Plan B: 'Chav is a derogatory phrase'

The word 'chav' is rarely applied to a middle class person. It may be occasionally, but in general it is used by middle class people to differentiate themselves from working class people. It is a way of saying "our culture is superior to yours" by lumping certain clothes, music and activities with anti-social and possibly illegal behaviour. Most poor people will be seen as chavs. Think of the most deprived estate in your town/city. I bet the majority of them fit the 'chav' stereotype. I find it difficult to believe that people can't see the connection between class and the labelling of chavs when there is such a strong correlation between those seen as chavs and economic deprivation.

$chav\not=poor$

Just because lots of poor people are chave, does not mean that they all fulfill that poisonous stereotype (which does exist where I live).
I think it is you being unfair on poor people by tarring all of them with the same brush

In the eyes of the majority of the middle class it is.

$chav\not=poor$

Just because lots of poor people are chave, does not mean that they all fulfill that poisonous stereotype (which does exist where I live).
I think it is you being unfair on poor people by tarring all of them with the same brush

The word 'chav' is rarely applied to a middle class person. It may be occasionally, but in general it is used by middle class people to differentiate themselves from working class people. It is a way of saying "our culture is superior to yours" by lumping certain clothes, music and activities with anti-social and possibly illegal behaviour. Most poor people will be seen as chavs. Think of the most deprived estate in your town/city. I bet the majority of them fit the 'chav' stereotype. I find it difficult to believe that people can't see the connection between class and the labelling of chavs when there is such a strong correlation between those seen as chavs and economic deprivation.

The difference is: you can't change your race or sex, nor should anyone make fun of race/sex given that neither are inferior.
Chavs are clearly inferior,and it's not even about where you were born. - eg. if someone had an education or dressed well or behaved well, even if they were dirt poor they could never, ever be referred to as a chav.
I mean, of course the word's derogatory, but there are good reasons for that.

What is wrong with wearing tracksuits?

I had written a long comment that I was about to post, but then I realised that it will do nothing but annoy anyone who believes 'chavs' are the scum of the earth and it's their own fault. That is not what I want to do.

'Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'

Now, I'm not very religious but I think there are some bits of the bible that everyone should follow, this being one of them. Please take a walk in their shoes; growing up without the same kind of parenting as most of us have, growing up very angry at the people who seem to have luxurious easy lives, growing up with a massive stereotype overshadowing them. Then going to school and being punished because they aren't like everyone else, then they make friends with people who are the same as them but that leads them to more violence etc.

This all started from a bad education system, clearly if we think we can fix the problem by sweeping it under the carpet then we have not been educated very well either.

Excuse me, but I've had to live in council housing in a rubbish area and go to pretty rubbish state schools, just like they did. And they aren't 'punished' at school at all. They get bucketfuls of sympathy because of their 'hard life' and the fact they may not have a dad or whatever it is. I wasn't parented very well by my father either (to the extent that I plan to cut off all contact once I leave home), but would it be excusable for me to smash shop windows and mug people on the street?

Clearly you know the difference between right and wrong, but anyone who does smash up a shop obviously doesn't understand (hasn't been taught) the difference, and then it's not excusable but I can understand it.

Didn't mean to make it sound like anyone from bad circumstances end's up like that, it's the minority not the majority

Not always the case. they just think they can get away with it. People hardly ever do bad things because they don't know it's a bad thing to do.


Well then why is it that the rest of us can behave and they can't?

How can you know whether somebody actively lives a life of claiming benefit just by looking at them?
I'm not saying that is what I have the problem with. I have a problem with their hypocrisy.

If anyone wants proof that chav =/= poor, look at Katie Price / TOWIE / Made in Chelsea. They're like the Kings and Queens of Chav.

In what way are you "superior" to anyone? You dont know their situation, you cant judge them based on the way the look, get a grip, you stuck up cow.