Middle class anxiety

[brogdale]

I am the means of production.

Think you might be confusing means and factors, there....unless you're a tool?

 

[8ball]

Think you might be confusing means and factors, there....unless you're a tool?

I prefer the term instrument.

 

[oryx]

I'm not taking about LibDem voters specifically no and I think you've missed the point of what I have said by quite a margin.

Everybody has a right to be worried. I was asking what factors lead people (specially, middle class people) to be outraged and motivated to action about this when they haven't been about... anything else.

I don't think I've missed your point - it's fairly obvious, just badly made and as I said full of stereotypes. Your thread title doesn't suggest everyone has a right to be worried. Your reference to centre ground types who dress up in yellow and blue did make me wonder if you meant LibDems and other centrists, that's all.

What makes you think a lot of middle class people weren't outraged about austerity (and poverty, and the use of foodbanks, and the decimation of public services, etc.)? (And also the Iraq war, CJB etc. which others mentioned). The vast majority of people here on urban strike me as middle class and are as a whole very anti-austerity.

Who are the 'middle class' anyway? Are they one huge remain-voting lump? Is anyone becoming unhinged, really?

Are no working class people becoming unhinged? Did other working class people care more about the position of those suffering from austerity? Etc. Etc.

 

[seventh bullet]

It annoys me that it's assumed working class people don't post on here.

 

[8ball]

It annoys me that it's assumed working class people don't post on here.

Ok, new rule - everyone has to list their relationship to the means of production in their tagline.

 

[seventh bullet]

You're not funny but you think you are. Mind you, I liked your post stating working class people don't often experience othering by middle class people if they mainly live in working class areas. That was funny.

 

[SpackleFrog]

seriously? in the UK? I've only ever seen it used as a term of derision here.

Absolutely, although probably no one over 35.

 

[killer b]

Absolutely, although probably no one over 35.

I guess you move in weird circles. Posh teenage trots?

 

[SpackleFrog]

I guess you move in weird circles. Posh teenage trots?

Cheeky.

Not trots but I work and study in a very middle class university, so yes.

 

[8ball]

You're not funny but you think you are. Mind you, I liked your post stating working class people don't often experience othering by middle class people if they mainly live in working class areas. That was funny.

Was hard to get 'othered' by the middle classes at my school, unless all teachers automatically count as middle class.
Hey ho, maybe you're from an urban centre or maybe you're a deeply stupid fuck, can't say it matters.

 

[seventh bullet]

I wasn't aware the world revolves around your anecdotal experience.

 

[Proper Tidy]

I don't think I've missed your point

Well you did because you asked if I meant current LibDem voters previously critical of the coalition. Which I didn't (or at least not in isolation).

it's fairly obvious

It can't be that obvious because you completely misunderstood it

just badly made and as I said full of stereotypes

Cheers. They're not stereotypes if they're true though. I've personally witnessed many unhinged middle class people with stalls and blue and yellow balloons and every news broadcast outside parliament is punctured with lone weirdos shouting.

Your thread title doesn't suggest everyone has a right to be worried

It doesn't suggest zebras are mammals either. The title is middle class anxiety. The topic is contemporary middle class political anxiety and why it is apparent now over this political event but absent from other, significantly materially detrimental, recent political events. That would have been a long title though.

Your reference to centre ground types who dress up in yellow and blue did make me wonder if you meant LibDems and other centrists, that's all

That'd the colours of the EU flag tho

What makes you think a lot of middle class people weren't outraged about austerity (and poverty, and the use of foodbanks, and the decimation of public services, etc.)?

I'm sure lots were. But if you read my posts again, I talk about the tone of press coverage and the level of political outrage. If you think the middle class response to austerity was even a fraction of its response to BREXIT then you're fucking mad

(And also the Iraq war, CJB etc. which others mentioned). The vast majority of people here on urban strike me as middle class and are as a whole very anti-austerity.

It's a good thing I was talking about society generally rather than one tiny weird internet backwater then

Who are the 'middle class' anyway?

The middle class doesn't exist, ok cheers

Are they one huge remain-voting lump?

No, people voted lots of different ways for lots of different reasons, although there is a wealth of data out there about which NRS categories etc voted what. It's interesting stuff, you should google it.

Is anyone becoming unhinged, really?

Categorically yes, really

Are no working class people becoming unhinged?

Probably, I don't know them all to ask. It's more about social phenomena than the individual. For clarity, like.

Did other working class people care more about the position of those suffering from austerity? Etc. Etc.

Yes.

 

[Proper Tidy]

Dunno what the random italics are about

 

[Pickman's model]

Dunno what the random italics are about

that's quotes for you

 

[8ball]

Dunno what the random italics are about

Isn't that just what quotes do?

 

[Pickman's model]

Isn't that just what quotes do?

yeh i just said that

 

[Proper Tidy]

No I mean why one sentence ended up smaller font in italics and grey but anyway it doesn't matter does it

 

[8ball]

I wasn't aware the world revolves around your anecdotal experience.

Hilarious.

 

[8ball]

yeh i just said that

And then I said the thing wot I said.

 

[Pickman's model]

No I mean why one sentence ended up smaller font in italics and grey but anyway it doesn't matter does it

not really, no

 

[Pickman's model]

And then I said the thing wot I said.

you're just angling for likes

 

[8ball]

No I mean why one sentence ended up smaller font in italics and grey but anyway it doesn't matter does it

Yeah? Go on the feedback forum and suggest it doesn't matter.

 

[8ball]

you're just angling for likes

I'm pretty sure I'm way too far down the 'like' league tables for that to be worthwhile.

 

[seventh bullet]

Hilarious.

Exactly.

 

[Pickman's model]

I'm pretty sure I'm way too far down the 'like' league tables for that to be worthwhile.

~26,000? yeh you're a ways off, atm.

 

[8ball]

But hey, anyway, kind of trying to steer back on topic re: PT's OP (and I haven't checked exhaustively to see if anyone has already said this) - I think part of the reason for the 'austerity plan's' lack of impact in terms of rousing the middle classes was that it chimes with a lot of what are considered pre-existing middle-class values (modesty, frugality, tightening the belt when necessary, deferred gratification etc.). All of which is linked to a degree of economic security.

Also that shitty argument that was likening the country to a household in terms of income - that had a lot of sway with a lot of people. The fact that the MP's spouting it actually (imo) believed it helped them sell it, too.

 

[campanula]

The biggest distinction between haves and have nots is property. And whilst their equity was increasing faster than salaries, many middle class academics and professionals were not only staying silent...but jumping aboard the BTL bandwagon. Now the next middle class generation are facing a life in rental properties, we suddenly have a housing crisis. I guarantee, the term 'housing crisis' will not have been in mainstream usage before 2010 or thereabouts...when this has been a project some 40 years in the making.
And even now, what has been the official response? A sop to 'affordable' housing, a minuscule percentage of all new developments assigned to social housing and a fucking slew of shittty sheds (Tiny houses!) and temporary housing in office blocks. I totally guarantee that the vast swathes of 'student housing' hamster cages, which have spring up like mushrooms in every urban site, will be the future slums for entire families.

 

[Pickman's model]

if you think people are squealing now, wait until interest rates go up from their rockbottom level to 3, 5 or even 10%, then you'll see proper middle class anxiety as the debt they've saddled themselves with comes home to roost.

 

[Pickman's model]

I guarantee, the term 'housing crisis' will not have been in mainstream usage before 2010 or thereabouts.

 

[8ball]

if you think people are squealing now, wait until interest rates go up from their rockbottom level to 3, 5 or even 10%, then you'll see proper middle class anxiety as the debt they've saddled themselves with comes home to roost.

What do you think will trigger that?