What does middle class and working class mean to you personally?

steddyeddy · 26-11-2014 01:44AM #1

The Christmas lights "working class" thread got me wondering what these terms mean. I think it means (or most accurately describes) a person's attitudes to education, work and what type of interests they may have.

For instance a professor I had who came from a working class (low income background) obtained a triple major (don't think they offer those anymore) in chemistry, maths and biochemistry and became professor (eventually). Despite that some people still referred to him as working class.

On the other hand you have someone from a middle income family who dropped out of college and did nothing yet they are apparently middle class. What that says to me is it's not fair to call people middle or working class based on what family they're born into. You decide for yourself what class you are. XXXXX

BetterThanThou · 26-11-2014 01:57AM

Working class are the type of people on a wage where they get by and don't have much left for luxuries in my opinion, they'd have relatively few luxuries, live in a house that's just big enough for them, drive a reasonable car, they'd usually have jobs which don't require a huge amount of education.
Middle class are the type of people that can get by and also have a sizable chunk left, they can afford bigger luxuries, or an oversized house, and drive a nice car. They'd often be highly educated.

newmug · 26-11-2014 02:03AM

"Classes" are nothing but b0llox. Anybody who uses them loses all credibility in my eyes.

Sheep Lover · 26-11-2014 02:06AM

Middle Class - Employed

Working Class - Unemployed

Weirdly enough.

Kevin McCloud · 26-11-2014 02:08AM

There is no classes in the graveyard.

HalloweenJack · 26-11-2014 02:10AM

If you're upper class, you look down on everyone.

If you're middle class, you look down on working class people and complain about upper class people being snobs.

If you're working class, you complain about the snobs and boast about being the salt of the earth.

Either way, regardless of class, you think you're better than everyone.

26-11-2014 02:10AM

This one is an odd one for me too!

I came from a very middle class background. In fact, growing up (I'm 33), people in the town thought we were "rich". Personally I haven't got a pot to p1ss in, but I get by quite happily without much money. I am definitely working class. My mother is still middle class. I never really stop to think about where I fit in.

I think I would put working class as less educated and perhaps not as... well, cultured, maybe, as I am, thanks to my upbringing (for which I am eternally grateful). Another thing I think I noticed with my middle-to-upper class parents was that they taught us never to look down on anyone; to the extent that I never even noticed we were a wealthy family until I was an adult. I just don't consider class at all.

Scrappychimow · 26-11-2014 02:13AM

No skangers and everything is ok

Turtwig · 26-11-2014 02:28AM

Class is what you mention when you want to avoid talking about income level. Best way to stifle a conservation on income inequality: class warfare.

The Backwards Man · 26-11-2014 02:34AM

Class means sound in Donegal.

You're all class!

annascott · 26-11-2014 02:40AM

People should not confuse wealth with class.

The Backwards Man · 26-11-2014 02:42AM

annascott wrote: »

People should not confuse wealth with class.

Or class with wealth.

K4t · 26-11-2014 02:47AM

Working Class = Bargain Alerts

Middle Class = After Hours

_Whimsical_ · 26-11-2014 02:56AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Another thing I think I noticed with my middle-to-upper class parents was that they taught us never to look down on anyone; to the extent that I never even noticed we were a wealthy family until I was an adult. I just don't consider class at all.

I think that growing up you don't notice what other people have as long as you have enough yourself. You don't know struggle so you don't see struggle. You notice people who have more than you but you rarely people notice those who have less when you're a kid.

26-11-2014 03:26AM

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I think that growing up you don't notice what other people have as long as you have enough yourself. You don't know struggle so you don't see struggle. You notice people who have more than you but you rarely people notice those who have less when you're a kid.

No, very good point though, but in my case didn't apply. I knew we had more than my friends - we were just never made to feel like this made us any way better. Like I loved to bring my friends over to play with my toys, and let them borrow them and take them home, because I was taught to be generous with what I had, and never take it for granted. Unlike certain "friends" of mine then who made me feel inches tall after we bought all our second hand horsey gear off them - because my family preferred to buy perfectly serviceable things as apposed to the newest, flashiest, best stuff. I knew I was privileged. I knew I had more than my mates. I just never thought I was better than them in any way because of it. In fact, I was envious of my best friend because she was smarter than me, while she was envious because my parents were more wealthy.

Cookie_Monster · 26-11-2014 04:47AM

Middle class - 3rd level education, working in a professional field of some sort with reasonably high barriers to entry.
Working class - 2nd level education or lower working in jobs that generally don't require a specific degree or qualification. essentially a job with little or low barriers to entry

Cpt Sh!t Craic · 26-11-2014 04:54AM

Working class and middle class are the same thing. We are all wage slaves.

The upper class oligarchs of big business and government have promoted patterns of thought amongst the working class in order to divide us and keep us under control. If the working class is divided then it will not unite and the oligarchy continues to prosper.

These perceived differences will only increase as capitalism continues to choke this country...

efb · 26-11-2014 05:24AM

Tired clichés

Tail Docker · 26-11-2014 07:48AM

Working class people wear colourful neck-scarves and hobnail boots. Middle class people work in the Bank and drive an Austin.

percy212 · 26-11-2014 08:08AM

Upper class people keep their glasses on a chain and like to park them right at the end of their nose, just so they can look over them scarily, while reprimanding you for trailing coal dust across the masters larder.

Tail Docker wrote: »

Working class people wear colourful neck-scarves and hobnail boots. Middle class people work in the Bank and drive an Austin.

Into The Blue · 26-11-2014 08:13AM

Middle class is english term for non royals landed gentry. Doesn't apply to the Irish or any Republic.

We are all working class. Though ff tried to etch out a political class for themselves.

RDM_83 again · 26-11-2014 08:14AM

newmug wrote: »

"Classes" are nothing but b0llox. Anybody who uses them loses all credibility in my eyes.

Thats typical lower class thinking :P

I think that the groupings used in this survey make much more sense than the traditional 3 classes model. Boards will be full of "emergent service workers".
http://m.bbc.com/news/uk-22007058

Personally I think people forget that Ireland is a revolutionary state, we don't draw our 'ruling' class of politicians from the most traditionally upper class groupings or institutions (legal and financial groups yes)

PauloMN · 26-11-2014 09:28AM

* The bigger the television you have, the more working class you are. :pac:

* DISCLAIMER: The size of your TV is not a reliable indicator of how working class you are.

Fratton Fred · 26-11-2014 10:42AM

Someone's class is an indication of the state of mind of the person judging them.

Actual classes should be:

Scumbag class: those that use social welfare and crime as a lifestyle choice.
Normal people class: those that get up, go to work and get paid. I.E. 90% of the adult population.
Head up their own hole class: those that think that because they drive a ten year old range rover and have maxed out more credit cards than most people by shopping in a boutique in Donnybrook, somehow their **** stinks less than anyone else's.

mikemac1 · 26-11-2014 10:43AM

Farmers shovel **** and slog through manual labour and they also own land and employ others

Find a class for that hah!

rainbow kirby · 26-11-2014 10:46AM

RDM_83 again wrote: »

I think that the groupings used in this survey make much more sense than the traditional 3 classes model. Boards will be full of "emergent service workers".
http://m.bbc.com/news/uk-22007058

It gives me "Established Middle Class". I'm from Dublin 24...

Hoop66 · 26-11-2014 10:59AM

It's easy:

Middle class - BBC/RTE1
Working Class - ITV/TV3

heroics · 26-11-2014 11:00AM

rainbow kirby wrote: »

It gives me "Established Middle Class". I'm from Dublin 24...

Peasant

I got Elite :eek: my bollox. I live paycheck to paycheck

smcgiff · 26-11-2014 11:11AM

Do you know your Schubert more than a popular manufactured band such as (heads to Google) One Direction? If not, Prole.

efb · 26-11-2014 11:15AM

Established Middle Class here too...

jimgoose · 26-11-2014 11:15AM

I find a simple and useful way of looking at this is to observe what is in the driveway:

Working class == 142 VW Passat on finance.
Middle class == 2010 Volvo XC60 on finance.
Upper class == 1987 Mercedes E300 estate inherited from grandmother.

What does middle class and working class mean to you personally?

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