Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Classist? Maybe 100 years ago, but I've socialized with a lot of Brits, Scandinavians and French and German people. The group of people who I knew though my old girlfriend in the UK: one was an accountant, one was studying to become a doctor and another worked in a warehouse. Down at the pub, it didn't matter. Life in general and status is much more dependent on money over here. One wrong choice or simply being born into poverty can be an eventual death sentence. Welcome to the two Americas.
I don't think it matters at the pub to anybody in the UK or the US. Any how, it's news to me that classism no longer exists in Britain.
Quote:
People like us. The class divide gapes wider than ever, shaping everything, from our feelings about fox-hunting to what we watch onTV
That classism is a fact of life is not a surprise. We may no longer have a rigid class system, and snobbery is often inverted - "posh" is usually an insult - but the class habit shapes everything, from our feelings about Tim Henman, fox-hunting and the monarchy to our viewing habits, our diets and our haircuts.
Personal experiences aside, you appear to be off the mark here.
I'm telling you what I saw, not just in the UK, but also in France. I witnessed people "mixing" more, even more interracial relationships. The UK itself kind of surprised me as to how ordinary it actually is. It's not a land of lords and peasants, although it is a country with its own individual problems, some of which are biptoducts of post-imperialism, along with Thatcher's government of the 80's implementing Reaganomic-type policies, cutting funding for education and selling off a plethora of public services.
The Scandinavian countries, Germany and the Netherlands are better examples of the type of societies that America could learn much from.
So B, how much time have you spent in the UK anyway, since you seem to know so much? Have you ever met a chav?
I'm telling you what I saw, not just in the UK, but also in France.
It doesn't really matter what you or I see. Personal experience cannot be extrapolated onto populations. That's not to say you haven't witnessed what you have, to be clear.
Quote:
So B, how much time have you spent in the UK anyway, since you seem to know so much? Have you ever met a chav?
I have not traveled since my 20s and if the word chav existed, I wasn't aware of it. It makes no difference, tho. My travel experiences are not a determinant of the existence of classism here or in Europe. That is better determined by outside, hopefully independent, sources.
Well, in 2011 women are as capable as men of providing for themselves. The role of the man being the "provider" is a distant memory of the past.
No it's not. It's alive and well, just because women can support themselves these days does not lessen the importance of the man being a good provider. If anything it has raised the bar of what ladies expect out of potential husbands in terms of earning potential. Especially in a place like NYC where the price of property and cost of living is astronomical. There will always be the question "if something happens to me, will my spouse be able to take care of the kids (if we have them) and maintain the lifestyle we currently have?" - men and women ask themselves these questions when evaluating a potential marriage partner. So being a good provider is not an obsolete requirement at all. I don't see wealthy, self-made ladies settling for bus boys, and it isn't all about familiarity, it's about practical financial matters that go hand in hand with raising a family.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glasvegas
You are totally wrong about social mobility though. Most of Europe is far ahead of the US, in that regard. If you don't believe me, there are enough stats out there to prove my point.
Please take that to another thread. It has nothing to do with this thread.
Last edited by Alkonost; 12-06-2011 at 08:43 PM..
Reason: wanted to add a few things
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
