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Original poster

To be privileged is about far more than just a private education - discuss!

158 replies

soapbox · 05/02/2006 22:13

I get a little bored of the endless private vs state education threads, as to my mind private education is a fairly minor part of a privileged upbringing. I don't think it makes as much difference as the opportunities that mixing in the higher social circles brings!

I thought perhpas some honest views might explain further!

Some things that spring to mind:

Socialising with judges, doctors, CEOs, FDs, MPs etc mean that finding a summer placement job is not going to be a problem.

Always knowing someone who can get tickets to the latest sports game or must see concert.

Never being unsure which knife or fork to use!

Knowing exactly what you will get when you order 'posh' food in a restaurant.

Travelling extensively and seeing history where it took place and getting plenty practice of speaking languages in their native lands.

Not having to worry about how to pay for your first car, ditto the deposit for your first city pad!

What have I missed?

[Just to make clear - being privileged doesn't mean being better - or being happy and I do realise that my children might choose to be hippy drop outs - which of course they are perfectly entitled to be]

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 05/02/2006 23:16

Unfortunately, soapbox, this is why we have shows like 'A Place in the Sun' and others about people moving down under.

I can't delude myself that my kids may well run off to America the minute they find out a person's accent is a nifty point of discussion over there rather than a condemnation of any sort.

Skribble · 05/02/2006 23:18

jco- Your children are very privileged and so are you and that is my most honest opinion.

Mixing with the supposed higher classes seems only to blinker and limit people.

I mix with everyone and anyone at one of my jobs from unemployed 50yr old men from Govan to 18 yrold law students. I spend time with them all and they all get my attention, as a supervisor I love the challenge of leading such a mixed group and finds gems amoungst them all.

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:18

Expat - that is why having a Scottish accent is pretty handy in the City - no one can quite place you

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 05/02/2006 23:21

By why bother trying to 'place' people on their accent? B/c it's indicative of their socioeconomic background? I mean, what's different between doing that and 'placing' them on basis of their race? Or is it one those things that's still acceptable, like making fat jokes?

I'm not saying this to be inflammatory, I really want to understand, b/c it's something that's entirely foreign to me and I can't get my head round it for the life of me.

Socci · 05/02/2006 23:22

Message withdrawn

expatinscotland · 05/02/2006 23:22

Is it an English thing? Does anyone know? Cuz I don't and it's really confusing.

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:22

It matters Socci, because the selection process for the best universities, the legal, medical, accountancy, city professions are still very narrow. Not impossible to break into, but damned hard.

Of course, I accept that many people wouldn't want to spend their lives in those kind of jobs!

The private vs state education is a red herring, that was really what I was trying to say!

OP posts:
Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:24

Well expat - accent seems to be key to working as a City professional IME.

Whilst it is unpalatable - it is nontheless my experience!

OP posts:
Socci · 05/02/2006 23:25

Message withdrawn

Skribble · 05/02/2006 23:25

I am privileged not to work 9-5 in a city office .

WestCountryLass · 05/02/2006 23:25

OK, what I really think is:

Socialising with judges, doctors, CEOs, FDs, MPs etc mean that finding a summer placement job is not going to be a problem.

Absolutely fine if that is the sort of job you want however socialising with professionals would not been my idea of fun when I was in my late teens/early twenties if I am honest.

Always knowing someone who can get tickets to the latest sports game or must see concert.

How about earning your own money and paying??

Never being unsure which knife or fork to use!

Both of my parents are from working class backgrounds but I certainly know which knife and fork to use and if I didn't I would ask.

Knowing exactly what you will get when you order 'posh' food in a restaurant.

I have a basic grasp of French and Spanish and could probably work it out but if I couldn't I would ask, good wait staff would be happy to help

Travelling extensively and seeing history where it took place and getting plenty practice of speaking languages in their native lands.

I think the travel industry has changed a lot of the last 10 years and travel is accessible to more people.

Not having to worry about how to pay for your first car, ditto the deposit for your first city pad!

I am not actually sure if this is privaledged. Two of my friends aside, all the people who I know who have been handed things on a plate have not valued them (writing off cars, treating their parent paid for flats like dosshouses). I am of the opinion that if you have to work and pay for the things you want, you value them more.

My two pennies worth

I had a pretty idyllic childhood in many ways (where I lived, what I did, experiences I had) and bar my parents divorcing and my brotehr being a psycho that is what I am striving to give my kids.

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:25

Socci - not quite the wouldn't have got it on merit alone, but certainly the feeling that in choosing between candidates of equal ability!

OP posts:
jco · 05/02/2006 23:26

soapbox, i fully understand your point of view but i feel you are using academic acheivement and successful careers as some kind of measure of success. People are successful in their lives in many ways. This of course can be by being well educated (state or private) and going on to have successful careers, but being successful can also be in many other ways ie having the children you always wanted. Basically if a person is happy in their own skin, living a life that they want to lead, then this to me is success

Skribble · 05/02/2006 23:27

I have been to hundrends of concerts and gigs for free , I am privileged to work at them .

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:28

God failing miserably here SOcci!!!

Many people who choose to educate in the state system are still in very 'priveliged' positions. Their choice of education doesn't suddenly mean that little felix is on a level playing field with other children in his school!

OP posts:
northerner · 05/02/2006 23:28

Just found this. Might make you

Private schools vs. State Schools

For the unaware, there is a slight difference between private schools and comprehensive schools in Britain. The Department of Education has realised this and has revised the secondary Maths Exam papers accordingly.

Attached are the most recent maths exam papers for your reference.

MATHS TEST FOR STATE SCHOOLS

Name Nickname_

Gang Name

  1. Simon has 0.5 kilos of cocaine. If he sells an 8 ball to Matt for 300 quid and 90 grams to Ollie for 90 quid, what is the street value of the rest of his hold?

  2. Damon pimps 3 b**ches. If the price is £40 a ride, how many jobs per day must each bitch perform to support Damon's £500 a day coke habit?

  3. Crackhead wants to cut the kilo of cocaine he bought for 7,000 quid to make a 20% profit. How many grams of Strychnine will he need?

  4. Trev got 6 years for murder. He also got £350,000 for the hit. If hiscommon law wife spends £33,100 per month, how much money will be left when he gets out?
    Extra Credit Bonus: How much more time will Trev get for killing the slapper that spent his money?

  5. If an average can of spray paint covers 22 square metres and the average letter is 1 square metre, how many letters can be sprayed with eight fluid ounce cans of spray paint with 20% extra paint free ?

  6. Liam steals Jordan's skateboard. As Liam skates away at a speed of 35mph, Jordan loads his brother's Armalite. If it takes Jordan 20 seconds
    to load the gun, how far will Liam have travelled when he gets whacked?

MATHS TEST FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Name_ _
(If longer please continue on a separate sheet)

School ___

Daddy's/Mummy's Company

  1. Harry smashes up the old man's car, causing x amount of damage and killing 3 people. The old man asks his local Chief Constable to intervene in the court system, then forges his insurance claim and receives a payment of y. The difference between x and y is three times the life insurance settlement for the three dead people. What kind of car is Harry driving now?

  2. Fiona's personal shopper decides to substitute generic and own-brand products for the designer goods favoured by her employer. In the course of a month she saves the price of a return ticket to Fiji and Fiona doesn't even notice the difference. Is she thick or what?

  3. Tristram fancies the arse off a certain number of debutantes, but he only has enough Rohypnol left to render 33.3% unconscious. If he has 14 tablets of Rohypnol, how is he ever going to shag the other two thirds?

  4. If Verity throws up 4 times a day for a week she can fit into a size 8 Versace. If she only throws up 3 times a day for two weeks, she has to make do with a size 10 Dolce & Gabbana. How much does liposuction cost?

  5. Henry is unsure about his sexuality. Three days a week he fancies women. On the other days he fancies men, ducks and vacuum cleaners. However he only has access to the Hoover every third week. When will he stand for parliament?

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:29

jco - yes that is true.

OP posts:
Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:30

Oops premature posting finger

Meant to say, yes that is true, but that wasn't the point of this thread!

OP posts:
WestCountryLass · 05/02/2006 23:32

Bwahahahahaha PMP

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:32

Northener - a more humerous version of the point I was trying to make

OP posts:
WestCountryLass · 05/02/2006 23:33

I don't really understand your point, but I went to state school

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:33

WCL - so did I

OP posts:
jco · 05/02/2006 23:33

No soapbox, but i was just trying to get you to look at the wider picture.

Original poster
soapbox · 05/02/2006 23:34

Oh JCo - I fully see the wider picture - of that there is no question

OP posts:
jco · 05/02/2006 23:34

I went to state school too! maybe thats why i didn't understand the point of this thread as soapbox pointed out!