I have table manners despite my poor (household income) upbringing.

My point being that despite certain members of Canadian society thinking they have class due to their level of income they are lacking in other areas. An example of this is the lack of table manners I have seen here.

Would you care to elaborate on referencing the Moors Murderers etc ? I am unaware of any link between table manners and serious crime. Are there any studies in this area that you can reference?

Historically, a lot of the motivation behind the earlier days in North America seems to be that everyone should have the potential to live like Lords did in the old country - have land, money, big houses, etc. - which in itself a direct attack against the class system. Classes do exist, but there is more social mobility than the UK and people can strive to change their "class". Also people are not locked into their own social groups in same way, people will have friendly conversations with each other regardless of their work or background.

Good point.

I agree with this observation.....

I would also say that here it's a meritocracy, so the more 'successful' you become the more others appear to respect you. Of course being wealthy by other means (inheritance for example) means you have a very big foot in the door and allows you to buy your way into a very good life here with little effort.

Try leaving a job voluntarily and see how far you get with social assistance.

Its not anywhere close to being as easy as people think for an employable person to get social assistance in Canada, hell its not even easy for a non-employable person to get it.

Each province varies of course, but in BC there are many loopholes to go through if employable, a work search which is verified, and if you don't make a very active effort to get work, they will deny you assistance, while on it, a continued work search which is verified without warning, if you haven't tried and haven't kept good records off you go.

Plus you have to be more or less destitute in BC to get it, including having applied for EI and other services that may be available.

Then it pays very little, so few employable persons would want to stay on it, I mean who wants to live off 235 a month which is what you get for basic living needs.

You also can get up to 375 for housing, but you have to have housing and have it verified by the ministry that you have it, they will only pay the actual rent up to 375, so if rent is 300 you get 300, not 375. If you pay 450 a month, the remainder comes out of the 235 basic living needs.

One thing Canada is not, is a welfare state of any sort. A good chunk of people on welfare and not considered employable and have medical needs that prevent them from working.

guy I worked with for many years was a boring snob who believed he was a better class than others around him.

During the 10-year period we worked together - many discussions later, I asked him 'why do you do what you do' his response 'because of the fact that he wore $1000 hand made suits, drove a leased BMW changing it every 3 years, paid $100 for a haircut, once-week massage therapy, every day he ate lunch out with a glass of wine (spending $20), about his latest gadgets, the fact that he played golf 3x week, vacationed 2 x year all charged to his limitless AMEX platinum card (yearly fee $500 at the time). that his property tax & utility bills were likely higher than mine and spoke endlessly about his only circle of friends (doctors, lawyers & accountants) all doing what he did'... that he was a better class

We were at the same level, same pay grade - so I asked him 'how much of your paycheque is left at the end of the month' - his response was zero. On top of that his wife worked - equally doing what he did.

Prided himself on his table manners

Perception is a wonderful thing

Well, you can't buy happiness. Though I might like to try once, you know, just to see.

'Ow much you got, meester?

I got a buck three eighty.

Not asking what you shot with your three eighty, meester.

For the purchase of happiness a fictitous currency should be adequate.

Is called lurve meester.

True that, Jimmy.

I think C. Wright Mills is more relevant these days than either Marx or Weber.

I don't think you can have attended a social event in Canada at which a significant proportion of attendees were lawyers.