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

To think theres a lot of classism on here?

112 replies

HalfShellHero · 30/08/2017 17:12

Not a thread about a thread but i suppose several? I do appreciate the demographic of mumsnet is unlikely to be people of lower socio economic class and lower education levels but there really is a very daily mail feel about mumsnet atm in some of the views ive been here about 8 years on and off and its more noticeable now? I'll give myself a biscuit but i get influxed Biscuit

OP posts:
PortiaCastis · 30/08/2017 18:19

Then again if you take it all with a pinch of salt it doesn't bother you much.
Folk hate the Daily Mail but must be reading it to provide the many links on here

BlueberryPuffin · 30/08/2017 18:19

I do appreciate the demographic of mumsnet is unlikely to be people of lower socio economic class and lower education levels

Why? I think it's fairly balanced. That's why so many posters are saying they've seen it go both ways.

JemmyBloocher · 30/08/2017 18:21

As a decidedly middle-class Guardian reader, fairly new to MN (so with no appreciation of the possible change in tone) - it does read as fairly 'Daily Mail' to me, but...there is a great risk that maybe I am just reading posts that may enforce this outlook (for schadenfreude purposes) perhaps.

PortiaCastis · 30/08/2017 18:24

But OP you're saying there's classism but exhibiting it yourself by stating
the demographic of Mumsnet is not lower socio economic class

Walkingdead11 · 30/08/2017 18:25

Defo......"good grief just go out and get a better job'!! Like it's that easy!!

Anatidae · 30/08/2017 18:28

Wait, wait... you're saying it's a bit daily mail and meaning that as it's middle class?

Since when was the DM a middle class paper? It's soundly aimed at the white, working class, slightly right wing vote base.

I'm amazed you associate the DM with being middle class... or am I misunderstanding?

Also, when was being middle class a thing to be ashamed of?

Anatidae · 30/08/2017 18:30

At A white working class vote base I should say - meaning at that section if it, rather than that all WC are white and right wing...

Can you clarify? You honestly think the DM is a middle class thing?

ZaraW · 30/08/2017 18:31

What annoys me is posters who talk about DM stories and post a link and then put an embarrassed face. And there is an obsession on here about class the thread about how Middle Class people are was just awful hummus is not middle class.....

Walkingdead11 · 30/08/2017 18:36

I'm fairly new, usually go on 'the other one" and I could tell almost instantly that there were some very differences in the demography of posters.....lots of middle class and upper middle class if I'm honest. I'm here for the swearing......love it!!

NamedyChangedy · 30/08/2017 18:37

I think pedantry can sometimes go too far and there's a time and a place for pointing out errors... but I genuinely don't understand the OP's posts.

Is 'DM feel' an indicator of middle or lower class attitudes? And who is it that doesn't have bedtimes? Am I missing references to another thread that would have given me context? It's a mystery!

Orangebird69 · 30/08/2017 18:42

I think there's a pretty fair spread of all 'classes' tbh. I've seen benefit bashing, Tory hating and Corbyn loving. I've also seen plenty of inverse snobbery (I was called a 'sponging broodmare' for becoming a sahm whilst my high earning dh goes to work, and 'foolish' for buying new nursery furniture and clothes for my baby Hmm).

VeraGrant · 30/08/2017 18:45

If anything I think there is much more inverse snobbery on MN. There's nothing wrong with being middle class, and all working class folk are not beyond reproach. Surely that's an incredibly patronising attitude.

How is it classist to point out the fact that, for example, there is a strong correlation between low income and obesity? Doesn't help anyone to put heads in the sand

Walkingdead11 · 30/08/2017 18:50

Well I guess it's not about seeing the link between class and obesity and understanding why it may be so?

WitchesGlove · 30/08/2017 18:52

Things I find odd about Mumsnet;

  • Everyone's dc has SN- usually ASD- I mean it can't be that prevalent!
  • Everyone eats really, really healthily
  • Everyone budgets and meal plans really well
  • Everyone is NC with at least one family member, and many suffered a terrible childhood

This is really not the case for the people I meet in real life, of any social demographic !

Crumbs1 · 30/08/2017 18:53

I think there's a bit of polarity with a number of WWC probably DM or Sun readers - although a number of angry feminists who rubbish every heterosexual relationship and opposing view. Their view or wrong! They particularly vilify men and maleness, mothers in law and their parents. Compromise isn't a word they understand.
There's a good smattering of centre left Guardian readers - probably North London intelligentsia.
Lots of ordinary everyday people too.
Many don't seem to understand class and think it's related to income and luxury brands when nothing could be further from the truth.
Then there are lots of very anxious people who can't seem to make even the most basic decisions and who are fearful of parenting, doubting their abilities to care for and educate their children.
Fascinating virtual people watching.

AnneElliott · 30/08/2017 18:58

I don't see it as similar to the DM. No one on here reads it apparently, despite the many links to it.

What I do find here is a sort of liberal leftie superior attitude which sometimes tells posters that they're exaggerating the problems of their town or kids school. Some things that the liberal lot disbelieve were quite common at my south London comprehensive. It's a sort of not being able to compute that others have different (and sometimes much harder) lives.

HelenaDove · 30/08/2017 18:59

Plenty of classism on this thread. Particularly on page 25.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3019382-To-be-shocked-at-how-many-overweight-kids-there-are-here

Orangebird69 · 30/08/2017 19:00

Witches, lol!!! Your post made me laugh. Spot on! 😂

Crumbs YY to all your post, particularly Many don't seem to understand class and think it's related to income and luxury brands when nothing could be further from the truth.

Notreallyarsed · 30/08/2017 19:07

I'm fairly sure the DM is universally hated on here and anywhere that people who actually have souls are however I understand the point you're trying to make.

The joy some posters take in digging out anyone on benefits, in making OPs feel like shit because they're struggling financially, in attacking anyone who disagrees with them with an air of superiority is not nice at all. Oh and the subtle bigotry that floats just this side of a ban and the utterly blatant disablism.

Sunny779 · 30/08/2017 19:07

I think you make a good point AnneElliott. I think the DM like to use a slanted view of mumsnet to demonstrate that their are people out there with "weird non DM" lives when often it's people asking for advice or support about real life problems in a confidential way. As someone new to mumsnet, there's a real cross section of people and life situations. Based on my job (healthcare) people often tell you what they want you to know about their life/spending/family/health/ etc. Everyone has problems in life but your circumstances can make them easier to manage sometimes. In my experience there are more people living in poverty or difficult circumstances in England than those who able to buy into a lifestyle fantasy with the right clothes/food/attitude/cushions and all that other shit we use to project the image we want - it's just hidden or unnoticed (until the DM run a "broken Britain" story, again).

Photomummy16 · 30/08/2017 19:09

I'd say Guardian readers who secretly like a bit of the DM when no one's looking. Wink

Sunny779 · 30/08/2017 19:10

Photomummy16 - yes the sidebar of shame!

BlackForestCake · 30/08/2017 19:11

There's no such thing as “classism”. Do you mean snobbery?

PortiaCastis · 30/08/2017 19:11

As I said if folks don't read the DM how the hell do they know what's in it

oldlaundbooth · 30/08/2017 19:12

Bloody rife with classism on here.

Tis why it's popular.