You're not working class!

[Womeninthesequel]

Ridiculous conversation with an NCT acquaintance - we as a group were discussing the cost of living crisis and it was mentioned that working class families are really going to struggle. He scoffed and said "not all working class families, we're going to be fine." To which I goggled, and said "you're not working class!" He looked cross and said "of course I am, I grew up on a council estate, my dad was a binman."

This is true, he definitely is from a working class background, but he went to university, then med school, is now a senior surgeon doing mainly private practice, he makes six figures (which he'll tell anyone who walks past him) and his house is currently on the market for £1.2mil! He's not working class! This was pointed out to him (not by me) and he was vastly offended. He seems to genuinely believe that his upbringing means he'll always be working class, but that's not right, right? Class isn't innate, is it?

He's a bit of a dick in general, but this has raised a wider conversation at home. DH is from a working class background and is now uni educated and a professional and feels he's now middle class, so is confused by the idea that he's not.

People usually identify as whatever class they grew up in. I went to Uni and have a good job, but would always say I’m working class.

This

My husband was working class as a child and I was lower middle. We are both now firmly middle class.

I still don't understand why people feel the need to belong to a certain class! It is totally ridiculous and I don't know what the definitions mean in 2022.
Am I right in thinking people aspire to be defined as middle class, whatever that is? I mean! 😂

How do you know you're middle class? Does it matter to you? Why is it 'firmly' middle class and not just 'might be but not that bothered'?

@ClumpingBambooIsALie

"it's undoubtedly more difficult to reach the position he has from the background he's from"

Why?

I go out to work everyday so I’m working class 🤷‍♀️ Don’t think it matters what you do when you get there really

If people can convince themselves they are a different sex than their genitalia suggests I am sure they can identify as whatever class they choose!

All the inverted snobs on this thread for sure. 'We earn six figures but are proudly working class"

Yeah, suuuure you are 🙄

Because, on average, people who come from backgrounds similar to his have less access to some of the privileges that help with getting into a medical career compared to people who come from a middle-class background — things like the available schools having less experience with helping their pupils with gaining entrance to medical school, discrimination at various levels…

It's been perfectly possible for a very long time for working-class people to become doctors and excel, but there have often been barriers to overcome for many.

Are you going to act like class privilege doesn't exist?

Different as the op's example is a surgeon which is not a working class job. It's not about money, as you say.

Not here. Everyone is always proudly working class because the middle class are all rich boomer snobs who go shooting or something, didn't you get the memo?

Because his parents were probably less able to support him academically and financially, he didn't have a family expectation of uni and a professional career, he may well have gone to a less good school with fewer decent role models. Parental support is the main determinant of educational achievement and while it's possible for someone without education to be supportive of their own children, in practice it's just more difficult, and culturally in the UK there's not much value placed on social mobility amongst working class people (hence people being proud of being WC)

I think class is mainly cultural and stays with you to a large extent. So a working class person will probably retain certain tastes, interests, views etc even if they get a high earning professional job and live in an affluent area (although their children might not, as their outlook will be shaped by their own childhood experiences).

But the context of your discussion was economic i.e. there's a group of people who will struggle and he's clearly not among them. So yes I think he's wrong to try to shove himself into membership of that group.

I was a child once too

My husband was working class as a child and I was lower middle. We are both now firmly middle class.

Firmly. Oh that is serious.

What about His parents, siblings, are they still working class? Does your DH feel disconnected from his loved ones? I mean how can you connect with people whose considered lower than his new status and something people are proud to leave behind.

Do i feel disconnected from child relatives? It's bollocks, just accept your new status, if you're a surgeon you're not working class

Yeah, you’re not. Other people will see it.

Middle class to me is having lots of books, a single small TV, thinking that table manners are important, being a bit scared of Butlins, placing value on education and health and culture, having a degree or at least a levels. MC women are less likely to spend very much time or money on their appearance and may well do sports
Working class people on the other hand have a TV in their children's bedrooms, are likely to get into debt to keep up appearances, care about their children
looking smart, care about having fun and about family and community. Older WC people (over 50) don't usually have education beyond 16 although they may be intelligent and have done well rising up the ranks at work. WC women nearly always look feminine and wear make up etc. They are unlikely to do sports.
Upper class people don't have a local accent, are obsessed with horses or dogs, have impeccable manners and confidence, and often look a mess.
Hope that helps anyone struggling!

You are unreasonable to be so bothered by this.

Oh, give over. You know why. FFS.

You're not.

A bit like you can go and live in France, speak only French, eat traditional French food etc. but you cannot change the fact you were born British (assuming you are British there).

But you can get French citizenship

But you can get French citizenship.
Yep but you'll never be French no matter how much time you spend trying to convince yourself that you're fooling others.

@SnackSizeRaisin You are Nigel Farage and I claim my £10 recognition fee. How is it back there on the 1950s? Comfy?