The English are obsessed with CLASS. Their politics are class based, education is class based, and even employment is class based.At present the 'lower classes' have (in many areas) the upper hand. We are told that England's top universities, for example, will now give preference to a 'lower class' applicant who has poor exam grades, over an 'upper class' applicant with traditionally good grades.
A 'lower class' person may insult or make disparaging remarks about the 'upper classes', but visa versa is strictly verboten.
TV reality shows/talent shows/soaps are all exclusively 'lower class'. The get-rich-quick notion of celebrity is designed to demonstrate that ANYONE can be famous/rich/a star overnight. No brains brawn or breeding is required!
So how would a foreigner tell these classes apart? Certainly not by wealth, nor by what car one drives, and not even by the cut of one's twenty-first century cloth.
I'm told that one should try to find someone who holds their knife like a pencil, and calls the letter H, haitch and not aitch, and you've probably discovered your 'lower class' citizen. But watch out; the 'upper classes' will soon be imitating him or her 'just for fun'. "Oh Harry, just look how I'm holding my knife; and does one spell Harry with a haitch?" Guffaw, guffaw.
Will aristocracy ever be replaced by meritocracy? I doubt it; not in ye olde England.
I love your blog! That's why I've passed on an award. You can read about it on my blog: laughinghorseart.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteMy first, and probably last. Thank you Julie.
ReplyDeleteAnd folks that say 'Poss the ketchup' and not 'Gis the sorce!' eh Cro! Love your blog too !!
ReplyDeleteArtists are supposed to transcend the class structure - that's why I cannot stand those northern, working-class oiks who grimly hang on to their 'clogs and chip-butty' heritage as if it's something to be proud of. (Her Indoors is a northern artist, but she was taught how to make coffee by a Russian princess).
ReplyDeleteRussian Princess style coffee is essential in good society!
ReplyDeleteSo where does ketchup fit in here?
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of fascinated with class because I do think there is a sort of charm about those on each side of the spectrum. And I do think there is a lot of fear in the lower class to conform, if you will, and that's why they hold tight to their old ways. One thing we all must learn in life is that some people have and some people have not, but we should focus on our own wealth and not others. We should not hate someone because they have more money, and we should not stifle our growth because we are poor.
ReplyDeleteAmy, it's what they call in the UK 'The Politics of Envy', and it stifles everything! One just wishes that people would think as you do.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesing blog! I think in our country at the moment the upper class are the bank C.O's just raising the interest rates and then announcing the head of Commonwealth bank one of our major 4 is now on an annual salary of wait fot it..62million dollars a year yes thats right !!The good thing about Australians I think is that you could not tell a born to wealth person from anyone in the pub but get a new rich as we call them and they are so up themselves you would not want to know them,all of a sudden they are better than everyone else!
ReplyDeleteOf course it is just an observation,when Kerry Packer was alive her was and his son and heir now is the richest in our land but Kerry often visited our area by helicopter as he had horse studs here and would come down into the town and talk to everyone and anyone and half the time no one knew who he was,thanfully his son is the same.I was not aware that is is so bad,I just think we have to make the best of what we have,kind of like men really they angst over the P word envy lol but no matter what they do they have to be happy with what they have got.Your blog is never boring Cro and sometimes I have to keep my strange sence of humour riegned in but I am Aussie afterall.
Carole