To consider myself working class?

[TheCatsKnickers]

I'm fully aware that it doesn't matter, but for the sake of argument - basically an ongoing debate with friend who insists I am middle class - which of us would be correct?

My background:
Dad probs upper working, good job but no higher education, bought our house and subsequent houses without mortgage. Mum from educated family but was SAHM. Grew up in MC area and schools, kept horses but more rough and tumble than 'posh'. Had a few years off too travel and have fun in late teens largely funded by parents, then went to uni late and studied fine art.
This, according to my friend cements me as MC.

The present day:
Followed my passion and became a painter. Didn't want to marry or have children so chose to rent. Preferred this as could move around and experience different places. Bit of a free spirit, but had to accept some financial insecurity for the pleasure! Am now in 40's and still similar, very content with long term DP but, I presume, not typical for many my age.
I have a decent 5 figure sum in savings although we received only a smallish inheritance due to both parents needing care in old age (they had also given their second property to an aunt and uncle who developed health issues in later life).
My income is somewhat fluid and would possibly terrify some, but I have intermittently earned very, very well and often receive high payments for my work (anywhere from £200 to £1k per commission or piece), but some months are quite the opposite.
So my lifestyle is not standard and has some financial insecurity, but I made my own choices.
Therefore, since I don't own a home or have a private pension I perceive my status to be 'working class', regardless of my background privileges and lifestyle. My friend argues not!

Which of us is correct?

Thank you, your point makes sense. However, at this point in my life I really DO have to worry about accommodation - but, I was able to make that choice early on, so it is my own, self made problem.

This!

My parents were brought up working class. Lived in rented housing until council houses became available. Parents were unskilled, maid, gardener, etc one of my grandparents was in the navy. My mum left school at 14 to work in a bakery and had a few jobs until she married my dad. My dad went to the local grammar school, got his higher school cert and did national service. He got a job with the BBC. Bought a house age 30.

This meant that my siblings and I were brought up much more middle class. I went to university, the first in my family. I’m currently a single parent with one child with SN so by income I’m back to working class, but I still feel middle class.

You are 100% middle class, OP, same as me.

You are by no means working class. Probably lower middle class, especially with the "hobby job" and party lifestyle funded by your parents.

But you chose to live this way, didn't you ?

I agree you're not working class OP.

I agree, but did admit that. I was thinking of the new 'categories' i had read about on the bbc which put me in the precariat/working class. My friend disagreed. I typed this here and got a whipping, but then this is AIBU!

I love my choice but i am not in the most enviable financial state If i find extra work to supplement this it will be low skill as I have no other experience outside of the arts.

Some here have said I am bohemian upper class, well i am certainly bohemian but the upper part made me laugh out loud. Surely upper class folks don't rent till death?

This made me laugh 😂

I'm going with a polite response rather than my original thoughts. You are maybe a little deluded as to what growing up in council or housing authority housing was like with school dinners, parent who if they worked worked in a blue collar occupation and your choice of career being limited to those where no university education would be required and pay checks were required. No one I know, NO ONE would be an artist, actor, dancer or anything else with such a flaky pay schedule as to then need handouts from time to time as thd wouldn't ever happen.

Wow there are some nasty replies on here, the OP was just making conversation no-one is obliged to reply.

God what is with the obsession with class? But of course your friends correct you wouldn't be mc

I was thinking that. OP has been nothing but polite and got some shitty replies.

You make a good point, and in my teens I had friends in those circumstances who occasionally told me exactly that. I was never ignorant, but admit to not knowing how people lived prior to leaving school, our place was a bubble i suppose. I was happy to learn.

I am much less financially secure than many of those people now though, so defining class as capital is too simplistic of me. I have no real social capital now either, but I appreciate that I may not fit in to WC on capital alone.

Dont worry i have my MN crafted helmet on!

Definitely middle class.

You are incredibly middle class.

”had horses, but more rough and tumble than posh” is possibly the most middle class thing ive heard for a while.

at the end of the day it doesn’t matter, but you’re far from working class.

Your politeness marks you as middle class lol

Working class would have told posters including me to piss off with their cheek !

I would describe you as an aging hippy.
Your account reeks of a lower middle class upbringing, and your assertion that you are working class is pretentious, and would fool no one.

Ageing hippy.....I think i love you

i would never claim to be any class in the real life company of others though!

They asked a question and got people's honest thoughts.

In reality I tend to reckon we are all essentially working class, as in all descended from peasants, which was re-circuited by 20thC politicians to create division amongst us in an effort to drive more profits to the 'top'.

The invention of the middle class was a smashing idea, created something to 'aspire' to, and for those who achieved it, someone to 'look down on'. Rather nifty!

Op, you keep saying you know many working class artist - how do you know they are working class when you though you were? I don't know anyone who I grew up with that would choose that as a career as they would want a very stable income. The only people I know who followed an artistic career path are through my ExDH and they are all very upper MC e.g Parents bought them their first car etc, large inheritance from family, parents gave them an allowance while at uni etc

You’re middleclass

Oh and they don't ever have meals like cottage pie, corned beef sandwiches and chips, egg and chips etc