What Social Class Do You Belong To?

I think I agree with you that many of the old distinctions no longer apply. But I'm not sure that we live in any sort of meritocratic Nirvana either.If anything social mobility seems to be declining and one's place in society increasingly dictated by situation at birth and the social position of one's parents.So I don't think we live in either a classless society or anything that can be really be called a genuine meritocracy.

I understand now I think, sort of like Keeping Up Appearances? ( Love that show. )

"Keeping Up Appearances" is indeed a piss-take of many British middle class stereotypes. None of which - I think - particularly apply to me!!My dad was an alcoholic, drug addicted, communist, can't-leave-the-sixties-behind local-demagogue-of-sorts for most of my upbringing. In his old age he has become a rather reactionary right-wing self-righteous old git (bless him).So whilst I take his accusations of middle-classness with a pinch of salt I also think:A) In many material respects he is correct that I am 'middle class' whatever aspects of my upbringing I might more self identify with.B) I might well be more 'middle class' in terms of attitudes than I might like to admit.C) He's my dad, he is a key contributor to what might be referred to as my 'world view' and I can't help but take some of the things he says more to heart than they probably deserve.Hence my question in the thread I guess.....

I don't think there are any class boundaries. There isn't really a sense of wantng to "get out" of one's class. Getting a better job is a matter of getting an education, which can be a function of money. We don't have any "old money" in the West, where I live, but that may be a factor in the East. People may be trapped in a lower economic bracket because of their own decisions - e.g. having children too young - but not because of the circumstances of birth.Unless you're aboriginal, which is a whole other story.

I know the reason for you asking now, makes much more sense to me. My father was born in 1929, grew up poor, went and served in the USMC in Korea. He used his GI bill money to go to Elon College and get a business degree. He worked in Textiles as a supervisor til he retired. I am 40 and have never had the work ethic he think I should, he has referred to me as "white trash" more than once when we disagree.Our stories are poles apart, ( an appropriate Floyd tune IMO)

Edited by rbp, : No reason given.Edited by rbp, : No reason given.Edited by rbp, : No reason given.

LinkCanada certainly seems to be more meritocratic than the UK or the US.

All I can say is that I'm glad that my Father made it easier for me, though some would argue that by making it easy, it made me less ambitious. I am of the firm belief that wealth should be passed down through the family, however. Tax the ones with over five million dollars of course. Leave the rest of us alone.

Lower middle class. My dad's an accountant, but I went to a crappy inbred regular school.Edited by Adminnemooseus, : Shut off spam signature.

Does it affect my working class credentials if I want to change the thread title to read 'To What Social Class Do You Belong?'

Should it not be "To which Social Class do you belong"?

I guess my credentials remain intact. I'm not sure if either is more correct, but I guess I have a preference for your version.

We could go so far as to phrase it as "What is the social class to which you belong"?

Yeah those 4.9 million dollar guys are totally down to earth.- Oni

I don't really think we have the same class structure over here. I suppose from a British perspective my family would have been working class (farmers, I think that's working class), but it doesn't really mean anything in Ireland or have any of the connotations it has in Britain.The whole "class" thing was the most cultural fascinating thing about England, for me, when I lived there. As an outsider it seemed really culturally rich, although you guys on the inside might have a different view.The closest I have is that I'm from a Bardic family, which still commands some respect in the Gaelic speaking areas.