Why do some people feel the need to describe themselves as ‘middle class’?

[lottieandmia22]

I met a man who said

‘I am incredibly lucky. I’m a middle class, white, straight male which puts me at an advantage’

Frankly, this made my teeth itch. I thought ‘what a tosser’

Why do people feel the need to do this? I couldn’t care less which class I am.

Saying "I'm middle class" can sometimes be a simple, factual statement.

I grew up very working class, but due to the effects of education and the resulting professional career, I am now by any objective criteria middle class. I still feel working class, though.

I remember a similiar discussion on the 'Who Do You Think You Are' programme and middle class is about your Great Grandfather so many generations back being middle class that made you middle class no matter what you think you are that defines your social status.

Class is a weird thing. It's not so much money-based. though some people might think it is. I'd be more inclined to say it's education and taste in things and habits which is probably defined partly by education.
Middle class is probably someone who defines class in terms of wealth.
Maybe middle class is so popular a definition because nobody really wants to identify as anything extreme.

Class is a weird thing. It's not so much money-based. though some people might think it is. I'd be more inclined to say it's education and taste in things and habits which is probably defined partly by education.
Middle class is probably someone who defines class in terms of wealth.
Maybe middle class is so popular a definition because nobody really wants to identify as anything extreme.

Apologies @Bluntness100. it just seemed like you were quoting my post and using it to disagree with me. I now see that we think along the same lines on this matter .

Some people believe middle class is concerning money and lifestyle whereas it is actually education primarily. Those who have money but lack education are no different from the nouveau riche.

All these labels confuse society and create division. As has been said above England is extremely class ridden and not a very equal society.

There are some parts of the country where it is more socially acceptable to be working class than middle class but what it comes down to is education and life experience and not just work experience.

Class is an odd concept these days. I’ll probably get crucified for saying it but I think it comes down to being nothing more substantial than a tribe we choose to associate with (or not) defined primarily by accent. Strong regional accent = working class. Home Counties or soft regional accent = middle class. People may argue class is ‘this’ or ‘that’ but it’s nothing more than accent and a feeling of belonging engendered by having a similar accent amongst those who identity as one or other class.

I’ve never met someone with a strong regional accent who defines themselves as middle class, or someone who speaks the Queen’s English who defines themselves as working class.

It all depends on the tone and the context in which your date said that.
However, some comments here surprised me very much, it may be something specific for the UK.. I believe that the middle class should never be held in contempt - the higher the number of people classed as middle class, the healthier the society. The middle class is very fragile and the first one to disappear when there are social or economic problems. Engineers are not needed if a country can't afford to build roads. The working class (=people without professional degree, whose salary makes ends meet, but not much more than that) mostly do jobs that are necessary even when there are economic problems (people will not stop eating, they will always need a plumber), so what happens is that people with professional skills will take over some jobs from the working class (engineers will start plumbing and low paid teachers and nurses will start working as nannies for the rich, etc.).
I realise this is not the topic, but it is just strange to read the comments that regard the middle class as the problem. The middle class (doctors, nurses, architects, teachers, small business owners, lawyers..) is the best part of the society.

Pretending class doesn't exist and have an impact on people's lives is like pretending race doesn't matter and we're all just a lovely multi cultural soup here in the UK.

And even if class didn't have much impact any more there's still a cultural heritage to preserve. Just because a particular class doesn't look like it did a hundred years ago doesn't mean what's gone before is erased or doesn't have a legacy.

julia indeed the traditional middle classes are dying in their arses.

What's been interesting is watching how long it took them to notice what was happening and their collective reaction to it.

Isn't it terribly unfashioned to identify yourself as a class these days? I thought it's more anyone born before 1990 together against the damn millennials and baby boomers?

I did date a rich guy for a bit and man, when you point out HES not the rich, MC, Well off guy, his PARENTS are, it doth not go downeth so well.

Also, second gen upper classes are wanky.

The middle class (doctors, nurses, architects, teachers, small business owners, lawyers..) is the best part of the society.

. controversial final comment!

With regard to earnings, I used to work in a shitty cold calling call centre with a base pay of £250 per week and a guy there, literally doing the same job as everyone else, was earning a bonus of between £900-1150 PER WEEK and he was in his 20s and from Facebook it still says he's working there.

I’ve never met someone with a strong regional accent who defines themselves as middle class, or someone who speaks the Queen’s English who defines themselves as working class. You don't live in Scotland then. How patronising.

I think it is a confidence thing. A basic, intrinsic knowledge that you are at least equal to everyone else and you don't have to pretend to be something you are not to fit in. Being able to speak to anyone, or a large group of people without feeling inferior or superior.

Knowing what class I'm from and identifying with it is part and parcel of my intrinsic confidence and self esteem (which I have in terrifying abundance ).

Pretending it's not important would be so inauthentic to me. All that faux ennui about class doesn't bring anything to my table.

This class/accent thing is irrelevant amongst farmers. We're all in the same bloody boat. The discussion as usual is from a very narrow perspective.

Knowing what class I'm from and identifying with it is part and parcel of my intrinsic confidence and self esteem

Why? In countries that do not have a defined class system, this is not an issue.

In Scotland ime the upper classes have no accent, the middle classes have a light Scottish accent, the working classes have a strong Scottish accent.

Noone has no accent.

Agree that this discussion is from a very narrow perspective. I'm wondering if the view expressed by some that 'class objectively determines your children's life course in this country like pretty much nothing else' is a London/SE view, because it really is not the case in northern England, perhaps because there are more working class people so we are the majority, we 'fit in' more and we don't see the barriers that others perceive there to be.

The person who recruited me was from a working class background himself so wouldn't have overtly or subconciously discriminated against me for my working class background because I was 'just like him'.

It could be a confidence thing. I am not a naturally outgoing or confident person but years of meeting with people from all walks of life, literally from Blue Chip chief executives and staff of the Royal Household to construction and factory workers and everyone in between has made me able to speak to everyone without coming across as superior or inferior, like Gromance says.

You don't live in Scotland then. How patronising.

I have... Scottish middle classes have soft Scottish accents. They don’t speak Glaswegian!

husky having a clear class heritage and culture with which I identify is an anchor for me.

Just because others don't have it doesn't erase its value for me on a personal level.

In Scotland ime the upper classes have no accent

They usually sound English to me, Rose You know nothing, Jon Snow Leslie being an extreme example.

Well, they do speak Glaswegian-it's just Kelvinside Glaswegian!