if you can afford it.

Actually my children attend the local Jihadi Training Camp, it has excellent results.

I may be totes off the mark, but I use private (I get it as part of my pay package at work) and my thoughts are that by spaffing away my employer's money complaining to a private GP using private, I'm being less of a drain on NHS resources, which can be used for someone who has a greater need and less resources.

Those man communists are the WORST.

But I do remember reading somewhere back in the day how communism is largely a middle class enterprise.

Bonsoir the problem is that that then perpetuates the need for a private system.

I have a friend that is a dyed in the wool hippie share all love person, that I have always admired greatly (and thought was extreme enough to kind of be doing my share too IYKWIM), but lately there have been signs of discontent and now I wonder if said person wasn't making a virtue out of necessity ie holding such principles because said person couldn't afford to live any other way.

THIS^ I want you all to talk about this not ol private health. All right, you can do that as well, but I want to know about this.

all these great educated children don't seem to do much good for the world though do they. just end up being solicitors of bankers and making shit loads of money for themselves.

not very moralistic if you want to take that view

I wouldn't vote left no matter how much money we had.

Like living in a shithole out of laziness, but elevating it to "only dull women have perfect houses and I was put on this earth to do something a bit more than house works thankyouverymuch" kind of thing?

I wouldn't send my children to private school even if I were rich. Can you give other examples of what principles people would give up if they were richer?