Okay, Tuppence, I'll say this slowly...no one is denying that class doesn't exist. The unenlightened you demonise and dehumanise what you consider the underclass. In reality, you're as much a 'chav' as them (according to those who have genuine wealth nd power), give or take a few tens of thousand or even a couple of hundred thou (a pittance in the greater scheme of things) and a penchant for smoking in your pjs.
Oh gosh, how delightfully patronising and misses the point entirely.
I'm not saying chavs are unenlightened. I'm saying that most of us in life absolutely acknowledge that social groups exist, will have language to discuss it and will do so...
Meanwhile online there's a certain type of MNer who likes to pretend they are enlightened and would never judge so go around waving their waggy finger and anyone who is honest about entirely normal human responses.
So, for example, they get offended by chav because they'd obviously never consider such a group exists at all or even if they happened to notice that trend they couldn't have a word that explains that observation. Nope. Much mental gymnastics is required to both acknowledge the existence of a subculture whilst making it abundantly clear that nothing negative could be thought about it.
They'd never sit in a cafe and be irritated by a parent allowing their children to run wild because they aren't judgey, in fact they pride themselves on falling over themselves to excuse the rude and inconsiderate behaviour so they can congratulate themselves on how tolerant they are.
They'd never see a child dressed in adult clubwear for a party and say it's inappropriate online because it's much better to pretend online that they'd never bat an eyelid as they're oh so open minded and obviously anyone who expresses reservations needs a word with themselves.
ValleyClouds
You're totally right.
I wonder if the judgement police also have an issue with people identifying subculture groups. Maybe we shouldn't have a word to describe hipsters, or goths either. When I was at university there was a regional word to describe the influx of privately educated affluent students who mixed almost exclusively with people like them. Maybe that word should be banned too after all it's so judgey. In fact any word that acknowledges social groups should be banned or monitored because it's totally dehumanising to acknowledge the groups exist.