What makes you middle class?

[Singlemum90]

So a comment from my mother a few years ago has stuck with me ever since then really. When I was no longer a single mum, and found myself a little less skint, she said 'oh it's so good now you're just a nice middle class mum, I'm so proud of you'

Aside from her clearly looking down at me before this, and deciding class was what defined how she felt about me- I have often wondered what made her decide I was middle class at this point.

How do you define it? (I feel it's very subjective) Is it what family you are born into? Your income?(And what income makes the 'classes'? Is it a specific job type? The way you stick your finger out when you drink tea?
Or is it just a shitty way to divide people and how they feel about themselves?

Ok, if you say so. I'm not that bothered. I am definitely middle class and not working class, the 'upper' thing is obviously a matter of interpretation.

No, you're not both. You're still WC. Your children however, may be more MC.

Who said anything about social media? You seem to think that I use the same metric as some naff influencer, I can assure you that that couldn't be further from the case. I don't even have instagram and am very rarely on facebook.

Why are you telling people that they are not middle class? Who made you the arbiter of what class people are?

Class is one of the intricacies of being English, its totally meaningless but so very intriguing to so many and extremely important to those very few that think it really matters to keep hoi polo out of their clubs

@LovelyTheresa I 'can assure you' that you are most definitely working class.

The thing is, you can’t really be “upper middle class” without having the income to back it up, just because you like things you can’t afford. Everyone likes nice things. Do you honestly think people kit their house out in stuff from B&M because they genuinely think it’s nicer than the stuff in the boutique stores?

Not even close. You have no idea what you are talking about.

polloi not polo - fraudilan autocorrect

@LovelyTheresa at best lower middle. And therefore desperate to be upper middle. How often do you host candle light suppers?

When I say I don't have a high income, I mean I'm not wealthy wealthy. I don't mean I shop at B&M. I can afford the things that I like, I own my own home and am saving for a second one, etc. I don't have so much money that I can afford to not work, but the work that I do do makes me more than comfortable, plus I have some family money and will inherit another home eventually.

Whats even more curious to me is the fact the the upper classes and the working class have far more in common with each other than the middles class - I always assumed this was why people didn't want to be middles class as they are the odd one out

Skiing and horses. Also education and aspiration, but mostly skiing and ponies.

This class thing, its like people are always ‘gauging’ where they are and where everyone else is.

What’s the point, things can change over night.

Also, you seem to be associating class with money to a larger degree than I do. By your definition, the Kardashians are upper class (I know they are American) but I do not consider them to be so and their aesthetic is to me very vulgar and naff.

@Notmyuser , I really wish ‘class’ wasn’t a thing. I do think the great majority of people are middle class, I certainty don’t think how wealthy you are plays any part in it. Therefore the immigrants (anyone) who value education are displaying a middle class attribute.

If you took away money from an old Etonian, it wouldn't make him change his class to become middle or working class, it just doesn't operate in that manner. Your view of class is based on a crude operating system based upon money or wealth. Rightly or wrongly that isn't what happens in reality

That BBC quiz definitely includes income. If I put my current income (£0) I'm emergent service class. If I put my salary before I was made redundant, I'm elite.

Someone told me yesterday I'm a bit posh, which puzzled me - I have a strong Dorset accent (especially having been home for the weekend) which doesn't sound at all posh. I am middle class I think - I have some inherited furniture and paintings, I go to museums and galleries and was brought up like this, and without a TV, so I can be rubbish at knowing about popular culture. Perhaps it's the silk pyjamas. But equally, I currently have no income, I rent. I don't know what I am.

The kardashians are upper middle class. If you are allowed to base your class on education level, then so are they. They were wealthy before they were famous. They own businesses, have a background in law, and so on. You may dislike their “aesthetic” but it is still one of wealth and high status.
It sounds to me like you are a snob, not middle class.

I've never heard B&M as a class indicator before.

Do batteries and bleach work differently if bought at waitrose instead of B&M?

It's all a complete load of nonsense designed to crush aspiration and keep people in "their place" and maintain the rotten status quo.
It encorages the masses to continue to vote against their own interests based mainly on wishful thinking and snobbery.

This. Historically I expect working class was home help, trades, services etc, and middle class were clerks and admin, some kept ladies. Upper class was landed gentry.

Do batteries and bleach work differently if bought at waitrose instead of B&M?

It would depend on what items you are using them for as to whether they work differently, you'll get less of a hum with a rabbit from F&M

Even in Victorian times it didn’t mean that. It was largely down to your occupation. So barristers vs chimney sweeps, to quote two extreme examples.

It was me who made that comment. It was in reference to home decor, if you read.

Id say one thing that does often set the classes apart is the longevity of things. I’ve found that regardless of income, people who are middle class tend to buy well and buy to last, whereas those who are working class are more interested in trends/fashion, tend to replace things regularly to “keep up with the Joneses” and be more interested in materially appearing to be doing well (by being on trend) whereas those with a higher social status tend to go for more timeless pieces which last. Part of it is obviously down to initial purchase power, but I do think it goes deeper than that.