[Closed] Middle classishness.

I've got a small telly

Nope.

Middle Class people go to church on Sundays.

You'll never be one of them.

you were born middle class, but just trying desperately to not believe it.

My neighbour came over to ask if my Satellite (SKY) TV was working OK. I said I don't remember the last time it was turned on. (I don't have SKY, just in case you were wondering if I had it, but just didn't turn it on; that would ridiculous. I mean imagine owning and paying for stuff you never used, like road bikes!)

What's [i]actually[/i] the difference between middle and working class? (I've googled it, and I'm none the wiser)

the difference between middle and working class?

The Midlands.

"Am I now of the Middling Sort?”

yes absolutely. mainly because you have no taste and are picking the middle class baubles that are more about their cultural significance than their actual intrinsic qualities.

if you are a true coffee aficionado which is a classless pursuit you will be using a v60 filter and direct sourced not organic/fairtrade bean and a decent ceramic burr grinder, instead you are more interested in the cultural associations (and getting the details wrong) than high quality coffee.

huge difference between being a snob and being discerning, something the middle classes fail miserably at.

i think of it like a nice bottle of wine or fizz, to me its something to be shared for the enjoyment and socially sharing something that tastes nice instead of look at me i can afford to drink vintage Möet (and that bottle would probably be something that wasn’t so socially recognisable and tasted better)

saying that i remember the interior decor of your UK property you were selling. no way was that middle class, underclass/ghetto class springs to mind. 😆

What's actually the difference between middle and working class?

Middle class - oh my god I have run out of Quinoa
Working class - what the **** is Quinoa

It's all about Tomato Ketchup.

Keep your Red Sauce in the cupboard with the teabags? = working class

Store your Ketchup in the fridge as per the instructions on the bottle = middle class

No idea where Cook keeps the pickles and preserves? = upper class

saying that i remember the interior decor of your UK property you were selling. no way was that middle class, underclass/ghetto class springs to mind.

It wasn't acheived without a great deal of pain.

Thanks for the advice, though. Now I needn't bother with the Holistic Gong Therapy I was considering, to help me with my Liberal guilt...

You're an Englishman in Spain, that's a whole class in itself.

You should be whining that you can't get PG Tips and dressing like you're about to go to a parent's evening.

However, drummers are all middle class, unless you nicked your first kit and the van to carry it. 🙂

I understand your confusion.

[i]Keep your Red Suace in the cupboard with the teabags? = working class

Store your ketchup in the fridge as per the instructions on the bottle = middle class

No idea where Cook keeps the pickles and preserves? = upper class[/i]

Decanting the sauce into a bowl with a small spoon for serving before placing on the table is a good working/middle class distinguisher.

You should be whining that you can't get PG Tips

PG tips is easy here.

I've been trying to get Yorkshire Tea bags for the past month...

It's just awful.

What's actually the difference between middle and working class? (I've googled it, and I'm none the wiser)

Maybe white v blue collar these days but really it's your family background that counts.

[i]dressing like you're about to go to a parent's evening.[/i]

Eh?! There's parent's evening specific clothing? 😯

I do have a rather nice pair of Karrimor sandals...

You were doing ok ish to this point, then admitted you shop at a chav shop.

It's either Burks or Teva's for sandels

dressing like you're about to go to a parent's evening.

Eh?! There's parent's evening specific clothing?

You turn up for parents evening?

maccruiskeen
I've got a small telly

I see autocorrect has saved your blushes.

You should be whining that you can't get PG Tips

PG tips is easy here.

I've been trying to get Yorkshire Tea bags for the past month...

You can get it in my local Carrefour or Al Campo, can't remember which. Prefer PG tips 🙂

looks in fridge, a bottle of Wilkin and Sons tiptree tomato sauce and a jar of mothers homemade spicy plum sauce (like brown sauce but 100% nicer) had to move the jug of Aricha Yirgacheffe colbrew coffee to read sauce label 😳

a rather nice pair of Karrimor sandals...

My current budget dictates Karrimor everything. The class debate is a fool. I'm a style-bereft [s]walking[/s] limping fire-hazard, head-to-foot wrapped in plastic.

But mandals? Mandals are a class all of their own

[img] [/img]

Plunge pool = Middle class
Jacuzzi = Working Class.

maccruiskeen - Member
I've got a small telly

Never mind. At least you don't have ninfan's problem...

Don't have a clue about class, and don't really care for myself. I do know that if I met someone who was class orientated I would probably find it quite irritating!

I do know that if I met someone who was class orientated I would probably find it quite irritating!

That sounds like lower-middle class.

What's actually the difference between middle and working class?

Middle class is justifying resting up in kids clothes and cycling round a hill is cool, and you're a loser if you don't use an Aeropress with imported Guatemalan coffee after shaving with some single bladed (German, natch) razor. And justifying your Westfield as you're an awsum driver. Whilst also denigrating anyone who admits to speeding.

I thought bring middle class was about your beliefs, ideology, education, interests, social circle etc.

I say that cause I drive a 56 plate mondeo and shop at aldi but know many of those who have a 4 bed suburb house and white audi who always say they are middle class but can't name the prime minister, drink rosé and think having the full sky Q bundle is a benchmark for how well you are winning at life.

Maybe I'm just jealous.

What's the difference between middle and working class?

I’m known to have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the middle-class myth so prepare yourself.

This is how real life works.

If you are born into money and influence and either don't work, or only work through choice and not to feed yourself, you are Upper Class, Ruling Class, whatever. There will be some being snippy comments from other members of the class about nouveau riche sons and daughters of self-made Men and Women, but they're only a Public-School Education away from joining the club. Whilst Money isn't always a barrier to entry, Power and Influence certainly is and that usually comes with money.

However, if, as soon as your parents stop keeping you it's a choice between getting a job or a council flat and Aldi beans lifestyle then you are working class - it doesn't matter if you're a shit shovler's assistant or most fancy of A6 Avant driving IT Managers, you're not part of the club and you never will be - the best you can hope for is to make lots of money which will give you some influence so one day they might let your kids join.

The real difference isn't how much money you've got, it's how powerful you or your friends are to ensure you never have to do anything you don't want to.

The 'Middle Class' was invented by the Upper Class to stop their power and influence over the Working Class from being eroded, democracy should mean that these sorts of people:

[img] [/img]

Shouldn't hold as much power over the common man as they do, they're not repetitive of the people they govern - which is bad news for the Upper Class, because, well, guillotines are a cheap and effective way to redistribute wealth when things have gone a bit too far, and things have gone more than a bit too far indeed.

So, the 'middle class' was invented - the only barrier to entry is a job, that's the only real barrier, other will judge a mechanic is he middle class? Well he could be - back in the 70s it was easier - were you a worker, or were you management? But even Telesales people have some variation of 'Manager' in their title now so who knows.

Middle Classness is brilliant for the Upper Class, because it's members live to serve them:

They're committed consumers, from Spiralisers to Coffee Makers they love an over-priced gadget, especially for the kitchen.

They borrow like mad, from the credit card bills to pay for the above to the PCP deals for the 'right' cars to the massive mortgages to put it all in - they spend and spend.

They think they're rich - they'll vote for any manner of crazy tax breaks for people who actually are rich, sometimes because they think the tiny theoretical benefit is actually better for them over-all, or party because they think if they tell their friends they vote Tory, their friends will think they're rich too.

It gives us an enemy - Working Class people don't like Middle Class people and vice-versa, we argue constantly about income tax rate, we fight tooth a nail about every percentage about what's fair and all the time, no one notices that the Upper Class pay almost no tax at all, because we're too busy arguing about income tax, we never consider wealth tax.

Middle class - oh my god I have run out of Quinoa
Working class - what the **** is Quinoa

Right, I'm working class then.

Keep your Red Sauce in the cupboard with the teabags? = working class

Store your Ketchup in the fridge as per the instructions on the bottle = middle class

Ah, no, middle class again.

yes absolutely. mainly because you have no taste and are picking the middle class baubles that are more about their cultural significance than their actual intrinsic qualities.

if you are a true coffee aficionado which is a classless pursuit you will be using a v60 filter and direct sourced not organic/fairtrade bean and a decent ceramic burr grinder, instead you are more interested in the cultural associations (and getting the details wrong) than high quality coffee.

huge difference between being a snob and being discerning, something the middle classes fail miserably at.

i think of it like a nice bottle of wine or fizz, to me its something to be shared for the enjoyment and socially sharing something that tastes nice instead of look at me i can afford to drink vintage Möet (and that bottle would probably be something that wasn’t so socially recognisable and tasted better)

LOL, bang on. 😆

Karrimor anything = 'no' class 😉

+ anything that puts a penny in Mike Ashley's pocket

I went to a gin festival on saturday; it was achingly middle class.

What maniac puts ketchup in the fridge?

What's the difference between middle and working class?

It's all about how people swear. You can tell they're middle class becuase the swearing sounds forced, put on, not natural. Working class the swearing is effortless and sounds normal.

So, the 'middle class' was invented - the only barrier to entry is a job, that's the only real barrier

The middle classes came from the merchants and bankers - so people that work with their brains and have cash to invest.

The use of language is considered by some to be a good way of indicating class - ketchup sounds working/lower class to me - I say tomato sauce anyway.... 😉

thomthumb - Member
I went to a gin festival on saturday; it was achingly middle class.

I'll raise you Chorlton Off Road Triathlon, a couple of years back.
🙂

What maniac puts ketchup in the fridge?

Not me. Cupboard with the teabags in our house.

Working class rebel, sticking it to the man.

[img] [/img]

What maniac puts ketchup in the fridge?

This one.

EDIT: D'oh! I'm always behind perchypanther.

My simple theory:
1. Upper class can afford to live without working and are self supporting.
2. Everyone else are working class!
.
Anyone who has debt or subject to long lease agreements are working class - working to pay off the mansion/range rover/holiday home/coffee machine etc. no matter how much they want to label it as middle class to distiguish themselves from the traditional low income working class.
.
However...
My theory falls down when considering a beggar in the street. No mortgage, no pcp deal, don't have to work 'for the man', etc. So I suppose anyone who is not having to worry where their next hot meal is coming from should consider theirselves comfortable.
.
Forty years ago, working class people had to rent a TV and pay for it on a monthly basis because they couldnt afford to buy outright. Now renting a posh car and paying for it in the same way constitutes middle class?.
Hmmm... something doesn't quite stack up right there.
.
FWIW, I keep the ketchup in the fridge... just next to the beer!
😀

1. Upper class can afford to live without working and are self supporting.

You can be upper class but quite poor. Your upper classness is not removed when you lose your money.

Yep though in the US it's all about the money....

kerley - Member

1. Upper class can afford to live without working and are self supporting.

You can be upper class but quite poor. Your upper classness is not removed when you lose your money.

This is where upper class connections come into it - the 'unfortunate' upper class member can call in a favour, or ask for one - someone will give him a seat on the board of some PLC, come in twice a year and sign off the accounts for a modest £250k salary to keep the wolf from the door.

Cougar - Moderator
What maniac puts ketchup in the fridge?

Erm.... 😐

Hang on, CELERY is an allergen these days?

Anyway...

I had smashed avocado on toast for breakfast once, I am therefore middle class.

Hang on, CELERY is an allergen these days?

H.J. Heinz & Co - Proudly sneaking celery into the ignorant working classes since 1883

H.J. Heinz & Co - Proudly sneaking [s]celery[/s] vegan food into the ignorant working classes since 1883

😯

Karrimor anything = 'no' class

Hot Earth, Hot Rock and Hot Ice all say you are wrong.

Pah, kids these days.

(Would help if I finished typing my sentence before posting)

Tu casa es a donde?

I'm with P-Jay all the way on this

There is only Upper Class or Working Class

Celery!!!! The bloody stuff's almost vegan. Oh by the way, who scoffs their entire bottle of ketchup in 8 weeks? The one we've just finished was several years old.

P-Jay has it. I think, didn't read the whole post, just got the gist.

If you didn't go to private school and you buying/bought your home with borrowed money, you are not middle class.

Ketchup has a life of expectancy of around 3 days in our house and honestly I haven't a clue who eats it. I reckon the eldest drinks it or something.

"Hot Earth, Hot Rock and Hot Ice all say you are wrong"
Ah, the newer stuff then. Karrimor went down hill along with Hastons body. PLJ never really had it did he?

Karrimor went down hill along with Hastons body.

Yep, My Jaguar is still doing stalwart service after 35 years of use

Just checking... I have 2 pairs of cowboy boots and a mahoosive telly.

Does this make me scum?

Enquiring minds need to know!!!

Anyone using basis after daily, weekly, monthly or similar. No need, shoot them or bathe in cleansing fire.

Does this make me scum?

What's actually the difference between middle and working class? (I've googled it, and I'm none the wiser)

EDIT: D'oh! I'm always behind perchypanther

My eatin pig dun gone got pregnant off my keepin pig. Now I got two keepin pigs an a whole dang heap of teenytiny pigs on the way.

I've given it some thought and concluded that I'm unclassifiable 😀

I keep the ketchup (and sriracha) in the fridge because I don't have enough cupboard space.

Salad Cream = working class
Mayonnaise = middle class

Salad Cream = working class
Mayonnaise = middle class

Our new house has an Aga. And a fridge with a water and ice dispenser and an electric garage door.

I finally feel as middle class as I was born into...

It is something to do with mechanical pencils

If you wonder what class anyone is YOU don't have any.

Sriracha = poser.

Classes are blurred and lack definition.

I grew up on a council estate, wear overalls at work and have a bigish TV.

Somehow I live in a detached house in the country and drive a reasonably nice car.

What class do you drop that in? I certainly don't feel middle-class from what is stereotyped, eg. don't drink expensive wines, don't wear corduroy trousers, my grammar is so so.

Who decides what class someone is in?

STW does.

I think the Frost Report sums it up just right.

Can someone help - what is ketchup?

I've been trying to get Yorkshire Tea bags for the past month...

It's just awful.

I've a stash of 4000 teabags if you're anywhere near Estepona 🙂

Who decides what class someone is in?

The other person decides. They take cues from every little thing about you. Some fancy themselves 'above' you, whilst others imagine that it is you 'above' them. Your thoughts on the matter are immaterial.

It is a silly game IMO, and as English as the day is long. I'm sure I could Desmond Morris the **** out of it but can't be arsed at 6am 🙂

Can someone help - what is ketchup?

Rid sauce.

The notion of class depends on where you live. I've never been (an dhave no intention of ever going) to India but it's perhaps more significant than in the UK.

The Yanks just want to know what job you do and what you are worth. I met quite a few on the way of St James. On the basis of those met I could put them into four categories on just two criteria:

Hip/unhip. Easily deduced from whether they were doing the walk for thmeselves or to impress their Facebook contacts.

Totally money orientated/moderately money orientated.

The unhip-moderately orientated ones I could cope with. The others could be made to lose interst very quickly:

"What job do you do?" "I don't, haven't worked for years"

"You're rich then?" "Not by your standards".

Here in France your profession defines you more than the salary it yields, and wealth is viewed with suspicion so only flaunted by the socially inept (which the rich often seem to be as this thread proves). Ouvriers, cadres, cadres superieurs, professions libérales, fonctionnaires, artisans, commercants.. . . I've known some people for months or even years before knowing what job they do - usually because they are in professions that might create jealousy.

There's a notion of "bien né" (well born) which is a priviledge, and the priviledged. Then there are the categories: BCBG, bobo (borugeois bohème), bourgeois, racaille, paysans, sans dents (merci Hollande)... . Your parents don't have to be rich for you to be bien né and some manage to be borgeois on a pitance.

And one is also defined by one's politics, there's not much love between frontistes and PCF even in a bike club.

And despite all that choice people still consider themselves classe ouvières, classe moyenne or riche.

However, none of the social pigeon holes I've encountered can nurture utter nobs as well as the British gentry with the help of Eton and Oxford... . Which is perhaps why Britain is what it is right now.

Have you ever used the words "myself" or yourself"? Working class.

a fridge with a water and ice dispenser and an electric garage door

I'm sorry, these fall into the same category as large televisions. If you want to be middle class they'll have to go.

Well I've crumbled under peer pressure and put my ketchup in the fridge.

*likes edukator's post*

What's actually the difference between middle and working class? (I've googled it, and I'm none the wiser)

Dirt under the fingernails is a good indication.

Yeah - bloody middle classes and their homegrown organic courgettes and their wrong-coloured-carrots and their wood burners with logs they've had delivered unchopped so they can go through the pantomime of chopping up themselves and their land rovers that 'theres nothing really wrong with' but don't actually start, stop or steer and their bloody grubby fingers. Clearly never done a hard days work in a call centre in their lives. 🙂