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Claiming to be middle class is working class denial and a salary is a simple method for getting middle class people to work longer for free
Hmm well as a rough guide I'd say middle classes have careers - in the past they were the merchants and bankers....
Hmm well as a rough guide I'd say middle classes have careers - in the past they were the merchants and bankers....
I think "traditional" definitions of middle class used to go along these lines
Upper middle class - merchants, bankers, mine owners, factory owners etc. (the bourgeoise?)
Middle middle class - The professions - lawyers, surgeons etc.
lower middle class - teachers, clerks etc.
The lower middle class often had less disposable income than the upper working class (self employed tradesman or "artisans (although they never made coffee). The upper middle classes often had more disposable income than the nobility or aristocracy, into which they often bought their way.
Ok, lets settle this once and for all....
who watched the Turner Prize on channel 4 last night then?
The "Elite" don't watch that on telly - they attend in person.
Emergent Service Worker it seems 😆
I had to google it
Emergent Service Worker
Servicing something that emerges? Rising to the occasion when something gets put forward?
I didn't google it.
a puddy tat?
<applauds>
Emergent Service Worker
A kind of bee?
I think "traditional" definitions of middle class used to go along these linesUpper middle class - merchants, bankers, mine owners, factory owners etc. (the bourgeoise?)
Middle middle class - The professions - lawyers, surgeons etc.
lower middle class - teachers, clerks etc.
The lower middle class often had less disposable income than the upper working class (self employed tradesman or "artisans (although they never made coffee). The upper middle classes often had more disposable income than the nobility or aristocracy, into which they often bought their way.
I think when we start talking about "middle, middle class" you know you've gone a niche too far.
For me, middle class is like middle aged, it's a state of mind more than anything tangible, or more accurately it's a lie.
There's only two classes really, only two that matter anyway - the Upper Class and the rest of us, the lower class. "middle class" is a lie the upper class sold us to make us think we're wealthy so we'll leave the wealthy upper class alone.
For example how else would you manage to convince Lower Class people to vote to increase the inheritance tax allowance to £1m?
It's like there's been a multi-century conspiracy to make sure we're too busy arguing over income tax, a tax that only really costs the lower class to notice there are little or no wealth taxes.
For example how else would you manage to convince Lower Class people to vote to increase the inheritance tax allowance to £1m?
No need, it's the most universally hated tax out there apparently.
But some taxes are now beyond the pale, even for people who are supportive of progressive measures. Inheritance tax is seen as unfair and insensitive even by left-leaning voters, and has become too toxic to save.”
“Their arguments were striking, emotive and mostly unequivocal. These discussions were excellent examples of how people are able to hold fundamentally contradictory views simultaneously. People believe that wealth should be taxed and inequalities of wealth reduced, but inherited wealth should not be touched.”
It's like there's been a multi-century conspiracy to make sure we're too busy arguing over income tax, a tax that only really costs the lower class to notice there are little or no wealth taxes.
This is an interesting book on how they've managed precisely that....
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Elite - What utter cobblers.
This is an interesting book on how they've managed precisely that....
Bought a copy the other day, but yet to start it. Any good binners?
Its a fantastic book, in a thoroughly depressing sort of way.
It explains how we've all been sort of conditioned to be stitched up like kippers by a corporatist global elite who own, and control, pretty much everything and regard us as little more than serfs, to be ruthlessly exploited, while maintaining some sort of symbolic democratic facade, and throw us the odd crumb, just enough to keep revolution at bay.
After reading it, it'll confirm the whole 'Class' thing is just the top 1% versus the rest of us. And we're in the grip of a neoliberal consensus, no matter which party is nominally 'in power' which just continues the redistribution of wealth from everyone else to the rich.
Worth a read though. Just to confirm everything you already knew. But he's obviously done his homework, and he's a great writer, even though every time I see him on telly I can't connect the writing with the bloke himself, who looks about 12
in a thoroughly depressing sort of way.
I still think Neo would have been happier if he had just taken the blue pill 😉
Just read the first chapter, "The Outriders", - absolutely brilliant book, had no idea such a small number of individuals could have so much influence!
Traditional working class.