To be sick of inverted snobbery

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Why do people think it is fine to make derogatory and sweeping statements about the 'wealthy' that they wouldn't dream of making about people of more modest means? For some people, wealth = greed.

People are individuals, some rich individuals are probably horrible and mean, but some that I have got to know through my work are nice and quietly philanthropic - they are just people at the end of the day. They eat, sleep and worry about things just like anyone else.

I am an ordinary working mum so I won't be making the sunday times rich list any time soon btw .

I thought inverted snobbery was more nuanced than merely having a pop at the wealthy.

Here's a definition I like
'a person who scorns the conventions or attitudes of his own class or social group by attempting to identify with people of a supposedly lower class'

So a mc person will not be aspirational in their outlook but prefer a beat up old car rather than a shiny new beamer.

I don't think it's just the reverse of starting a thread about chavs on benefits.

indeed pag i yet aspire to being 'one of the idle rich' though i don't feel particularly poor either..

touches wood<

i find it quite annoying 'oh they're rich they're totally ignorant of 'real life' (one wonders if they've been living a fake life!) or 'a hot house flower' (ie never had to prove themselves) or.. 'greedy' etc..

I hate the attitudes displayed so often on here, that successful people should be punished through higher and higher taxes while people who are perfectly capable of providing for themselves squeal about threats to their tax credits or whatever. (Middle income, healthy and able bodied I mean, not the truly disadvantaged.) Where do people think the jobs come from, if not through the industry and drive of others?

Worse, that to be a bit right wing is on a par with voting BNP or UKIP.

yes and the cause of far too much inequality if you ask me. i am currently being paid so much for a freelance job i feel it is almost obscene and am seriously considering a tithe to a charity of my choice... despite the fact the day rate is about normal if not a bit low for the corporate world. and that it covers the pittance my DH earns in his following-the-heart-not-career job

ha ha just caught myself - i should just pay my taxes, right?!

I do very much dislike the term 'welcome to real life' however. Everyone's life feels pretty much real to them.

(I am not a successful person though.)

Goodness, just got off the phone to lots more replies...

MarshaBrady, completely agree with you there!

I live in a very middle class area. I get a lot of abuse for sending my children to private school.

They send their children to the local state, but only after paying a £300K premium for a house within the catchment area of the school of their choice!

Champagne socialists...

Pagwatch, what you said resonates with me "Having money means you don't have to worry about the bills.But it does not give you a lifefree from grief, sadness, hardship, depression etc etc."

So true.

Marshabrady my point is that generalisations about people, be they rich or on benefits, are unhelpful.

My son is a 6th former and volunteers at a local Playscheme for children with disabilities.
On his trainning day one of the mums started mocking him asking if he was doing a poor kids outreach programme from his posh school with his worthless rich-boy friends who only mix with 'real' people to have something to talk about at interview for uni...
DS1 waited patiently till she had finished and then introduced his brother .
She shut up but her assumptions were vile and she never apologised.

I was very angry on his behalf but he said she was just lashing out because "i look like everything she was accusing me of".
He was more sanguine than me and he was right but that level of assumption annoys me.

It is funny occasionally - like the woman who shouted at me in a 'who the fuck do you think you are' type way as DS2 school transport collected him
' so up your own arse you get a taxi to take your kid to school...'

I just don't understand how money or lack of it can be a barometer for whether you're a decent person or not. It makes absolutely no sense.

Some that are born into money may be slightly naive and blinkered to the suffering of those less fortunate than them but the vitriol unleashed sometimes on here and in society in general towards the middle classes and upper classes is vile.

There is a widespread and growing disrespect and antagonism, in all directions, between social groups in this country which is incredibly unhealthy.

good lord, i would never abuse people in the street, whatever i thought! .

although was tempted yesterday when tessa jowell offered me a labour leaflet

Get rid of real snobbery first, then I'll get outraged at the other kind.

BTW I suffered a lot at the hands of inverted snobs when I was a child. But guess what? I coped. Because compared to a lot of people I was lucky - good home, good education, enough money, good parenting.

according to the political compass

all the big three are (economicaly) right of centre, labour more authoritarian the conservative .

got to do stuff with kiddies...

Sure Flock, they are. I have a wide spectrum of friends and relatives including some that sail on a yacht all year (well and trade property). I love 'em all.

So no generalisations from me. I do think that the way inverted snobbery is used on mn is interesting (so probably not completely on-thread as it were but not enough to warrant one of its own).

Pag

Good for DS1 though, bet you had a proud Mum moment!

unhelpful that is...

I agree Orm. There are bigger fish to fry.We should start with the less able to defend themselves and the least protected by society

But personally I think it is all part ofthe same thing.
If people are attcked in a prejudiced/stereotypical way it is depressing how often their response is not to defy the stereotype but to retort with one of their own..
The politics board is little else at the moment.

yes pag your boy sounds a marvel.

hes alright. I wish he'd clean his bloody bedroom though....

With the other kind of snobbery, although unpleasant, you don't often see the same level of bitter hatred that you do with those who envy and despise people wealthier than themselves.

well i guess we all have to live up to ONE sweeping assumption about our social group!

Quite agree pag. Sterotypes of any kind are desctructive and unfair.