To think middle-class guilt is performative - people still want nice kitchens?

[GuiltMarbleHeron]

The same people who talk about inequality still post their garden renovations online. AIBU to think most of it’s guilt-management dressed up as empathy?

What ??

I knew this was going to be a three word username post.

Unintelligible

What she/he said?

Middle class guilt is just something working class people say when they shop at Waitrose

It angers me that there is extreme inequality on our country.
i have money and spend it on my house and garden.

Why cant these two things happen together? My renovation isn’t taking money from the less wealthy. I’m not taking vastly more than my ‘fair share’ (such as those with multiple properties for example). I pay my taxes.

Why should I feel ‘guilty’ that I happened to be born middle class?

The same people who talk about class wars still post their weirdly ill thought out provocations online. AIBU to think most of its a bot dressed up as a real person expressing concern?

Exactly. Surely these bots should be focussing on scamming people out of their money rather than piss about on here, much more lucrative.

What on earth are you on about? What middle class guilt? I'm middle class. I'm currently having all my windows and doors replaced. I wasn't aware I was meant to feel guilty about it. It's perfectly possible to feel sympathy for people who are struggling financially without feeling guilty. I feel fortunate, if that's what you meant.

Ah, another AI generated post. What a treat for us.

I don’t think having money or enjoying what you’ve earned is the issue. I meant more how some people publicly overcompensate, perform their awareness, almost to signal that they’re ’the good kind’ of middle class. There’s a difference between quietly living your values and broadcasting guilt for social approval.

Borrrrrrring

Your renovation is helping keep people employed.

I mean we could all only buy what was 100% necessary, that would make a lot of people unemployed...

Why would someone with money feel guilty?

Thank goodness for the “hide” option.

I don’t think everyone with money feels guilty but some seem to express guilt publicly as a kind of social signal to show they’re aware of inequality or not ‘out of touch.’ It’s more about performance than genuine remorse.

@MonteStory

It angers me that there is extreme inequality on our country. […] My renovation isn’t taking money from the less wealthy.

I fully defend your right to spend on your garden, and agree that ‘middle class guilt’ is often silly or unproductive.

But I did find your two sentences above odd in juxtaposition.

You spending money on the garden is taking from the less wealthy, in the sense that you have the choice to spend it on either. Given that wealth inequality makes you so angry, why would you not prefer to spend your money on that?

I'm not even middle class myself and I still think yabu. A person can do renovations and have nice things while still being genuinely concerned about inequality or poverty or anything for that matter.

But why can’t I do both? I’ve made a career out of reducing barriers for children in education - barriers far more commonly found in areas of deprivation. I regularly speak out on this inequality in work and socially. So does that mean I can’t also show people pictures of my new kitchen?

I think you are confusing a show of wealth with a show of fuelling the system eg paying a tutor to get your child through the 11+, becoming a landlord and hiking your rent just because you can, referring to yourself as ‘self made’ when your parents paid for you start your business.

Sounds like a load of AI nonsense.

Recognizing your privilege in society does not mean not spending money for luxuries. In fact, doing things like putting in a new kitchen or hiring a gardener and paying fair wages in the process helps keep the economy moving.

the only reason to feel guilty is if you are trying to cheap out on labor costs.

Middle class guilt? I don't know what that is. Some should definitely have it over their drug use..

So any money I earn that I don’t ‘need’ I should give to the less fortunate?

Why? Why shouldn’t the government, the super wealthy and employers take responsibility for this shit show?

I don’t think the 20k I spent on my kitchen would make much of a dent for the millions in poverty. I pay my taxes, it’s not like I don’t contribute.

Thank you, ChatGPT. 🤣

AI really has given people the means to express the most nebulous incomprehensible nonsense in ways that sound vaguely intelligent until you actually analyse the actual content.

Well yes, public hand-wringing and martyrdom are annoying. Although, if anything, I think I find the phrase 'quietly living your values' even more annoying. Pious and smug. There would something a little ironic about criticising people for acting like they are 'one of the good, kind middle class people' while painting yourself as even kinder than them by being quiet about it! Competitive saintliness.