Washington Area Class System

[Anonymous]

To 18:01 - I didn't see anything about the schools in PG county. That's the number one reason many educated professionals wouldn't consider living there. That, and the gangs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Class has to do with how on treats others. Humility anyone? Didn't think so.

This is the answer. Yes, there is such a thing as social/economic class, but real class is about how you treat others and carry yourself. So, the Mercedes, the nice house, and nice purse simply mean that you can (or perhaps not) afford those things, not that you are better than anyone else. To have class, you have to have good manners and humility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was married when I was 24 and had a baby at 27. I am pretty sure many people on this board would consider me low-class for those reasons alone. When I was pregnant women in NW looked at me like I was a zoo animal. I may as well have been wearing cutoffs and a belly shirt when I was 8-months along just to enhance their experience.

Nevermind that I am the college-educated daughter of college-educated people that grew up in an upper-middle class area and so is my husband. Not that, as these boards would point out, education or income have much to do with "class." This makes me sing the RHONY's Luanne song in my head, ugh. Anyway, we make less than $350K combined and live in Gaithersburg. I never get my nails done (I hate the feeling of the nail file and REALLY hate people touching my feet!) and yes...I have clothes from Chiccos. Oh well. I guess it weeds me out of those mean Mommy groups everyone's complaining about on the General Parenting board!

The under 30 comment was hilarious. 10 years from now, under 35 and pregnant will be trailer trash to that poster. Nevermind fertility.

The funny thing is that many of these women's Moms were well under 30 when they were born, so what does that make of anything? Does that mean people in general were just lower class? I get the whole "it was a different time" thing but really, it's not like it was 1857. When I got married I was annoyed people thought I was so young. Now I think back like "Wow, I was 24? I'm glad that seems to be working out." It's not as if everyone who marries over 30 ends up happily ever after. Age has nothing to do with it. You're either ready or you're not. You're either in the right place and relationship or you're not....you've either met the right person or you haven't. I think once you're an adult and you're self sufficient you make your own decisions. I'm lucky to have met several women of more "appropriate" DC ages to have children who aren't so judgemental, but I know these people exist and they are obnoxious. If you ask me, judging people on shopping at certain stores over others demonstrates a level of snobbery and immaturity that shows that even now some of these people aren't mature enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 18:01 - I didn't see anything about the schools in PG county. That's the number one reason many educated professionals wouldn't consider living there.

There are decent options up through middle school (both public and private), but high school is a challenge. There are limited private high school options (and they are Catholic, as far as I can tell) and limited magnet options in the public system (under strain from the budget challenges at the moment).

I love living over here (and possibly live the same place as the PP who mentioned great services and local government) but am already thinking ahead to middle and high school which is years down the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We associate with some neighbors in which the wife will routinely single out my hometown/NOVA neighborhood as her example anytime she cites something as 'low class or white trash". My husband always chuckles, but I get more and more pissed...esp because my parents and my best friends' parents still live there on the same street where we grew up. There is nobody that meets her description of 'low class/white trash' in their entire neighborhood. It's funny too since she isn't even from the USA. The last comment was how everyone listens to 'country music' from there....ahhh...now the place is a 10-15 minute drive from DC proper.

My parents moved there in the mid-late 60's when it was the place to be because the city was too dangerous, Arlington/Clarendon area was--at that time--a complete slum---everybody with a family went to the suburbs. All of my neighbor's parents worked for the State Dept or were Pentagon officials...etc. New neighbors on my parents cul-de-sac include a former White House official..turned big Green environ company CEO, a few lawyers, etc.

Don't let the idiots like the PP get to you.

And really, would it matter if there were people living there who met that description? Working-class white people have a right to be respected as well.

[Anonymous]

To 10:15 - my mother was 27 when I was born (I'm the oldest child). I was 34 when I had my first child.

To me, the reason for this general age shift is obvious and is indirectly related to class. How many women of any class in the '50s and '60s had the opportunity to go to grad school or even leave the place they were born? People are more geographically mobile and much better educated today.

My mom was considered a rebel for not marrying until she was 24! I didn't even meet my DH until I was 27. Had absolutely no interest in marriage or a long term relationship until I was done with grad school and had some work years under my belt. Totally different generational construct.

[Anonymous]

To 10:19 - what you look for in a place to live shapes your peer group, too. Our number one priority bar none when we house shopped was the school pyramid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ashburn- ghetto
having a baby before you are 30- uneducated trailer trash

Bringing wine to a dinner party is insulting to your host's wine cellar...learn something new every day huh?

and if your host does not have a wine cellar?

The the host is also low class. Bring beer instead.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the posts, but this is an interesting topic. As someone who came to this country in my late teens, I've been fascinated with the way people in the US insist this is a class free society, when it clearly isn't. While it's not like the UK, where your accent and schooling and birth relegate you to a certain class for life (regardless of money), the US still has a very identifiable class structure. Lots of things are indications of class position: where you live, where you/your children go to school, their names, what you eat, the movies you like, all sorts of things. Interestingly enough, with widespread access to credit, possessions are no longer an indication. People don't like to admit it/discuss it, but it's true. On the other hand, the US continues to be a beacon in the world for class mobility, which is why people continue to come here. There aren't many places in the world where someone can start out washing dishes and end up a millionaire. Doesn't happen for everyone, but it happens often enough to give people hope.

[Anonymous]

Yes this is definitely not a class free society. Maybe other parts of the country are less class conscious but that is simply not the case here.

It always amazes me that many of the people that are considered upper or high class are the cheapest people I have ever met. I am not talking frugal, I mean cheap, like not tipping waitstaff etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 18:01 - I didn't see anything about the schools in PG county. That's the number one reason many educated professionals wouldn't consider living there. That, and the gangs.

Oh for God's sake - There aren't any gangs in DC or Mo Co? They're everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Obviously, everyone on this board is concerned with 'social class'. However, I agree with the class being about how you treat others and how you are as a person, e.g., do you take personal respsonibility, do you show humility, do treat EVERYONE with the same level of respect no matter what their upbringing or job, etc. I had the wonderful opportunity of working in my father's building post-college. It was a place he worked for 30+ years...it was amazing that every clerk in the mailroom, custodian, clerical staff, etc..would come up shake his hand--tell some jokes..he'd ask about their family, etc. He was this way at home..but you really don't know what your parents are like in their place of work. He taught all of us kids to stick up for the 'underdog'..we are no better than anyone else solely because where we were born, what we do, where we went to school, etc. These are the same values I am trying to instill in my young sons. 10 years later I still work there and not a day goes by that somebody isn't asking about my dad or telling me about a time when he stood up for them when a higher-up was treating them unfairly, etc.

My older brother was a star athlete at my HS. He was the most popular guy in school..always voted best-looking, etc. The thing about him was that he was nice and kind to everyone. He wasn't the stereotypical Hughes-guy jock. He would face-down any bully picking on someone...the littlest guy, the nerdiest, etc. Obv. this is what we learned from my dad. My brother had a very powerful--high network producing job and about 10 years ago dropped it all...moved out of Manhattan and took up teaching, coaching disadvantaged kids.

When they refer to a sports player with 'class'...I think of the baseball guy recently who would have set a record (a very impressive...not to be repeated kind of record) except the umpire misjudged and made an incorrect call and robbed him of the record. the player did not throw a tantrum..he met the ump the next day and shook hands. That is a classy guy.

This 'social status' thing is such a bunch of cr*p. Some of the most vile ppl I know have a sterling socioeconomic rating.

My oldest at 4 talks about 'dressy bullies up and making them wear tu-tus'...very creative of way of dealing with the whole bully thing. He is also the biggest guy in the class but doesn't appear to know it. I am glad he already has an understanding of other's worth and value, empathy, etc.

This is the type of thing I would worry about...not the ridiculous 'washington area class system'...give me a break!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously, everyone on this board is concerned with 'social class'. However, I agree with the class being about how you treat others and how you are as a person, e.g., do you take personal respsonibility, do you show humility, do treat EVERYONE with the same level of respect no matter what their upbringing or job, etc. I had the wonderful opportunity of working in my father's building post-college. It was a place he worked for 30+ years...it was amazing that every clerk in the mailroom, custodian, clerical staff, etc..would come up shake his hand--tell some jokes..he'd ask about their family, etc. He was this way at home..but you really don't know what your parents are like in their place of work. He taught all of us kids to stick up for the 'underdog'..we are no better than anyone else solely because where we were born, what we do, where we went to school, etc. These are the same values I am trying to instill in my young sons. 10 years later I still work there and not a day goes by that somebody isn't asking about my dad or telling me about a time when he stood up for them when a higher-up was treating them unfairly, etc.

My older brother was a star athlete at my HS. He was the most popular guy in school..always voted best-looking, etc. The thing about him was that he was nice and kind to everyone. He wasn't the stereotypical Hughes-guy jock. He would face-down any bully picking on someone...the littlest guy, the nerdiest, etc. Obv. this is what we learned from my dad. My brother had a very powerful--high network producing job and about 10 years ago dropped it all...moved out of Manhattan and took up teaching, coaching disadvantaged kids.

When they refer to a sports player with 'class'...I think of the baseball guy recently who would have set a record (a very impressive...not to be repeated kind of record) except the umpire misjudged and made an incorrect call and robbed him of the record. the player did not throw a tantrum..he met the ump the next day and shook hands. That is a classy guy.

This 'social status' thing is such a bunch of cr*p. Some of the most vile ppl I know have a sterling socioeconomic rating.

My oldest at 4 talks about 'dressy bullies up and making them wear tu-tus'...very creative of way of dealing with the whole bully thing. He is also the biggest guy in the class but doesn't appear to know it. I am glad he already has an understanding of other's worth and value, empathy, etc.

This is the type of thing I would worry about...not the ridiculous 'washington area class system'...give me a break!

Is he single and available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously, everyone on this board is concerned with 'social class'. However, I agree with the class being about how you treat others and how you are as a person, e.g., do you take personal respsonibility, do you show humility, do treat EVERYONE with the same level of respect no matter what their upbringing or job, etc. I had the wonderful opportunity of working in my father's building post-college. It was a place he worked for 30+ years...it was amazing that every clerk in the mailroom, custodian, clerical staff, etc..would come up shake his hand--tell some jokes..he'd ask about their family, etc. He was this way at home..but you really don't know what your parents are like in their place of work. He taught all of us kids to stick up for the 'underdog'..we are no better than anyone else solely because where we were born, what we do, where we went to school, etc. These are the same values I am trying to instill in my young sons. 10 years later I still work there and not a day goes by that somebody isn't asking about my dad or telling me about a time when he stood up for them when a higher-up was treating them unfairly, etc.

My older brother was a star athlete at my HS. He was the most popular guy in school..always voted best-looking, etc. The thing about him was that he was nice and kind to everyone. He wasn't the stereotypical Hughes-guy jock. He would face-down any bully picking on someone...the littlest guy, the nerdiest, etc. Obv. this is what we learned from my dad. My brother had a very powerful--high network producing job and about 10 years ago dropped it all...moved out of Manhattan and took up teaching, coaching disadvantaged kids.

When they refer to a sports player with 'class'...I think of the baseball guy recently who would have set a record (a very impressive...not to be repeated kind of record) except the umpire misjudged and made an incorrect call and robbed him of the record. the player did not throw a tantrum..he met the ump the next day and shook hands. That is a classy guy.

This 'social status' thing is such a bunch of cr*p. Some of the most vile ppl I know have a sterling socioeconomic rating.

My oldest at 4 talks about 'dressy bullies up and making them wear tu-tus'...very creative of way of dealing with the whole bully thing. He is also the biggest guy in the class but doesn't appear to know it. I am glad he already has an understanding of other's worth and value, empathy, etc.

This is the type of thing I would worry about...not the ridiculous 'washington area class system'...give me a break!

Is he single and available?

Ha! The answer is 'yes' BUT as much as i love him...he's not the marrying kind...still a bachelor at 42. I do notice a lot of mellowing recently--maybe one day he'll be ready.

[Anonymous]

One of my 'ding, ding, ding...this person has no class' is when somebody is rude or berates a waitstaff/waiter/waitress! I can't believe how many people treat them like servants or peasants.
That is the epitomy of showing how little class you have...and the funny thing is what may be happening to your drink or meal back in the kitchen.