I got into a conversation today with a gentleman privileged enough to be born into the upper echelons of society. Vast swathes of land owned, bought his first home last year for 1.1m outright, top tier public school educated, often refering to many as LPB's (lesser public schools), and in essence does not hide or feel embarassed by his wealth or breeding - something which I do very much respect him for, unlike an intern we had who was of a similar vein and tried to feed us the I'm so skint line when his idea of an old banger was a 15 grand used audi estate. However, we at work have enjoyed the privilege of a very attractive car scheme, heavily subsidised and allowed us to have a leading teutonic brand on the drive. That has come to an end and another company has waded in with their corporate lease car program which is nowhere near as attractive and in truth will mean that many people who work for us who are on a livable but not extraordinary wage will now have to consider an alternative option (old sheds). The new company have stated that they will be carrying out a credit check, whereas the previous enterprise took your employement there as guarantee of your capability to meet the payment. Now, as one can imagine this is the talk of the place at the moment with 90% of employees having to step back in the real world. This gentleman with whom I was speaking said the following; "surely this is the true cost of owning such things, infact, I approve as there have been far too many people within (the business), such as machinists, production and the like who have enjoyed a nice car on the drive, projecting an image far above their class..." On saturday I spoke to some splendid people, one a thoroughly nice gentleman with an NR750, and another splendid chap with two ex works bikes. I couldn't help feel pleased for them for having their toys, but then again their personalities warmed me to them. I can't say I resented them at all or felt that they shouldn't have what they had. The following day I was speaking to some spitfire owners at shoreham, again, I wasn't resentful of them or their backgrounds, in fact I was almost embarassed that I hadn't achieved enough in life to be a custodian of such machines as they were, but again, as individuals their personalities won me over. And yet there are those who I do resent for having what they have in so far that I resent the way they carry themselves and posture because of what they have or their upbringing. My earliest memory as a newly initiated ducatista and the reaction I got at boxhill from the ducati sporting club crowd on one day tainted my opinion of them from that day on, and I suppose the same goes for saturday with one individual who particularly filled me with bile. He was the same. There was quite by accident a very interesting social experiment a few weeks ago as well... We had a 430 spider in the car park. There was lots of interest, was it a customer, was it a client, was it one of the directors, was it a benchmark vehicle? All positive speculation. When it was revealed that it belonged to the storeman (he had hired it to take his daughter to her prom - but that wasn't know at that point), the conversation changed. Those same people started saying how faded the paint looked, how cheap you could pick one up for now, how they were a bit vulgar. I couldn't believe just how much the attitude had changed folowing the realisation that the owner was I suppose not the right class of person who should be owning such a vehicle. When it was discovered he hired it, all was good with the world again, and it returned to being a pleasant enough car. And so I ask you- is the class system really dead? and those of you who are born into similar privilege on here, do you see or feel that the regular joe should 'know his place' and stop owning such items which do not fit with his status or class? In the eyes of the aformentioned character he openly disdains the 'new money' as irrespective of their origin they will never be 'the right sort'. His familial estate has shoots where the city's wealthy go to get pissed and shoot anything that flies. He sees them as vulgar and 'bad form'. Or is it nothing more than a situation where the elite establishment has closed ranks and clings onto the one thing that irrespective of the now attainable immediate celebrity or instant wealth, one cannot buy into?
done one or two jobs for the unbelievedly wealthy, no probs no looking down noses. do a lot of work for the aspiring middle class. hmm not so. maybe it's the preconceived opinions in my head that's the problem.
Spent a lot of time at gold clubs in my youth, some where there is serious money floating around. I was just there to play and hated all the politics of the place. From my experience its easy to see the class structure as just one big old boys club. Of course there are some, the gentlemen, who accept you for who you are and don't give a monkeys where you live or what you drive. Sadly, they'll always be in the minority
I'm sorry but this chap you like, is it the same chap who said : "surely this is the true cost of owning such things, infact, I approve as there have been far too many people within (the business), such as machinists, production and the like who have enjoyed a nice car on the drive,projecting an image far above their class..." If so then the 'chap' being wealthy or not, good education or not, it shows remarkably bad form to even make such a comment. Humility is something I respect in a wealthy person, acting above someone else is not. I'd respect a man more for making something of himself, not being born in to it or having life shovelled his way on a silver spade. Somebody who was worked their way in to wealth shows a damn site more metal than some bloody toff who's daddy has picked up the bills throughout life
Or someone who has shunned the wealth and peerage of his family to prove to them all that success is best self made.
I have mixed and still occasionally do mix with the so called "upper class". Sometimes it's business, and sometimes it's pleasure. I can categorically tell you all that they all have one head, two eyes, two ears, one nose and a mouth and shit from the same place as everyone else.
Surely it is just a case that there are are all kinds of people in all classes and groups . Where are the lines drawn between working class , middle class and upper class ? Do you classify this by job, by wealth or by title and is there anything bad about helping your children ?
Sounds like an arse to me, typical arrogance of private education and that sense of being better than others
All very well being born with a silver spoon stuck up your arse or having a wealthy/successful partner, quite another matter having paddled your own canoe and achieved ones own wealth and successes!
doh! :smile: i could speak french (badly) had a firm grasp of math,geography, history by the age of eight tho. if i had stayed another year i would of been in about the latin. private schooling is much better.
Are you sure as none of that makes any sense Which private school was this I shall avoid at all costs
Thread drift....imo the best thing about private education is the self confidence it gives. If you go to a better one, its the school tie that matches
I look up to them, because I'm short...........................but that means all I see is a load of arses.
maybe it's you that needs the private schooling. by the age of eight they had already started teaching french maths geography history as separate subjects in a high school fashion(different teacher for different subjects) . had we not run out of dosh and had stayed another year Latin was on the curriculum. Darden kilmalcolm.
The term 'breeding' makes me laugh out loud. For all their education, they still fail to see or indeed realise that there is no such thing. Humans are humans and we are all mongrels, inter bred with a long genetic history. 'Class' too makes me giggle. Again for all their education, how narrow sighted and misguided they can be. There are no 'classes' except those you impose upon yourself. Others view of your 'class' are irrelevant. Whilst I dont care two hoots about a persons alleged 'upbringing', anyone who portrays some elitist stature about themself is doomed to ridicule and deservedly so. Its foolish, vain and so out of touch with being a modern human. But posh or not, I treat people as they come. If theyre nice to me, I am nice back. I too have met some really nice people from all spectrums of our society. Ive also met a few arseholes. My view is that an arsehole is an arsehole regardless of whatever part of society they come from. Some people were just born arseholes and theyd be an arsehole as a welder just as much as theyd be an arsehole as an MP. We are all individuals and no-one has any right to any greater or lesser respect than is due all peoples of the world. Unless theyre an arsehole. I was expelled from Public School.
