To wonder what really is the majority social demographic on Mumsnet?

[CestNoel]

I see soooo many threads along the lines of:

• should I sack my au-pair?

• anybody know any good cleaners?

• my career is too important for me to go to my child's concert...

• can I get free transport to a private school?!?!?!?

• my dd has been given a non-organic fruit drink at nursery

• drats. My new Boden trousers are too short.

And then, everyone is up in arms at the idea of spending £10 on a present to take to a child's birthday party and we have all sorts of suggestions as to how to buy something suitably non-tack like for about £1.49

Is the beauty of Mumsnet I suppose.......

Hmmm interesting. But the class system is a social construct just as our ways of behaving are derived/ shaped by civilised society (how often do we fall back on our baser instincts? Not very) so I suppose adopting certain behaviours typical of a social group makes us one of them. In some sense. I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me. (Esp those of breeding)

So from there it becomes a question of politics.

Some people become rich and don't change class. Some people become rich and do change class. Just depends on the person etc.

retired goth

did you post on the survey that you once were a GOTH?

that would have jogged your socio economic status up a strata or two

goths were always posh

pretended not to be but were

Shops in Sainsbury and Waitrose YES
Wears M and S pants NO
Has a car that is clean on the inside NO and comparatively recent -NO
Children give in their homework - yes
Keeps her domestic appliances clean - YES
Eats fruit and vegetables - YES
Expects her house to have hot water - YES AM MILITANT ABOUT CONSTANT HOT WATER
No peeling paint on the outside of the house - YES
Votes - LIBERAL
Reads - THE TIMES
Fast food - NO NO NO
Boden - NOT OFTEN (NO LIKEE)
Educated - MOSTLY
Children's schools - PRIVATE

upvc or wood?

UPVC?

IMO it is also a matter of self, it has been said again and again that someone of working class background even once they have "made good" and can no longer be classified as such still feel working class and would still class themselves working class. Similarly someone who is belt and braces upper class suddenly loses everything they continue to feel and act upper class.

Strictly speaking (nowadays) when your situation changes so does your class. In reality going on your parental history and your personal inclinations (and on the old system) nothing changes!

The only class section who actually chases change is the middle class and they only change upwards, changing down is not an option, no matter what happens in their life

Ooh, I must be posh then. I was once a goth.

you ARE Torya and 'proper' clever

People have very different ideas about what being middle class means. Anyone who thinks it is all about money is sadly deluded.

well according to that mail survey I am a victim of inbreeding, not sure what that says about my class.

I also scored 6 on the BBC survey which seemed to be solidly middle class.

I am not M/c and that is very obvious if you were to meet me.

sorry re read the link and I am upper class, no I am actually working class but love my dog, nice food and dont put the heating on

inesj I am actually very offended I have no net curtains and certainly do not read the daily mail

where is the link to survey Twinset?

I dont think having a degree defines your class either, just because you are working class it does not mean you are thick.

I just did that Mail survey - scored 225. I didn't like the answer ...

It is in page 4 or five of this thread notanotter.

It is in page 4 or five of this thread notanotter.

It depends whether you define middle class by cash or by intelligence.

I think a lot of 'middle class' posts on here define the cash .. but not the intelligence.

The need to have an au-pair is nowadays deeply suspicious, imo. In the 70s, an au-pair was a girl you employed for light duties whilst she was studying to learn the language.

Nowadays, she's a mother's help. But au-pair sounds more middle class.

Haven't read thread, but definitely that MNers do not equal "normal" people as I know them around where I live. No fruitshoots, Farrow & Ball paint only, all white sheets (Egyptian cotton, high thread count please), don't do party bags, no McDonalds... I could go on, there is nobody I know in RL, absolutely nobody, who lives like this. Which makes me love MN even more.

Message deleted

Why is having an AP suspicious? Genuinely curious to know ... I mean if you are both working you need someone to pick up from school, don't you?

Yes but in the Real World as I know it this job is done by grandparents/after school clubs/childminders, not Au Pairs

To have an Au Pair you need the right size house to start.

You can only have an au-pair if you can afford a big house (or alternatively afford to set it up elsewhere). Less affluent people who work tend to use childminders.