A useful academic exercise????
 

Just watched BBC news and sociologists after a large survey, have redefined 'class' in the UK. We now have SEVEN levels!

They have even created a 'class calculator' so you can check out your own CLASS-ification in society! You you can now see what group/box you now fit into.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22000973.

I wonder how useful this sort of thing is - oh well gave work to some academics I suppose?? :sarcasm:

Jon

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I doubt there is a class to slot in the Phillpots:frown:

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I for one, am happy to see it.

The "pidgeonholing" of he classes into categories we expect, rather than what they really are, desperately needed to be re-examined.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I doubt it too. Actually that is a good thing, they really are a class of their own and hopefully no-one else aspires to join them there.

Rosemary

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Not at all useful. If I do the test as I am now it puts me in working class, if I do it as I was 15 years ago it puts me in elite. But I'm the same person.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I started doing it but it's just too ridiculous. Do they really think class is about whether you prefer opera to hiphop? I don't like either, so I guess I'm in a class of my own :D

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

That's called social mobility though, these days hardly anyone stays in the same class all their life.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Which would usually be considered a good thing. But I went from elite to working class.:(

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I'm proud of my working class roots: My friends and I grew up on the same street in the poor part of town... and nearly 50 years later the 5 of us still meet up annually (at least) for a 4/5 day 'lads weekend'. Wonderful time, every time.

I also think the exercise is ridiculous as well, a few screens of simple questions and you are 'pigeon-holed' to some academics definition ..... and really what does it matter? Nothing against academics, but it depends on what they are studying.

With questions about e.g hip-hop they are bringing in new elements to 'class'.

One way I personally define 'class' as the way a person behaves. I've met some amazingly wealthy people who have no 'class' at all. They would naturally consider themselves 'Elite' and now they have a study to point to as well. Total bol**cks! :thumbdown:

Also met people who haven't much to their name who display wonderful levels of class... really classy people - who I prefer to be with any time of the day. They are the real elite and 'salt of the earth'.

I wonder now that the money has been spent - what next with this work. Filed away or will they do something with it??

Jon

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Well I have just had three attempts at the test

Twice Elite and once Technical Middle Class.

If I input only the first page i.e the financial bit I am elite, Once I start putting in my Social and Cultural activities I slip down the classes, :thumbsup:

But non of it explains the calluses on my hands or the grease under my finger nails, conditions I was born with:p

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I personally.....Am in a different class than you lot! ;)

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I've just read the full research article in the Sociology journal and it makes a lot more sense now. If you are interested you can find it here:

http://soc.sagepub.com/content/early....full.pdf+html

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

if you have to ask what class you are in then you don't have any

:rofl:

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

That's the trouble, the word has too many meanings. For some it's about people's manners and behaviour, for others it's about taste, or where they live or the job they do. For sociologists it's about people's socio-economic status. We all have to fit in somewhere, otherwise their theories don't work and they are out of a job!

The research was interesting because it's clear the old definitions of working class, middle class and ruling class don't apply any more. They were devised in the 19th century when you were born into a class and had virtually no chance of moving out of it. However I don't think trying to conflate your musical tastes with how much money you've got in savings is going to give us a meaningful answer. They are comparing apples and oranges.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

All I know.....Is that I am a different class than you lot!!! :thumbup:

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

We're not going to argue... How is life down there?

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Couldn't see a class for Rednecks so there's little point me filling it in. :rofl:

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Yes we are happy with that :rofl:

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Hi Steve D! Lifes as it should be...No more, no less!

The weather turned shite for Easter as per the norm and the heating went back on and log fires were lit.....

The whole political edifice is corrupt from the top down....No one is working, none pay tax....The black economy rules.... The royalty is bent as....well, as bent as whatever....Crime is up, prices are up, wages are down or in some cases....Not there....Suicides are up, repatriations to the UK and other EU countries are at an all time high....Butano just went up, gasoil just went up....And the bast#rds in Lidles have just put the price of p-nuts up cos I buy so many to feed the birds....

Aside from that...All is hunky dory!:thumbsup:

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Shhhhhhhh, don't upset the lad. He was certain that EVERYTHING was hunky dory.... exports up !, corruption wiped out, economy booming and everyone working legally ;)

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Jinxed us, you bastard.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I'm over the moon with this wee drop rain.
A decent heavy shower lasting a couple of hours once every ten days or so will do me nicely this time of year and save a fair bit of graft as well as an expensive water bill.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

True. The drought's broken in Catalunya, we need all the water we can get. They have a nasty habit of turning off the water here late August.

On Topic.
I'm traditional working class with a villa on the Costa Brava.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

You're lucky.
They normally turn mine off once a week, but usually for just a few hours or so.

I look up to you.
I'm just a lower class working peasant redneck sodbuster living in a broken down hovel with a bloody great hole in the roof.

No kidding, I've been waiting 3 weeks for the insurance co. to fix it and now it's pittling in again today.

Worst of it is that it keeps knocking the electrics out.

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

I think perhaps I have????

I started building a wall and tiling some steps and the sand and cement is under tarpaulin at the moment...

Re: A useful academic exercise????
 

Don't let the ajuntamento catch you doing that. It's what, a trillion euro fine for not getting their permission to fart? ( let alone do something with cement, which is traceable ).