To wonder why MN is obsessed with class?

[Moknicker]

Having read yet another class related thread here, I confess to being puzzled by it. I am a foreigner but have lived in the UK for 15 years and am married to an Englishman. I can honestly say that in all my social interactions here "social class" has never been a factor that has determined anything in my life - be it finding friends, getting a job, etc. Of course lots of other things have been factors - my foreignness, education levels, income levels but never whether I say "napkin" or "serviette" or where I buy my groceries etc.

Is it different for the posters in the "class" threads? Has it ever made it difference to your day to day lives as to what class you were. Or are these just academic discussions (albeit interesting ones) to while away some time? But if so, then why do they crop up again and again?

I find the nuances of class in Britain tremendously interesting in a sort of anthropological way. Attaching value judgements to supermarkets is bloody interesting - how it's communicated, who gets to 'break' the rules and what THAT says, etc etc

it is really interesting, I agree

Oh I love it.

This website is like a continuation of Jilly Cooper's class, with which I was obsessed when i was 14 or so.

Only peasants say pardon etc.

I agree with Lequeen - I am a parvenu, but I never find myself feeling socially inferior. I do however work with some of the most intelligent people in the country, that makes me feel inferior.

Y'see, I know Le Queen is common because she says FFS

LeQueen so what are you? You sound more MC and certainly don't really fall into the description of WC. The US confuses me, sounds like their middle class is more our respectable WC. They go on about upper middle and lower middle and so on.

I'm a right classy bird me!

I don't

I'm a right classy bird me!

I don't have any experience of class tbh

In my humble opinion, the people who feel the need to look down on others, or brag about what class they are in dont have an ounce of class in their bodies.

I think it's reflective of society, though of course people don't speak so openly IRL as they do on MN. IMO other countries do always have class issues but it manifests itself in different ways.

'I also fret about the DDs looking clean, and neat, with shiney shoes every day for school...which obviously highlights my WC roots. My genuinely MC friends are perfectly relaxed for their DCs to go to school with unbrushed hair, and muddy shoes'

See, now I'm confused as that definitely makes me MC - or just a lazy cow.

I grew up in a middle class life. I'm now lower class I guess, on face value- unemployed, single mother, pregnant at 14. (though I am about to start uni, we live in a nice house, have nice stuff and nice holidays etc and I do have a partner, I'm single in the respect that he doesn't live with us and he's not ds dad).

Class doesn't affect who and how I interact with people, factors of class do however.

Ah, but it's HOW you swear, Le queen ;-)

Begonia are you British? And you have no perception of what class you are?

I guess I'll always feel WC no matter how much money, how big the house is etc or how many degrees I got. On paper we look MC though. I love my slum roots, always good for a laugh or shocking the more genteel!

LaQ
..... That looks WRONG!

LeQ.

I have a university Degree and private ed, and am married to a company director. I'm definitely work class.

See op, THAT's why class in the IK is so interesting to discuss

I'm now lower class I guess, on face value- unemployed, single mother, pregnant at 14

Do you want a fight? outside NOW.....

x posted begonia sorry-i was confused by your confusion

valiumredhead

Practically every link on MN is to the DM

mmm, but mostly it's to say "Look, how ghastly, the lower middle classes read this gutter trash."

Traineebaby - "factors of class do however."

What do you mean by that?

MarysBeard - Of course other countries do have it, but normally education achievement and wealth can make one transcend class barriers.

It's only here that someone with a profile like LaQueen (is this the same as LeQueen???) still claims to be "passing for MC".

TraineeBabyCatcher - i always thought if you were born MC then you'll always be MC, don't think you can downclass, not in your own lifetime really - as i see it anyway.

I think traineebabycatcher sums it up nicely in her post...see, that is the MC perception of the WC

Of course other countries do have it, but normally education achievement and wealth can make one transcend class barriers

you cant join the Wu Tang Clan and become black!

Its your identity (or it is to those of us that feel defined by it) it cant be changed by a degree or a job or lots of money...its the sum of your life experiences

I come from a WC/LMC background but am definitely MC now. I do find the LMC obsession with OTT cleanliness and orderliness very tiresome in others though, I've never bought into that one. It often seems to be overcompensating for some other perceived defect in people's lives, such as relationship problems, mild personality disorder, weight problems, general unhappiness or just a general lack of control over some important aspect.