Will my life be better if I move to USA?

[Yatre]

I truly hate the UK class system.

I hate the whole private school vs grammar school vs state school elitism.

I hate the Oxbridge elitism and how Oxbridge-educated people dominate public life and the arrogance many of them have.

I hate the posh Etonians and Harrovians.

I hate the elitism of the Royal Family, the British aristocracy, all those titles and landed estates, the House of Lords etc.

Just the existence of certain British politicans (regardless of their politics - because this isn’t necessarily about their political beliefs) really irks me. Think David Cameron or Boris Johnson. Both upper-class, privately-educated, Oxford/Bullingdon Club, which have given them a great sense of arrogance about their position in life.

I hate the Oxford Union and the way they all dress up in posh attire, acting all special, and thinking their oratory skills will materialise into anything of worth.

This arrogance has been talked about before with many Brits believing that these Oxbridge, privately-educated, middle and upper-class people have the arrogance to think they have the right to run the country.

They’re present everywhere. Edward Davey, Keir Starmer, Suella Braverman, Tony Blair etc. it’s not just a right-wing thing. In fat, you could argue, these days, it’s more so left-wing.

Even successful British actors like Emma Thompson, Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne etc exhibit these attributes. They

I just don’t want to have to live in the same country as these types of people or listen to their antics.

Luckily, I’m a dual UK-US citizen since I was born in the US while my parents were living there for a while, but I have never been there since my parents returned and I don’t know anyone there.

I really want to move to the US.

If you know what it’s like to live in the USA, can you just tell me whether if I moved to the USA, I wouldn’t have to come across any of those posh, aristocratic, upper/middle-class, privately-educated, titled, Oxbridge graduate snobs that I mentioned.

I would live in a much more meritocratic country where nobody would tolerate Oxford Union debaters thinking their opinion matters or privately-educated people thinking they have a right to run the country.

At least Trump’s wealth or that of the Kardashian’s isn’t offensive to me because it just feels different - it doesn’t feel as layered and it doesn’t make them act as entitled or snobbish.

So, if I move to USA will I be free from these types of people or will I still see some of them/hear from them? I’m not sure if America is dominated by middle-class or posh, Oxbridge graduates or aristocrats.

Sorry for the rant. Just felt overwhelmed.

If you're not rich, professionally successful, beautiful, well-dressed and well-connected they'll despise you.

Um, no. There's a large British ex-pat community where I live (the northern suburbs of NYC) who don't fit that description and fit right in here, with loads of friends, because they are lovely people. I go to church with two of them.

Despise? Where on earth did that come from?

There is only a class system here if people like you perpetuate it. BTW, your language suggests you are an inverse snob.
Some of those you mention do have some talent though - I mean the actors not the politicians!

Ref private schools - they exist in the USA too! As do elitist universities....

The reality is there are rich families, middle income families and lowerinvome families. . That is what needs to stop. The middles work hard, some manage to make it to become rich but most don't. The lowers lack access to opportunity, some make it to middle very few make it rich. The rich use nepotism to get on, you can only do this if you have connections so the middle and lower mainly miss out.

It is crap, I agree. Statistically a bright kid from state school will do less well than a average kid who was privately educated. I do not know if this is different in the USA though. Maybe take a look at some stats before living there.

Also the COL is crazy in the USA and I'm not sure income is better than here, so take a look at that too. Whilst the orange one is in charge I'd probably stay here, but honestly given the chance I'd move to the USA.

In my experience, the university you went to can be important in getting your first job, and then becomes largely irrelevant. There are lots of Ivy League grads working as baristas because they studied art history or sociology, or have poor people skills.

My son went to a small, mid tier college and got an internship and job offer from a big four accounting firm, and now has a very successful and lucrative career. Merit still matters a lot.

I’ve lived in both the US and the UK, they are not that different. We have a class system here as well. The grass is not greener over here.

Where are you from, op

If it's anywhere remotely up North, then yes I can get on board with what you're saying.

Most of MN is from the home counties so will have no idea what you're on about

Go, trade our lovely old country for US. Just be prepared to be seized by ICE as even fully fledged citizens are not exempt from being incarcerated and don't fall ill as the healthcare is none existent unless you have deep pockets.

I think this post is a wind up. Nobody in their right mind would really be contemplating going to US even for a holiday with the current crooked Administration in charge.

US citizens are emigrating to Europe in the thousands, fleeing US like rats from a sinking ship.

Have you considered Russia? No elitism there 😁 Petrol and bread queues could keep you occupied whilst getting over the trauma of Oxford and Emma Thompson's accent.

You’ve never known snobbery like the East Coast elite.

It will be incredible for you
there. There are no WASPS or East Coast political & intellectual aristocracy.

You will be embraced by ICE as a true-believer.

There is no corpocracy or billionaire class.

You will be seen fully human in the US, in a way you are not in the UK.

Sound good?

Well on MN they'll always say the USA is a hellhole...

Salaries are better by the way, but costs are really out of control. That said, now is not the time. The demented Cheeto in the White House is destroying our economy and our politics. And moving to another country never fixes you. You need to be moving to something, not running away from it.

Seriously — that sounds like someone's expecting to live on the set of Gossip Girl!

I live near DC and educational snobbery is real, but the rest of it, no. And even then there are plenty of people who didn't go to elite universities and have done well.

PS @Yatre, it was in the last century that the House of Lords was largely abolished as an hereditary mechanism.

So you don't need to worry about that any more.

meanwhile, back in the real world……

That's a nuisance. There aren't many routes where Amtrak is good for a day trip. I'm too old to overnight in seated accommodation, I need a sleeper! Driving and flying are travel modes I treat as last resorts.

Anyway, 2026's travel budget has been blown already.

I was wondering how many old Etonians and Harrovians you meet in a typical day.

Go if you want to go …. However I think you’re living in the wrong U.K. location. Look for alternative places like Totness, Stroud Bristol

No, America has no elite universities which are attended by privileged, wealthy people. It does not have a system whereby the wealthy elites find their way into positions of power or privilege within government.

They’re highly welcoming to immigrants, especially at the moment. They’ve created an all powerful gestapo community of government agents called ICE, to ensure that immigrants feel welcome and safe.

It sounds like a magical wonderland. I’m sure you’ll love it. Off you pop

Places that claim to be meritocratic typically have hidden value systems that are nothing to do with merit: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65498-5_4

What you're actually looking for is a culture with low power distance--ironically the US is a HIGHER power distance culture than the UK, meaning that elites expect more deference.... https://clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/power-distance-index/

So you want to move because some people have more than you and because of that they get access to better things?

Where do u think this exists? You'd move because students at Oxford dress up?
Come off it.

To be fair op's description of the UK won't chime with many people's either.

Johnson and Cameron fair enough. But Blair, Starmer, Braverman, Davey - none of them had particularly privileged upbringings.

Seems their parents were all born pretty normal people who did quite well for themselves and then yes invested a bit in their kids education. If you think that’s not the case in the US and that US politicians “come from the streets” you’re in for a shock.

In fact Starmer in particular had a bang average upbringing, the first of his family to go to university, and only went to a good school through his own academic merit. The contrast with Trump could hardly be more stark.

I guess if you want somewhere less wealth and privilege focused, somewhere in Scandinavia might be better, or perhaps even Ireland. But truth be told it’s a bit of a weird thing for the average person to fixate on.

Gosh. You need to reconcile your obsession with a university

You sound young, bitter and a bit naive just go and see how it works out for you. It could be a great learning experience if nothing else.

America is a country of idiots so you would fit right in.

How stupid do you have to be to 1) want to live in the US and 2) to think they don't have a class system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Anglo-Saxon_Protestants

In the United States, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or Wealthy Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASP) is a sociological term which is often used to describe white/wealthy Protestant Americans of English, or more broadly British, descent who are generally part of the white dominant culture, and who belong to Protestant denominations. Some sociologists and commentators use WASP more broadly to include all White Protestant Americans of Northwestern European and Northern European ancestry.[2][3][4] It was seen to be in exclusionary contrast to Catholics, Jews, Irish, immigrants, southern or eastern Europeans, and the non-White. WASPs have dominated American society, culture, and politics for most of the history of the United States. Critics have disparaged them as "The Establishment".