What makes you working class?

[Greenbluestar]

I noticed the thread on what makes you middle class. So how about what makes you working class? I’ll go first..

• achievement achieved through merit and seldom by privilege
• keen to work and hard working

Any more?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2013/newsspec_5093/index.stm

@ShippingNews

I'm glad to live in a country where there is no such thing as a class system. I sometimes read that the UK no longer has such a thing, that nobody cares etc, but at least once a week I see a post on MN about class . So I guess it still remains a "thing" for many.

Where do you live?

So I did that test and I’m elite? What the hell?

I’m working class whose in a well paid job.

Ah but you must have lots of money and be a bit cultured?

I like that it looks at your bluebird and your friends etc - rather than what you eat or where you shop!

You hobbies not your bluebird

That test also puts me at elite, it seems to be skewed because I am a homeowner with a pension and socialise with a wide variety of people.

Opening all Christmas presents first thing Christmas morning.

• Piercing babies ears
• Bottomless Brunch
• Mobility Scooters
• £100+ monthly Sky TV packages
• Yankee Candles

@FitAt50

With the exception of the candles, you’re confusing the working class with those who don’t work and live on benefits.

@Mellowyellow222

Ah but you must have lots of money and be a bit cultured?

I like that it looks at your bluebird and your friends etc - rather than what you eat or where you shop!

Not really.

I earn a lot but I don’t have masses of savings.

I do socially know a range of people but that’s because I work with one level of people and live with another so I know people from CEO to cleaner socially.

Hobbies aren’t that cultured. I like art galleries and stately homes to visit but I don’t listen to posh music or go to the theatre or the ballet.

Strong work ethic, no university. My Dad grew up working class but I think we went into middle class as his career took off.

For me, I definitely came from a working class background.

I am the only person in my family who has gone to university and now has postgraduate qualifications.

I relied on my student loans and part time holiday jobs to get me through uni as my parents weren't able to help financially. I won't inherit anything, haven't had help buying a property.

Now, I own my home and have a well paid, professional job. We go on holidays, mainly UK but that's our choice - usually hiring cottages. We visit lots of places with our son e.g. museums, castles, NT places, restaurants.

My son's upbringing to date is certainly more privileged compared to mine! I also ensure I help with homework, read with him regularly etc. He has swimming lessons and can go to cubs.

I have to admit that part of my reason for only wanting one child was so that we would be able to give him things like holidays/trips out/support with learning etc.

@MadameHeisenberg your parents sound brilliant and aspirational for their children. Mine were not like that. They live in a small world with no desire to expand it through learning and new experiences and wouldn’t have even thought to take us to the theatre or galleries etc. or signed us up for any extra curricular activities. They lacked confidence too and that rubbed off on us. We did use the library a lot and a love of reading took me a long way.

I have done well - I was academically very able and have a good career and financial security which I hope to establish for my children too. I was shocked at every turn how easy my peer group have had it though - rents paid, weddings paid for, no debts to do postgrad study, house deposit (or indeed entire houses) purchased for them, trust funds, their kids school fees covered. I started so far behind the starting line in that respect.

I think people always confuse working classes with underclasses on here.

I consider myself working class in that both my grandparents were miners, my Dad was a tradesman, my mum was a cleaner/kitchen assistant/waitress. They aspired to home ownership and bought a small house early in their marriage. My Dad voted Thatcher but my mum didn't as her Dad would've killed her!

My parents despite their working class heritage despised people who lived on the dole as a lifestyle choice or lived a 'Shameless' style lifestyle in a council house. They worked hard all their lives.

Poor education. No financial safety net.

@Pikaso

Calling the toilet “the bog”

I was brought up working class. Financially I’m now middle class but I still feel very much working class and always will

My dh was brought up in council house and does a manual job. But he is adamant that he is now middle class because he lives with me, a professional, in a bought house and we make our own hummus. So to some extent I think it is down to how you see yourself.

I suppose the fact that dh takes delight in this - 'ooh look at us eating tapenade' is telling. I am only first generstion middle class so think of myself as 'lower middle class' not really properly middle class.

I'm in Scotland and not too sure how it is different?

Council housing
Doing low or semi skilled jobs
Having a chip pan
Reading tabloids
Giving your kids unique names
Anaglypta wallpaper
Wearing all the jewellery you own at once
Being part of a community

I grew up working class, had a great childhood, didn’t go to the theatre or museums much but walks/reading/schoolwork was prioritised. Went on holiday abroad a lot. I went to a very rough comp (the kids definitely had the odds stacked against them) but got a degree and have a good life in terms of house/income/opportunities now.

My son will have advantages in the way that I didn’t have in terms of confidence/finances.

We moved back to my northern town to have our family because of the community support, I’m not sure if it is a northern or a working class thing but everyone is friendly in a way I didn’t find in the south. We have lots of friends and family here, great neighbours and a lovely local cricket club. Friends from the south take the piss and say it’s like real life Coronation St

I agree @THisbackwithavengeance.

My dad is very proud to be working class. He worked two jobs when we were kids to pay for private tutors etc. We always had a good holiday, America twice.

He and mum both worked hard, we were latch key kids. My mum was always conscious of people looking down on her because our cars weren’t flashy and our postcode wasn’t fashionable. But they owned their own home.

I always snigger at the snobby description of working class by people who don’t seem to understand that working class means working.

achievement achieved through merit and seldom by privilege

That’s about the individual and not the class as it can be said about many individuals across all classes

I had fun completing the BBC 'class' test. Your 'class' changes according to the income you state. It is heavily flawed and indicates, perhaps, that even parts of the establishment such as the BBC have trouble defining 'class' in any 'scientific' way.

I’m in Scotland, class is virtually never discussed.

I’m in England, class is virtually never discussed.

Except on Mumsnet.

Spent childhood Sunday evenings watching Bullseye.

When you've worked hard all your life and you're still poor

@BaggaTDoubleTroubleDoubleG

I know what you mean about not having financial help. I’m like you - everything I have (houses, wedding, holidays) have been paid for my me. I got my first job at 11 (paper-round) and then had Saturday/weekend jobs right through school & university until I started my PhD and it was prohibited by the funder (UK research council). If I wanted anything above the basics, I had to pay for it myself as there was no extra cash.

I’m going to encourage my kids to when they’re old enough, too.

One time I realised I was WC was when I was generously invited to a posh restaurant, one where a waiter comes over with a big bread basket at the beginning of the meal and you need to tell them which type of bread you’d like them to serve you. I was so flabbergasted because I had only ever eaten one type of bread (ie plain sliced loaf that you toast), and couldn’t identify, by name, any of the breads and ended up pointing to one! It was very embarrassing as everyone else on our big table was able to name what they wanted without issue.