The 'middle class' label

You're not upper class unless you're like a member of the landed gentry like this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Blofeld, probably the best known member of the upper class outside of the political sphere and half of you won't have heard of him.

Middle class is probably bandied around too much now, I live in York and basically everyone who owned their own house was thought of as middle class. I was a 'posh' kid because I lived on the 'posh estate' of my village and tended to have nice things. Middle class really should be reserved for those people who employ people rather than being employed, that's not to say that owning a hair salon with a Saturday girl makes you middle class either though, I think the definition we have now is too vague to be meaningful but narrowing the scope of what is middle class is actually really hard.

Yeah but I'd think you'd agree it's not about wealth but attitudes and beliefs. In that sense it's probably cultural and social capital that tends to be the most important.

Employing on a small scale or on a large scale? Small employers, like shopkeepers or people who run local electrical companies can often still be working class. Huge difference between them and a QC or a city banker. Bigger difference still between all of them and the boss of a multinational or a rich stock trader with global investments.

The modern upper class (better to say 'owning class') is much broader than just the landed gentry. It is global, powerful and rich and includes numerous new money people, the owners of large companies and the heirs to fortune.

I agree, tons of people own horses and they aren't rich at all.
Plenty of people living in villages own horses because they enjoy horse-riding, but it's not a "rich" practice.

This. It's pathetic. I'm middle class , and there's nothing wrong with it.

Look I'm middle class but, really?

Boohoohoo, it's so tough being subject to reverse snobbery, our lives our so hard, all these inequalities...

I'm not saying its tough, I was just making a statement that its a phenomenon prevalent on TSR, that's all.

Then there's the whole "private school kids do well just because they go to private schools and are stupid and talentless" which is another TSR favorite.

Private schools DO teach the exam but there are some talented people there, you can't discount them all because they went to private school

My favourite is if you're a Tory you're selfish and heartless, and if you're left wing you're a champagne socialist

While I definitely think private school kids have it a lot easier with the better learning environments+better teachers, its not the schools getting the kids perfect A levels, outstanding STEP scores and through their Cambridge interviews. There's a lot of hard work, dedication and natural ability required.

Without a doubt though, the kids who go through the public school system to achieve academic/non academic success have it harder and their achievements are more laudable.

I try to steer clear of anything remotely pertinent to politics on here, its where the most ridiculous generalizations are made, even for TSR.

I disagree in that I think private schools are more focused on jumping kids through hoops and state schools give you a more rounded ( but less exam based) view. Does that make sense?

It is the political debates are hilarious

How do you mean? Surely private schools with greater access and emphasis on extra curricular activities i.e. music, sport, culture, debating, etc makes you more rounded.

I assume you mean the classic "I want my children to mix with normal people/not in a bubble" line.

I disagree in that I think private schools are more focused on jumping kids through hoops and state schools give you a more rounded ( but less exam based) view. Does that make sense?

It is the political debates are hilarious

How do you mean? Surely private schools with greater access and emphasis on extra curricular activities i.e. music, sport, culture, debating, etc makes you more rounded.

I assume you mean the classic "I want my children to mix with normal people/not in a bubble" line.

I disagree, well kind of agree and disagree.

Having attended both private and public schools, education in my private school was far more rounded...though I learned a lot more about 'life' in my public school. Some of the folks in my private school were too detached from reality, it was like Gossip Girl in real life sometimes! (I don't mean to sound reverse snobby , I have as fortunate a background as most of them), but they lacked err tact, and some had no regard for money...barring that they were quite alright .

Do you remember 100% Capitalist and 100% Socialist posters (those were actual usernames ) ?