Do the self identifying Middle class care less about people in general then less well off classes?

16 comments

1. I work deliveries and I will say that the biggest tips generally come from people who live in relatively modest homes.

   Those in 5 bedroom houses barely give you a thank you.

2. I would say people that identify themselves as Middle Class often care more about people that are less well off, than do those that actually are less well off or those that are incredibly well off.

3. There was some research to show that the largest charity donations were from the least well off. I can’t currently be bothered to look it up but it might accord with your experiences.

4. >Do you think that the self-identifying middle classes care less about people and everything is for show?

   How would you systematically work this out – seems unanswerable because of the range of other intersecting factors (religion, education etc).

   That’s before you get into how the “self-identifying” may overlap or not with the middle classes as defined in various ways.

5. If you’re middle class, you need less of a support network. Need to get somewhere in a hurry? Grab a taxi. Need someone to watch the kids? Hire a sitter.

   If you’re less well off, you need a network of friends who will give you a lift or watch your kids in a pinch. So it pays to develop those social networks.

   The wealthier you are (up to a point) the less you need to rely on other people. I think it’s as simple as that.

6. You could be middle class and barely have a pot to piss in, or you could working class with more money than you know what to do with.

   The reality is that people are different, two people from the same background may have completely different levels of empathy, and class doesn’t come into it.

7. You’ll find very few people self identity as middle class.

8. Nah, being a nob transcends class.

   You find them everywhere just as you find well meaning people in all classes.

9. imho posh people are greedy uncaring nobs. I never get tips a please or thank you. they think they so clever an better than me. they look down their noses at poor working people. all while being pious n holy

10. As someone who grew up in one of the poorest places in the UK and now lives in the richest I can say I don’t think the middle / upper classes disregard poor people, i think they actually try to be very conscious of poor peoples needs but almost to a fault, for instance ‘we should do X because its what poor people need’ wherein actual fact they lack the nuance and realities of the situation and can actually end up being counterintuitive.

11. Absolutely. We’ve become ‘I’m alright, Jack!’ Island.

12. No there are selfish people in all walks of life and kind altruistic people in all walks of life.

    I’ve known people with nothing who will give you the shirt off their back if you need it and other’s who would rob you of your last penny.

    I’ve also known well off people who are activists for social change and help their friends, family and community financially and other well off people who bedrudge anyone else getting a penny.

13. I would say the least we’ll know about plight so it does make them more willing to help as they gave been in that position.

14. I’ve noticed that people with posher accents tend to be extremely awkward in social situations with strangers. Might make them seem uncaring in certain situations when they’re just sort of frozen.

15. I don’t think you can stereo type any one class, I think it’s all down to individual values/beliefs

16. I didn’t care about poor people any more when I was broke myself than I do now that I’m doing well…