Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to have thought that the class system ended when the servant system did?

180 replies

RipRC · 11/08/2013 21:06

I am Irish living in Ireland but did live in UK for a number years. I honestly thought that the class system was dead and buried and yet I have seen it mentioned on here quiet frequently.
Does it still exist, if so can you give me an idea of what type of people belong in each class, how does your occupation influence your class and indeed your behaviour? Can people move up and down classes according to their own life style? And how much is this class system actually acknowledged today?
Personally speaking I am glad there is no class system here in Ireland.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 13/08/2013 19:38

The class system is alive and well in the UK. As it is in most other countries even if it might be called by a different name.

Deemail · 13/08/2013 20:03

Teaching history oh someone actually admits to been a history teacher, this and geography are widely recognised as subjects where a teacher isn't actually needed as they are easily self learned. Bragging about been a history teacher and having a phd in it is meh.

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 20:20

I'm not bragging, merely responding to the OP's charge that I knew nothing about Irish history as I had a 'foreigner's view of Irish history'. That isn't the case.

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 20:21

Although I'm intrigued to hear that it's 'widely recognised' that history and geography teachers aren't needed - can you provide a link to back that up, Deemail? Or is it just your opinion?

grumpyoldbat · 13/08/2013 20:27

That's a bit mean dee. Nothing wrong with being a history or geography teacher or having a phd in either.

I'm neither btw.

Deemail · 13/08/2013 20:27

As a teacher I can assure you that an easy choice for a second subject is history or geography. You must know this yourself?

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 20:30

What's a 'second subject'?

marriedinwhiteisback · 13/08/2013 20:43

All I can say is that I have a former significant other who was of Irish catholic stock and who went to Ampleforth. Ahem - no Irish class system? More pronounced than the english I think. All that dark hair, fair skin and big earnest eyes saying it's so and this glass is right and mummy wouldn't like it; snort. As you were narrow escape :)

BMW6 · 13/08/2013 20:43

I believe the "Class system" a la Downton Abbey died in the post WW2 period, if not earlier.

But Humans always compare themselves with others, and rank them and themselves accordingly. By Job (someone once referred to my DH's occupation as a McJob - he is a milkman- the inference being that it was akin to McDonalds), House, car, school, clothes etc etc

I don't think it is an English trait - just a human one. {erhaps we are perceived as still living in the past cut and dried class system because we ADORE programmes like Downton, Upstairs Downstairs et al? We are truly nostalgic for the past!!

MintyChops · 13/08/2013 21:35

Wow, this has really descended. OP, you have shown yourself to be very childish by addressing Skyler as "lady" despite the fact she had just asked you to stop. Dee, words fail me. Why so unpleasant?

Skyler, you rock!!!!! I think you should just give the poor befuddled Op a list of Irish class-categories to study since it all seems like news to her.

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 21:44

Flowers to Mintychops

Deemail · 13/08/2013 21:53

The reason why is because skylerwhite comes across as patronising and opts to dictate rather than post links to her claims. Why the need to defend her minty, she has been very rude too, I actually think she started the insults.
The class system is mentioned on this forum a lot, it's not clear to me why perhaps a large number of middle or working class frequent this forum? I refuse to be placed in a box by my peers so it does not impact me and I think most broad minded people would be similar.

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 21:59

I haven't insulted anyone, Deemail. What claims would you like links to? Happy to provide.

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 22:00

And please do tell me: what is a second subject?

MintyChops · 13/08/2013 22:01

But Dee you have just launched straight in and attacked Skyler, I really don't see how it was warranted. She hasn't been rude. She certainly hasn't been rude to you.

As for refusing to be put in a box, you won't have a choice, people will make a judgement about you and you'll just have to deal with that.

Deemail · 13/08/2013 22:14

Oh dear I read the thread thinking it would be interesting, it quickly became defensive and went off track. skylerwhite was quiet vocal and stood out to me as been very hostile. I like links to back up claims when there is a disagreement on facts, you put forward quiet a few theories skylerwhite but strangely failed to back them up.

Now my interest and the continued sniping is zero so goodbye.

Deemail · 13/08/2013 22:15

In the continued sniping is zero.

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 22:20

Deemail it's rather ironic that you are criticising other posters for sniping, when you launched straight into attacking me (still not sure why, i'm far from te most prolific poster on this thread) and have failed to engage with my direct questions to you.

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 22:21

Please tell me which 'facts' were disputed, as well as which theories I erroneously put forward. I will happily provide links to back these up.

MintyChops · 13/08/2013 22:30

I'd say she has gone Skyler, so odd the way she went straight into attack mode. Never mind. Great name by the way. Since no one else is here anymore, did you enjoy the new episode of Breaking Bad?

skylerwhite · 13/08/2013 22:39

Haven't seen it yet! We just moved house so haven't got Netflix set up in the new place yet. I've been avoiding twitter and Facebook all day in case there are spoilers Smile

Is it worth waiting for?

The real Skyler is really interesting, I think: I veered between hating her (which I think was a hangover from the same actress playing the dreary Mrs Bullock in Deadwood) to feeling really sorry for her back to despising her again as she became complicit in everything Walter did. He really is poison. Amazing show.

yerwan · 13/08/2013 22:42

Damn. I wanted to know about the History and Georaphy teacher thing.

MamaMary · 13/08/2013 22:48

YANBU. The English are obsessed with class. Totally, utterly obsessed. It's one of the things I've learned from reading MN actually.

There was a thread a while back with MNetters designing their own British citizenship test, posting questions (lighthearted). I was staggered to see that 9 out of 10 questions (designed to typify 'Englishness') were to do with class.

Beer0cl0ck · 13/08/2013 22:51

RIPRc, I found Skylerwhite's posts interesting. She clearly knows a lot more about this than you do. You seem quite delusional.

As for a foreigner's view of Irish History, well, what about the Irish view of Irish History? or rather what is recorded? I know things that happened to my ancestors are denied by IRA Historians.

Beer0cl0ck · 13/08/2013 22:54

Huge Breaking Bad fan here too. I can't watch half a series though. I have to wait til the final series is complete and then watch the whole series all at once. I haven't watched the wire. I can't believe it's as good.

Swipe left for the next trending thread