To think lockdown has revealed a glaring class difference?

[TexanBlueNeck]

Filled in a survey & read some of the latest "lifestyle" columnists in UK (digital) newspapers.

No, some people are not using lockdown to browse around buying clothes and home accessories or patter about experimenting with new recipe ideas from inventive food combinations or try out a new food box delivery service.

Some of us are at breaking point between juggling childcare duties, supporting vulnerable or elderly relatives and neighbours, working from home or not at all, using the last tin of smartprice tomatoes that could be bought at an empty supermarket shelf (in person, because full-time worker parents aren't a priority group). While worrying about job security. Not whether to buy new sofa cushions while the cockpot experiment cooks!

I honestly think some commentators' experience of lockdown isn't even on the same planet as a huge portion of the rest of the (working class) UK

Some of us aren't actually in lock down and are still going out to work every day. 🤷‍♀️

Whilst staying home in a big house is no doubt easier than in a cramped flat in some ways I think those who are used to having disposable income and busy social lives will find this harder than people like me who's normal life is work/home/food shopping. Other than taking DS to his training and out for the odd treat day my life hasn't changed that much as I rarely spend money on anything frivolous and am quite happy pottering at home.

Its not necessarily income. My friend lives in a 2 million pound house in London with a tiny garden. Shes there with 2 boys, her DH and no nanny or cleaner and she's going nuts!

But those kind of columnists have never reflected 'real life' for most people, have they? There's a reason they're always satirised as talking endlessly about their au pairs, expensive schools and lavish holidays. There is a glaring class gap, but it's hardly like this is newly revealed. I don't think anything that the broadsheet lifestyle columnists have written about has ever reflected 'average' life, and it's always been quite glaring.

I don’t think it’s income either. I think you’re talking about circumstance.

Both DH and I have high pressure, well paid jobs. We also have two small children. I am nearing my psychological breaking point as trying to do my job, keep the house clean, ensure we have enough food, look after the children, and school them is more than I can cope with.

I would love the odd browse on the internet for new clothes but actually, I’m hidden in a room, thinking about hoovering the stairs and then trying to figure out dinner.

Oh, and it is highly unlikely that neither DH’s or my job will survive the coming recession.

This isn’t about income, or class. It’s about circumstance.

YANBU.
A friend commented that twitter is full of people talking about working from home.
And Facebook is full of people talking about losing their jobs or being made to work under dangerous conditions.
Supermarket workers, janitors, bin men, posties, warehouse workers, delivery drivers etc are literally risking their lives to keep things running.
While comfortable C1s like myself answer emails in our pajamas.
Meanwhile people on my estate are watching the food banks and other charities they rely on struggle to source food and supplies as the supermarkets ration shoppers and the supply line falters.
Such huge class differences.

cockpot

YABU - I don't think it's got much to do with class or income and more to do with your job and age of kids/other caring responsibilities.

My job's been furloughed so I can't work, my kids are teens and don't need much supervision and my elderly DM is staying with another relative who doesn't have children in the house. As a result, I don't have much to do - it's nothing to do with my income or class. If my kids were younger and I was a key worker I know my life would be much more challenging right now.

Circumstance.

If this had happened 6 or 7 years ago, I would have been trying to juggle working from home with small needy children, and be supporting elderly, vulnerable relatives. It would have been a nightmare.

Now, elderly relatives have all passed on. Children are big enough to look after themselves while I work but young enough that they aren't in GCSE years yet. It's not pleasant, but it's doable.

My class and income hasn't changed, all down to circumstance.

Of course.

I keep thinking of the poor families who live in hotel rooms. :(

Do remember this is just a journalist witing something, its not really a true picture of everyones lives. First and foremost people with space in their house and a garden can have an easier time. Secondly people with more monet can afford to buy and store when food is available. But this is a bit silly to start up a class indignation thread, it wont make yo feel any better. Even high income families are struggling, some of them having to try and work very hard from home while juggling children. two parents doing 2 hr shifts of the job and the cildcare, sometimes getting up to start at 5 and working well after the children have gone to bed. Some people without work to do and children to care for are very very lonely. It is so easy to say "its all right for them over there" but you know it often isnt. Now is the time, not for grievances but to try and support each other. Its also not a time for politician bashing ( I know you werent but many are doing) Even the wretched NHS clapping is now a reason to grumble about who is doing more than others. If I have learned one thing in my life it is that feeling aggrieved, jealous, resentful and all those feelings are totally destructive to the person feeling them. I am sorry you are finding itt hard, with luck as the weeks go by we will get into rhythms of our days, food distribution will be easier, testing of NHS staff will begin, the new hospitals will be equipped and we will have reasons for hope. In the meantime try not to think who is having an easier time than you. You may not be able to help some having a worse time but they are out there

The two main things are outside space and number of adults working. Two and it will be hard, job losses harder.

But not class as you say and not even totally income because you might have more space outside a city.

my life hasn't changed that much as I rarely spend money on anything frivolous and am quite happy pottering at home.

Yeah, I think that's very true. If you're used to going out several times a week and socialising all the time, you're going to really struggle. I love being at home so this really doesn't bother me - if anything I'm getting out more than normal to make the most of my daily "allowance" of exercise!

Sorry about the typos. Dont mean to sound preachy but you are making yourself feel worse

I think it’s not only income but the difference between being employed and self employed too.
Our summer holidays have come early, yes we can’t leave the house but our income is unaffected so we don’t have that added worry.

It's got fuck all to do with class, it is about people's individual circumstances: how hard they are being hit financially and whether or not they have family members, whether children or older relatives, who depend on them.

No income worries, but absolutely no desire to online shop. Even kindle shopping has palled. I bought a present for someone, some piriton and anti flea treatment for dogs this month online. The fizz has gone out of shopping for me.

It's mostly bollocks what people claim to be doing most of the time on SM.
Ignore and laugh at the obvious shockers and just get in with your life as best you can .
Any how , I have to get back to my game of croquet on the lawn before my Fortnam and Mason delivery helicopter blows the hoops over ! Ta ta for now !

Me too whatwouldyoudo

There's a story in the Mail (sorry!) about this very subject
www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-8161939/JOHN-HUMPHRYS-fear-risking-lockdown-apartheid.html

And amazingly the best rated comment is one sympathising with people in tower blocks...

Do you think maybe it’s not down to class or even income but maybe the different types of areas people live in? Serious question.

I live in a relatively suburban part of a town and it’s possible to go out for a walk, avoid people quite easily, the shops are short but there are certain times to go that are better and you can get stuff. I imagine living close to a busy town centre or a big city would be really different and that much harder to do these types of things due to population.

Juggling childcare, work, housework, caring for vulnerable relatives, and job loss worries are things that will affect everyone. Regardless of class or income.

Obviously people who are struggling to feed their families are the hardest hit by the confinement, but I'd venture a guess that those who are happily married and in generally functional families are the happiest at this moment rather than those who are wealthiest.

I have voted YABU because that has always been there. Nothing has changed.
Annoys me the more- we can't possibly live on this level of benefit, so they are instantly increased, even though people have been for years.

My lockdown in a 5 bed house with nice garden and country walks less than 5 mins away plus enough money in the bank to buy whatever brand of bread, beans, etc is still left in the shops is a lot different to the in laws in their two up, two down terrace with drug addict neighbours and who normally buy low priced goods.

Thankfully I managed to get a Morrison’s box delivery to them today.

This isn’t class related.

I’m working from home, single parent to 2 different ages and curriculums trying to home school, I’m looking after aged parent, shopping for friends and family in isolation. But I have a decent wage.

Not class, income.

I know people who are middle class, self employed, earns over £50k, high mortgages, income ceased overnight and on universal credit with no bail out. No work but same responsibilities as me bar that.