[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Princess

I went to private school and wouldn't consider myself upper class? I'd say middle.

I agree with you. Private education doesn't mean you are upper class, or even, middle class I don't think anyhoooo !!

I grew up in early years in a council estate with absolutely nothing, with parents who worked like dogs.

A change in family circumstances meant that I latterly benefitted from private education - but I was still from working class background.

Now? Far as I'm concerned, still working class. Might have the nice house, nice car, good job, reasonable salary that allows the trapping of 'middle class lifestyle', - but I work for an employer - may be a white collared worker, but even so.... that I still consider 'working class'.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6295743.stm

[Angus]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

I agree with you. Private education doesn't mean you are middle class.

I grew up in early years in a council estate with absolutely nothing, with parents who worked like dogs.

A change in family circumstances meant that I latterly benefitted from private education - but I was still from working class background.

Now? Far as I'm concerned, still working class. Might have the nice house, nice car, good job, reasonable salary that allows the trapping of 'middle class lifestyle', - but I work for an employer - may be a white collared worker, but even so.... that I still consider 'working class'.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6295743.stm

These days more and more working class kids get the chance of a private education. Both my sons went to private schools from age 11 - the eldest one in 1996 when he got a then Assisted Place and the youngest three years later on a full scholarship. If they had not gone to private schools, they both had grammar school places as back up.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by angus58

These days more and more working class kids get the chance of a private education. Both my sons went to private schools from age 11 - the eldest one in 1996 when he got a then Assisted Place and the youngest three years later on a full scholarship. If they had not gone to private schools, they both had grammar school places as back up.

Yep. Let's be honest - the vast majority of 'working class' today, have a far better lifestyle than what was regarded as the 'working class' of generations ago and that in turn has brought about higher aspirations with the financial means to obtain what previously was simply unaffordable.

How many people still live in council homes, as tenants but have several members of family living there, some attending private schools, some with very good jobs, several cars parked outside, wearing designer clothing, long haul holidays (or any foreign holidays) etc.

[Angus]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

Yep. Let's be honest - the vast majority of 'working class' today, have a far better lifestyle than what was regarded as the 'working class' of generations ago and that in turn has brought about higher aspirations with the financial means to obtain what previously was simply unaffordable.

How many people still live in council homes, as tenants but have several members of family living there, some attending private schools, some with very good jobs, several cars parked outside, wearing designer clothing, long haul holidays (or any foreign holidays) etc.

I agree that my lifestyle is far easier than that of my parents, and I look around my home at possessions that would have been in the realms of fantasy when I was growing up.

However, I still consider myself working class because of those values of self sufficiency, hard work and independence that were instilled in me and which I have passed on to my own children. In fact I would be offended if I were to be called middle class, perhaps because in my own experience I have found that those who are eager to be social climbers often forget where they've come from and adopt pretentious attitudes and behaviours that are designed to try and make others feel inferior or invoke envy.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by angus58

I agree that my lifestyle is far easier than that of my parents, and I look around my home at possessions that would have been in the realms of fantasy when I was growing up.

However, I still consider myself working class because of those values of self sufficiency, hard work and independence that were instilled in me and which I have passed on to my own children. In fact I would be offended if I were to be called middle class, perhaps because in my own experience I have found that those who are eager to be social climbers often forget where they've come from and adopt pretentious attitudes and behaviours that are designed to try and make others feel inferior or invoke envy.

Oh... I know quite a few people who 'think' they are middle class when in fact they are nothing (as you say) but pretentious, egotistical, snobbish gits - with their roots firmly planted in the working class. They simply can't accept that they are working class and often have an air of inverted snobbery - looking down their noses at the very 'class' that they belong to.