What makes you working class?

[Bdueb]

Was listening to an interview with oa well known actor talking about their childhood and growing up working class. For them a key part was lack of travel and having not left their local area much etc. That was 20 years ago. What about now - what do you think distinguishes working and middle class childhoods of today?

I disagree with the way you define class, but I do find your perspective fascinating.

I find it equally fascinating that you think having a six bedroom house and a month long honeymoon makes you middle class.

Watch ‘ Industry’ some good examples of class on it.

Good question. I'm of the opinion that my parents define nothing about me - but others would disagree.

No, I think you have misunderstood. Class is SO much more than wealth and holidays. In my opinion, a lot of it is about education and career (e.g. I have a PhD). I do think that living in a 6 bedroom detached house in the South East and going on a month-long honeymoon to Hawaii is unlikely to be part of a working class lifestyle, but that is absolutely by NO means 'it'. As I say, class is far more complex and fluid than that in today's world, and I just don't think that the rigid 'working', 'middle' and 'upper' class have a place in today's society, where there is so much social mobility. I was being genuine, by the way, when I said I found your views fascinating. It's always so interesting to see the viewpoints of others and to see a different perspective on something.

Result: the class group you most closely match is:
Established middle class

This is hilarious. Well, if anyone if feeling particularly fragile about what class they are, just do the BBC calculator and you're highly likely to get some form of middle class.

Yes, I've had friends in the same boat too.

I think you just haven’t met any wealthy working class people! Fancy holidays/ cars/ houses absolutely can be part of the lifestyle! lots of very wealthy plumbers, builders, retail business owners, hospitality business owners, hair and beauty salon business owners. Appear on a superficial level to be ‘middle class’ but absolutely are not when you know them.

And the reason you know they are not is due to the culture they were brought up in that remains with them.

Yeh, maybe not. To be honest, my social group is mostly university academics lawyers, accountants, politicians, teachers and doctors. As I said, though, I don't think it's all about money at all. I see level of education and career as massive class markers. It's okay though if you view class differently.

Ha - it gave me 'elite' which is bonkers. I guess this just shows how many different ways of defining class there are.

The class calculator gave me established middle class, I assume because I know a wide variety of people socially and like the theatre

Maybe you are?
I came out as traditional working class

I ticked I like the theatre and know a wide range of people, still came out as working class. More likely to be your income.

No, I wouldn't say I'm one of the UK's highest earners, which is one of the criteria they've used. Also it says "This group is exclusive and very hard to join, most come from very privileged backgrounds"... my background is anything but privileged! I think I'm just hard to define. However, the categories they've used serve as an interesting way of looking at class in the modern world, and definitely more relevant than traditional class 'labels'.

@Janedoe82 so what class are my children? I was born to WC teenage parents, my DH family are very wealthy, have a coat of arms etc… DC attend a public school. I just don’t think old class system is applicable or has any relevance in modern Britain.

Good question! 👍

I just don’t think old class system is applicable or has any relevance in modern Britain
Fully agree.

I think what people say publicly and what they say behind closed doors are two very different things.
You can be absolutely sure that your husbands friends if they are old school money will have commented on your background and yes- whilst your children have a privileged lifestyle your background will always be remembered.

Look at the commentary on Kate Middleton or Megan Markles families for example in comparison to Diana’s and Fergies.

People tend to underestimate how much you need to earn to be in the top earners

I guess so, though I had to guess our income because my bloke does not have a stable income as it depends on how much he works but it doesn't account for that. Though just did it again with a lower income level and it's still established middle class.

Going to private school doesn't mean much. There were a fair number of children with palpably working class parents at my private school (and it was a very good one)

Absolutely- and at the one my children attended there were plenty of bitchy comments made about where the money was coming from.
I have a very working class friend whose grand daughter has just started at extremely exclusive one- teen mother but partner premiership footballer and they most definitely are not MC (and have no aspirations to be so!)
Social snobbery is a tale as old as time. You only have to watch Bridgerton to see a satirical example of this- the Fetheringtons for example have no awareness that they are not really ‘in the club’.

I can assure you that middle-middles and upper-middles still frequently need mortgages and don’t have savings of £500,000.

My husband’s friends don’t know anything about my family background, why would they?

Well before I met my husband, my very small uni course had some very wealthy, titled people on it. The friendship group from uni is still completely diverse in terms of people’s family background. It wasn’t a barrier to friendships at all. It also isn’t something I recognise now at school with my children, we have a really diverse friendship group of parents. Income or family background has completely no relevance to anybody.

If you were born in 1982 as your username suggests, you would be over a decade older than me. The things you are saying aren’t anything I recognise, I really do think things have move on for the better. I really fail to see how the historic class system has any real relevance in modern Britain.