PompeyVillan Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I think that British people have been programed to think in very defined class structered terms and that leads us all to look up and down the social strata. And we all need someone to look down on. Those are the chavs and the like. I personally believe that poor people in this country are villified as lazy and stupid and for many years there was no social mobility. And it suited the many powerful people in the country that the poor stayed poor. America was established with enterprising ideals, that anyone could be anything. Even today, unless you're of a certain birthage, certain professions and lifestyles are impossible to achieve in Britain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2k1iRD2f-c That sorta sums it up. Those with a 'working class' upbringing seem to never forget it, and refer to it often. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 20, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 What's the deal with Americans and clapping at the cinema? That's very rare in my experience. It's been a while since I've seen that. Interesting. When I would see that, it would be with a long-awaited film, like a new Star Wars or something -- and it would be before movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 To be fair, I don't think terms like "chav" are as entrenched in class as peopple think. Chav is more about how somebody dresses and behaves rather than what class they're perceived to belong to. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Curry and beer are amazing. American's make pretty knarly beer, but I'm not sure they're so keen on the curry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Why do Americans say they are going to take a shit when it's literally the opposite of what they are going to do? Give a ****? Edited March 20, 2015 by maqroll 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 20, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 To be fair, I don't think terms like "chav" are as entrenched in class as peopple think. Chav is more about how somebody dresses and behaves rather than what class they're perceived to belong to. Beat me to it, Mantis. There are middle class chavs, and plenty of young working class youth who aren't chavs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted March 20, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 20, 2015 There's two types of class, socio-economic and taste. Chav refers to the latter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I think that British people have been programed to think in very defined class structered terms and that leads us all to look up and down the social strata. And we all need someone to look down on. Those are the chavs and the like. I personally believe that poor people in this country are villified as lazy and stupid and for many years there was no social mobility. And it suited the many powerful people in the country that the poor stayed poor. America was established with enterprising ideals, that anyone could be anything. Even today, unless you're of a certain birthage, certain professions and lifestyles are impossible to achieve in Britain. Don't agree with that in the slightest. What professions are so class dependent that they can't be overcome with a good education and a proper work ethic and will to succeed? Polo-horse trainer maybe? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I think that British people have been programed to think in very defined class structered terms and that leads us all to look up and down the social strata. And we all need someone to look down on. Those are the chavs and the like. I personally believe that poor people in this country are villified as lazy and stupid and for many years there was no social mobility. And it suited the many powerful people in the country that the poor stayed poor. America was established with enterprising ideals, that anyone could be anything. Even today, unless you're of a certain birthage, certain professions and lifestyles are impossible to achieve in Britain. Don't agree with that in the slightest. What professions are so class dependent that they can't be overcome with a good education and a proper work ethic and will to succeed? Polo-horse trainer maybe? Well politics is an inherently closed shop in my opinion. Judges. Royal family ( [emoji14] ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 20, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 Senior civil servant, diplomat, general, those sort of jobs. Hard work and talent will get you in at the bottom of the ladder, and you can rise a reasonable way. But precious few will break the glass ceiling to the very top jobs without being 'the right sort'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) It's interesting to me that over the years Hollywood has had this fallback stereotype of the sinister Englishman as archvillain. Russians, Arabs, Sth Africans, Eastern Europeans etc come and go depending on world politics but your Jeremy Irons and Alan Rickman types are seemingly the fallback. Is it because there's generally no umbrage taken and mass outrage by the British at being stereotyped because they are too polite? Edited March 20, 2015 by Ponky 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Let's face it, there are some pretty good British actors who are excellent at playing villains, even if their characters aren't British (see Jeremy Irons and Alan Rickman in Die Hard). Edited March 20, 2015 by Mantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 20, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 Senior civil servant, diplomat, general, those sort of jobs. Hard work and talent will get you in at the bottom of the ladder, and you can rise a reasonable way. But precious few will break the glass ceiling to the very top jobs without being 'the right sort'. Ha! I saw this in England in the some of the most unlikely places. I was so shocked, and remain so appalled. Of course, there's an ugly and perhaps even uglier version of this in the States, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 20, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 Why are the British so courageous, sometimes apparently to a fault? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 20, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2015 Do English men even care about the Windsor knot? (I was taught that knowing and using this knot was a critical part of dressing.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 21, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 21, 2015 (edited) What's the proper way to make mushy peas? And why on earth would anyone eat them? Edited March 21, 2015 by Plastic Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 It's interesting to me that over the years Hollywood has had this fallback stereotype of the sinister Englishman as archvillain. Russians, Arabs, Sth Africans, Eastern Europeans etc come and go depending on world politics but your Jeremy Irons and Alan Rickman types are seemingly the fallback. Is it because there's generally no umbrage taken and mass outrage by the British at being stereotyped because they are too polite? in the main i think a lot of it is just because they are damn fine actors, like mantis said, the die hard films are a good example, id add hopkins as HL, i think good quality english actors as villains add something to a role, that touch of class which suggests intelligence and then the touch of charm which suggests confidence, eastern europeans and middle east villains etc struggle to have that aura about them and more often than not come across as cheesy you do then also have the fact that despite never actually admitting it, maybe subconsciously hollywood struggles to portray a strong villain on film when the reality is the same ethnicity is portrayed to the public as inferior in every day life... a russian at the height of the cold war, a terrorist from the middle east now, can you imagine a film trying to portray them as an equal? or even better? thats something that they can do with an english villain not always the case as bardem shows, at the moment mark strong IMO makes a good villain, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 What's the proper way to make mushy peas? And why on earth would anyone eat them? you dont make them, mushy peas are one of those things that you buy the proper ones in the tin, they are also one of those things that no matter how hard they try to convince you they are the same you cant buy cheaper brands, got to be bachelors when i worked in a chip shop we used to make them, special peas that were definitely marrowfat peas but they werent fresh, they were rock hard, boiling water with then a tablet which dissolves them and another tablet which colours them, then a load of salt at the end 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 saw a comment by stevo in the piss you off thread... are you judgmental towards people who put sugar in tea?! its only happened to me in the last couple of years but now i cant shake it, **** commoners! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 saw a comment by stevo in the piss you off thread... are you judgmental towards people who put sugar in tea?! its only happened to me in the last couple of years but now i cant shake it, **** commoners! Tea is filthy stuff. Surely you'd need sugar to make it through a cup? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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