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What does it mean to be "working class"?

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Are working class people really happy with themselves?

Reply 1

Pinkberry_y

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Are working class people really happy with themselves?

To live up north

Reply 2

Andy98

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Are working class people really happy with themselves?

It means we don't have much money, so we appreciate the small things and our kids aren't spoilt rotten

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Reply 3

ckfeister

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Are working class people really happy with themselves?

To have below average salary; example: location: SOUTH EAST salary: 20k (which is well below South East average of like £28k) National average: £26.5k... so their working class (aka. my family)

Original post by Pinkberry_y

To live up north

lies

Reply 4

NJA

Suggestions off the top of my head ...people who have to work to get the necessities of life, people who belieev they need to make things happen in theitr life because they havn't got money to rely on to give them image or position, people who can't afford private xyz so they are more concerned with local politics, people who get to know their neighbours & share socially because they live closer

Reply 5

kittyk16

Those who work in a manual job ie builder or cleaner, likely to earn a low ish salary.

Reply 6

DanB1991

Working class doesn't really mean much these days. Traditionally it was a factory worker, manual worker, or low level admin work. These days it's mostly the wage you receive rather than work type and social group.

Reply 7

biglad2k16

Working class means that you're slightly poorer than a normal British family which is middle class.

Reply 8

yungaheartz

Original post by ckfeister

To have below average salary; example: location: SOUTH EAST salary: 20k (which is well below South East average of like £28k) National average: £26.5k... so their working class (aka. my family)

£20k is considered 'low'? When I was making £18k I felt like I was on top of the world... shows how working class I am :tongue:

Reply 9

yungaheartz

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Are working class people really happy with themselves?

Happiness is a state of mind and is not measured by what class you are or how much money you make

I'm guessing you're an upper-class snob for thinking that way. A man can have all the money in the world and still be miserable. Money buys you nice things but can't buy love, respect or family.

Reply 10

ckfeister

Original post by yungaheartz

£20k is considered 'low'? When I was making £18k I felt like I was on top of the world... shows how working class I am :tongue:

He struggles to pay for anything... always Nan who's on a pension, mortgage is like £150 a month... he wouldn't be able to afford rent, he if lost this house he'll be busted.

Reply 11

yungaheartz

Original post by ckfeister

He struggles to pay for anything... always Nan who's on a pension, mortgage is like £150 a month... he wouldn't be able to afford rent, he if lost this house he'll be busted.

huh... who?

Reply 12

ckfeister

Original post by yungaheartz

huh... who?

I'm giving an example of my family.

Reply 13

username2379043

Tbh I think working class is when you go to work and earn money, just so that you can pay the bills. Stuck in a loop of always having less money than you wish you had :rolleyes:

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Reply 14

username1539513

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Are working class people really happy with themselves?

To be me

Reply 15

username1177050

Not to debate the intricacies of ideology and politics etc but wanting to earn a good honest living with limited handouts and not be patronised by richer liberal metropolitan people who insist they know what's best despite never having experienced the problems working class people have faced, and hence prioritise the wrong things when pitching their policies.

Reply 16

sleepysnooze

Original post by Pinkberry_y

To live up north

this

Reply 17

~Tara~

Working class is a particular mind set. So far, the people that think that class doesn't exist or has no meaning tend to be middle class. Not the try too hards or the first generation middle class. But the quintessentially middle class. The classes on either side are fully aware of the class divide and the impact that has on community mentality. Also if you've ever tried to break through the class divide you know how pervasively it exists.

I think the idea of the neighbourly, loyal working class is a very romantic view. The working class often don't live geographically that far away.. Certainly not significantly enough to not be affected by the poverty class. Crime rates are higher. People feel less safe and scared to speak out. Walking late at night is more of a necessity because can't even afford bus fare. There's no certainty of food on the table next month even when working fully time in a labour intensive job. You rarely have any freedom/autonomy at work because you're dispensable and you get to hear that, often.

I think it's a different kind of happy. When you can't find happiness with money or possessions. Even if you get possessions that creates risk of being nicked.

However, if any of us were truly happy, we wouldn't have fallen for the conservative campaign to make everyone bicker about what poor people should be entitled to.

Reply 18

Drunk Punx

Original post by kittyk16

Those who work in a manual job ie builder or cleaner, likely to earn a low ish salary.

You obviously don't know many builders.

If you're good at what you do, and know how to play with money, building can earn you a metric ****ton of money.