Middle class tribe - ever get on your nerves - light hearted rant 😄

[ginorwine]

I live in a middle class area which is dominated by lecturers , gp s , social workers etc -my Dh fits into that catagory and I am an x that catagory .
It's a really pretty area and the kids roam between houses etc
Recently - I seem to be a little irritated by its predictability and 'niceness '- tho am aware it's a good area I really am .
I'm
Grumpy menopausal creature at present !
The paint work is mainly Farrell and ball, same kitchen appliances , similar dress code .etc . Whilst I too have Farrell n ball in one room and may therefore fit into the cliche myself (!) I'm becoming quite amused by it all in a way but don't know why .Part of me loves it part of me wants to say rude words and act up and be a Harridan !
Why do we follow these 'tribal 'things ? .the estate agent once reffered to the area as all lentil s and lintels . 😃

I totally get where you are coming from. I had a solidly working class upbringing, but would be considered MC on the basis of profession these days. I'm totally aware and grateful for my relatively comfortable lifestyle. But, although I swim happily along with the MC crowd, I never really feel like I totally fit. When we go out for food I just pick what I fancy from the menu; the others go into all sorts of angst about what is organic, free range or gluten free. I just watch in mild bemusement. I still live in the admittedly not really grotty but definitely un-MC bit of town they all moved out of as soon as they could afford it. Because I like it and it's far more convenient than where they live. And I do my own decorating, I actually like doing it. And I've always got on fine with Dulux!

Yet again the classic class-ist MN discourse. 100 posters come on to say they all live in a very MC area. I would love to have a MC board where I could ascertain what that actually means; I have never actually heard anyone in RL talking about what class they belong to and what paint brand falls into what category.

I wouldn't have a clue what paint my neighbours have used as no one utters more than an obligatory hello but I would have thought that all of the name dropping and "sameness" was a bit aspirational?

There was a father and son on Four in a Bed recently and they were my definition of MC. Lots of "oh dahling!" and delightful, took people at (what seemed to be) face value and cooked their eggs in a glass in the microwave.

It sounds highly conformist

Conformism feels stifling to me (and OP?!)

Yes baby it is a conformist complaint, not a MC ishoo.

As a side issue I don't know of any lecturers or SW's that could afford or lack the sense to use F & B paint. Their salaries are pretty crap in relation to workload.

doing You're right but didn't he hope the flour would thicken it up to a chalky/gluey consistency?

I guess my hubby and I are from middle class families and possibly middle class ourselves but live in a working class area as opposed to our parents who live in what's probably classed as a "nicer" area of the town. I'll tell you what's for sure though, all our neighbours are bloody lovely salt of the earth type people and I'd take them over stuck up stereotypical middle class types any day. We refer to the middle class as "two cars on't drive and nowt in't fridge"

I doubt it worrier. Not if you use the word hubby.

Both DH and I are total social hybrids.

My Dad grew up in a council house, but was an uber bright GS boy and by the time he was 40 he could afford to send me to private school.

DH's background very similar, but he was super bright and excelled at his GS, too.

We met at university and virtually all our friends were from solid middle class backgrounds, unlike us. But that means our social circle is now comprised of GPs, consultants, Head Teachers, lawyers etc.

When we had children we moved out of our party pad in the city and deliberately chose a naïve village in a naice rural area. We can see a proper castle from our bedroom window, and have a stream (complete with ducks) running past the village church.

Around here you can't move for twee, bunting festooned cafes and it's wall to wall Farrow & Ball, Audi's and White Stuff tunics (and, yes I have all three).

Yes, it's formulaic and quite cutesy/bland with little diversity. But it's also rather lovely too and a far, far naicer lifestyle/environment than many others.

We are providing our DDs with an almost idyllic childhood and a first class education at their girls' grammar (and it's free, yipee). Yes, it's a pretty cocooned existence and some might scoff that it's not real life but actually it is their real life, and the real life of their friends, too.

I was walking down a street in my locale the other evening when I noticed that every single house in the pretty terrace had almost identical shutters - all in shades of pistachio, duck egg or white.

Right down the end there was one without - but I did notice a chap on a stepladder inside who was measuring the windows.

dolka I think there are different MC areas. The one I live in is semi-rural to rural, horsey/doggy type area, landrovers and labradors and thatched roofs/Georgian cottages rather than Audis and Farrow & Ball. The big local employer is military-related. However nearby towns are much more of the Farrow & Ball type - it's just a suburban v rural difference.

OP I've read watching the English, it's a brilliant book. There's a whole section on middle class angst and how folks who are established MC don't really give a fuck, but those who aren't, do - and need to point it out in case no one notices 😂

I think you also need to separate money from class. Get away from London, the Home Counties and London's feeder towns and there's a lot less angst about making sure your blue is duck egg and your paint is F&B.

macqueen I think that sounds great! Just wait until your dc are older teens and resent the elitism you have given them. Drives DH mad when DS rails against his privilege. DH went to to a comp, the year it became one having been a grammar. DS went to one of the schools usually in the top three of the independent list. It irks tbh.

keema. I'm thrilled to see you, I really am. Can't remember what my name was last time we crossed paths. Will pm.

Whilst I too have Farrell n ball in one room and may therefore fit into the cliche myself (!) I'm becoming quite amused by it all in a way

Well, you know, you seem to assume all these other nice MC people aren't also amused by it, and rant away like harridans in private as well. I shouldn't thin you're very different or superior in your self-knowledge in that way.

I renovated a large Georgian townhouse in a "naice" suburb last year - no Farrow & Ball as I wanted a British racing green door, and the interiors are all white. I did rather think at the time that the house would die of impeccable good taste. So I put up some trashy fairy lights.

I drew the line at letters spelling out "LOVE" on the mantelpiece though.

I am a bit of an interiors perfectionist but I perfectly get the ironic amusement factor of fancy pants paints like F&B.

However we live in a 200 year old house, and F&B is a far better chemical composition to cover old walls as it allows them to still breathe.

Ha, ha foggy did you see my earlier post.
F U C K has far more class when posted above the bed

oftheroses I would be highly disappointed if our DDs didn't harangue us, to be honest. I would hate to deprive them of the glow of all that righteous angst

DD1 is very arty (won the Art trophy today, actually) and intends going to Art School and in time, will no doubt, rail at us for sending her to her very academic, red brick grammar rather than one of the local 'colourful' comps

Oo Page....We are moving soon....definitely getting Garden Gnome!

You are a better parent than me macqueen

I love Jack Vettriano's work. So nyer.

Bleurrrrrr!!! Having to mix with snobby twats whi think they are somehow better than us all. Guess what?? We ALL have holes in our arses!! Please dont suffer the idea that people with more money are in some way better!! These people with such paint and appliances are aimple idiots! A fool and his money.......

In case you were wondering about artisanal firewood

that was for OhGodWhatTheHellNow