What makes you middle class ?

[toddlerdanger]

Inspired by another thread. Just for a bit of fun.

MN is obsessed with this. Let me start- I am not originally British - so I wasn't born into this system. But I understand it somewhat. But I would like to understand what it is that makes you middle class.

Here are my thoughts, gathered from 20 plus years of living here, please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't want to offend, I find this topic fascinating, especially since reading so much about it on here:

• speaking in an RP accent, so not in a regional accent

• living in a period property or cottage ( an old house basically )

• playing board games and scrabble

• loving puns and word play

• having read all the classic books because you grew up with them and your parents showed you/ talked for you about them since you were young

• having parents who don't do manual jobs/ are entrepreneurs. Middle class parents seem to work in academia or in the corporate world in general.

• having parents who have a degree

• having parents that have been to private school

• having been to private school ( but not 100 percent necessary )

• having a degree yourself

• not driving flash cars, think more like a Volvo rather than a Porsche

• shopping at Waitrose

• not piercing your child's ears until they're in their teens

• not having too much flashy designer stuff. The odd bag is OK. But not constant flashing of designer stuff. More understated

• the Christmas lights things. Not too many colours, but more subdued. Think warm white vs ice white lights

• antiques in the home

• not into football, but more into rugby

This is all I can think of right now.

When I worked abroad everyone was fascinated with what class I was from. I found it bizarre.
No one gives a shit in rl.

I've worked overseas for 20 years and love how nobody cares apart from a few Brits who I generally avoid.

@Enzbear

"Nearly all of the posts I see started on this are from people not born in England who have a fascination with class and have decided themselves what criteria are middle class and want to know if they are right!" This When I worked abroad everyone was fascinated with what class I was from. I found it bizarre. No one gives a shit in rl. The smug box ticking lists of house, car type etc are just cringeable as if people are so thick that they see you in a certain car and think "there goes a middle class person".

But I think the actual comments about what is and what isn't working class in the first place ( which spark the interest in me anyway ) are from Brits !

I never knew anyone considered colourful decorations working class, until a thread on here came out about it. Where I'm from colourful decorations are considered a bit tacky perhaps.

Same with new builds and so many other random things that have left me thinking ' wow ' - I never knew this was considered a class indicator.

So I went and thought of all the people I know and who I think may be considered middle class and have made a very random list.

@Howshouldibehave

MN is obsessed with this

I disagree.

Nearly all of the posts I see started on this are from people not born in England who have a fascination with class and have decided themselves what criteria are middle class and want to know if they are right!

Spot on. The only people obsessed with class are the ones that say everyone else is. It’s the same few posters regurgitating this subject always with prefix - MN is obsessed with this.

@sst1234 I really don't think it's just posters not born in England who mention class related stuff though.

[quote toddlerdanger]@sst1234 I really don't think it's just posters not born in England who mention class related stuff though. [/quote]
Mentioning and being ‘obsessed’ are two different things. Your OP was about being obsessed. Most of us don’t know anyone in real life that gives class a second thought, let alone being obsessed by it. It’s definitely not the big thing you are making it out to be for most people. Although I am not trying to be thread police so you can ask any question you want, however you want it.

@sst1234 yes you're right, using the word obsessed is definitely an overstatement. I read posts about it occasionally. Not constantly. But they do stick with me and make me feel a bit uncomfortable sometimes.

The way I expressed it was a bit of an Americanism I think. I watch too much American TV, where they always exaggerate things. I need to get out of the habit of copying that kind of language!

There's a stigma with Council estates. Did the people you know have parents that had good jobs that lived in Council estates though? Talking posh is usually from your parents teaching you to pronounce your words correctly and being in circles where others do the same.

No. My own parents worked in a supermarket as a checkout assistant and delivery driver. I didn't know anyone with parents who had "good" jobs until I got into the local grammar school. But we all speak with RP or RP adjacent accents.

@SalsaLove

I’m not from the U.K. but I’m curious why so many working class people describe themselves as “proudly” working class. What does that mean? And can you be proudly middle class?

No, you have to be vaguely embarrassed of being middle class

Interesting

I never knew anyone considered colourful decorations working class, until a thread on here came out about it. Where I'm from colourful decorations are considered a bit tacky perhaps.

Tacky = lack of class?

I think your list is pretty accurate. There are some language differences too of course the use of ‘pardon’ (wc) instead of ‘what’ (mc) usually gets everyone going on MN.

If you have to work to live then you are very much working class. Call yourself upper working class if it makes you feel better.

I am the doctor daughter of a teacher and a local government official married to an accountant we have enough savings to last 6months to a year without working as well as pensions and of course the house. Both will get reasonable inheritances in time. We earn 6 figures, ski and sail. Can we really be described as working class ?

There are very few people these days who don’t have to work to live. Unless you’re a Royal or a rich aristocrat, everyone has to work to live.

@Neurodiversitydoctor

If you have to work to live then you are very much working class. Call yourself upper working class if it makes you feel better.

I am the doctor daughter of a teacher and a local government official married to an accountant we have enough savings to last 6months to a year without working as well as pensions and of course the house. Both will get reasonable inheritances in time. We earn 6 figures, ski and sail. Can we really be described as working class ?

Did you acheive what you have without working? You're very clearly looking forward to that inheritance.

The world has moved on. The only people who care about class are those insecure in who they are and the type of people they are.

I know "working class" people that would bury the intelligence of middle class pretenders while they stress about what cheese they should be buying because they have the local semi-important nobody coming to brunch.

@LivingDeadGirlUK

More than 3 types of cheese in the fridge.

Are we counting Dairylee triangles and that yellow stuff the grandchildren want for burgers?

Did you acheive what you have without working? You're very clearly looking forward to that inheritance.

I'm sorry I don't understand. I have worked since I was 14. TBH I will probably give my inheritance ( which won't be for another 20years I hope) directly to my DCs.

Working class: blue collar, factory, tradie or essentialv services worker

Middle class: white collar salaryman

Neither are a good indicator of wealth or possible earning potential

People in this and the WC thread are describing thingd commonly attributed to either class. Which is nothing to do with what makes you middle or working class

@LivingDeadGirlUK

More than 3 types of cheese in the fridge.

Cheese strings Cheese singles (aka slutty cheese in our house) Cheese in a tube

Oh cheese as others have said depends on the time in the week. But is probralbly a proxy measure for cooking from stratch.

The reason I say that is;
Mozzarella for pizzas
Stilton for a pasta dish Monday night
Parmasan

As well as
Brie
Cream cheese
Cheddar

We have strong cheddar, brie, Manchego and blue stilton, just finished some stinking bishop! DH loves cheese.

Does that make us M/C? I’m sitting on our sofa (not couch, or settee), in our sitting room (not lounge). Later we’ll be having our tea (not dinner, or supper). There’s a book called Watching the English, by anthropologist Kate Fox which is interesting, and funny.
www.goodreads.com/book/show/288448.Watching_the_English

Speech, taste, habits, names, all mark us as something. Me? I’ve never felt I really fitted in any class.

@Seymour5

We have strong cheddar, brie, Manchego and blue stilton, just finished some stinking bishop! DH loves cheese.

Does that make us M/C? I’m sitting on our sofa (not couch, or settee), in our sitting room (not lounge). Later we’ll be having our tea (not dinner, or supper). There’s a book called Watching the English, by anthropologist Kate Fox which is interesting, and funny.
www.goodreads.com/book/show/288448.Watching_the_English

Speech, taste, habits, names, all mark us as something. Me? I’ve never felt I really fitted in any class.

That is a fine cheese selection you have!

I think there is a north/south divide on the whole Tea, dinner, supper thing, rather than class.

We call the sitting room/lounge the living room, but my parents called it the sitting room when we were growing up.

People you keep missing the MORE in 'more than 3 types of cheese in the fridge' go buy some feta!

Well it only works if you like cheese.

But yeah...

Feta, jarlesburg, mozzarella, 2 kinds of cheddar, Parmesan, pecorino Romano, Camembert, gruyere.