Am I a snob?

Robert124 said:

people there to be crude, vulgar, common people with no manners.

...I sort of 'ran off' this Thread, but I was still thinking about it. I think that, by Terms such as "Snob" or "Common", it is indeed just a label - BUT - when the person labelled enforces that label of them, then, well, that is what is enforced from the point of view of the person giving the label. (This goes right back into history (predudice, etc.) ... and thus so long a debate that I am not interested in it -!)

I keep thinking of trying this statement, here:

"Common people" may mean as said there, plus I might add, people who are clones, energy-vampires, drones, in the majority (hence thier being "common" and not "uncommon")...

But the defining thing is - **"Commoners" do not seek anything else and are very Happy to STAY that way**...?!

(E.g. - In going with the flow, they are supported, thus are Common. An uncertain thing also flowing, is not Common, but is a Weirdo. Hopefully anyone gets what I mean, here.)

I suspect that I've upset you.

Let me rephrase my opinions, being common or a snob, is not about money but a state of mind.

And in my extreme past I've dealt with both.  Even within my own family.

My father, for example was poor his entire life but also an absolute snob.  He never had any kind of bank account but tried to pay utility bills through a bank because it made him feel important.  The banks either refused or added a handling charge.  We tried to persuade him to use the post office to pay the bills.  But he flicked his wrist in a dismissal action and said, ' Post offices are for those type of people!'.

...Me again - I was not meaning to log on tonight, but I read this reply, and it is a good thing I did...!

Mr Robert123 said:

"I suspect that I've upset you."

...Oh my - NO way - Where on Earth did you get that idea, Good Sir? What part of what I said implied *that*? ...although I would not be surprised if I was 'misunderstood' yet again...  :-(

"Being common or a snob is not about money but a state of mind."

...Yes, yes - This is what I meant - when I said that such people are 'happy to stay that way'! Regardless of conditions imposed, a person may seek to change themselves. Alas they might not always succeed, but it is the intentions meant.

(I can only cite myself as example. I dislike most of everyone around me, with swearing, spitting, smelling, partuition, tarmacadam, drunkeness, urinating, throwing stones... but I live amongst them and have no interest in them and all of that. I am not happy to do what they do (it makes me Ill) - but they are totally happy (it makes them Thrive and prosper)...! Again, that is what I meant.)

I love that ~ I think I might start using that phrase ~ I do beg your pardon

And yeah, I can see what you mean about being common and uncommon. I guess I'm an uncommon (autistic) commoner (like to keep it real, with the people!) who can mix with anyone from the poverty stricken to royalty :) 

oh and nite nite sleep well and hope you all have wonderful happy dreams.

Replying to you DC for no particular reason other than ,,,,well ,,,, I was reading your words and for no apparent reason , and not especially related to what you said I suddenly wanted to share a tiny part of a very big issue I have had all my life.

 The use of words!

As a young boy the other children often used to ask me what I was talking about?  As a teenager I was asked why I always used such posh words? As an eighteen year old experiencing my first time working a very large building project , with predominantly Irish workers I was ridiculed for being so posh, how the words I used were made up or me trying to seem well educated.

Now with that firmly in your mind think about the real me and my upbringing.

I was born in a council estate, couldn’t read or write until quite late about seven I think?

I struggled to learn most of the things other kids found simple, I played out more than I was ever indoors, I was scruffy, hated washing, loved the rough and tumble of tree climbing, digging holes to make camps, hide outs, a street urchin, never read a book, in fact even now I have read so few you wouldn’t believe me if I could remember how many( one or two).

I never once tried to talk like anyone,

 in particular, I have no idea where the so called posh words came from, they seemed the right words to use given the circumstances,, if a word best suits then use it.

So there I was a typical kid, surrounded by other typical kids, no one thing to give rise to me hearing posh words, my parents spoke normal as far as I know, my dad did speak quite well but often just another dad chatting away with the other dads.

 The only time I consciously decided to talk differently was when the constant put downs and ridicule I had from the site workers got to much to bear. It really was non stop picking in me, everything I said was highlighted and comments like “ oh I say old boy! What a spiffing thing to say”.

 That kind of thing, 

I decided to deliberately use shorter words, less if them, try to pick up how they spoke, hurray it worked, only trouble was I actually started talking with an Irish lilt. Not in a patronising way, just more Irish in accent..

I have no idea why I used so called long posh words?

 Why I sounded posh.?

Why indeed it was considered a bad thing?

Even now I moderate my use of words as descriptors. Still I get “ that word doesn’t exist! You made it up!”

Or “ so what’s the new big word today then?”

Only trouble is trying not to use expletives when not at work, not proud of swearing but in order to be accepted it helps to integrate and not stand out.

 Phew, I also use far too many words to get across a simple fact. 

Take care friends, x()x

I’m a commoner anyway and I like being one :) and I prefer to go in shops like Waitrose, but I’m still a commoner

I understand and respect this... that was - probably - what was disputed, here. But you make distinction between common and vulgar... another thing which was disputed (from the Opening Post). I think most of us are common, but then the argument metamorphs into wanting to or being able to change; and/or being Autistic which is not common and yet is not necessarily a snob and could be seen as either common or uncommon if one buys Cod instead of Roe or Beef instead of Venison or Chicken instead of Pheasant or

[ censored and cut off by Moderator responsible for Too Much Waffling. ]

;-)

(I have lead a pretty sheltered life, what with my running away from strangers so much, yes indeed...)

Here is a (very) little story, in keeping in with the main theme.

Once I was looking for socks in the Green Park Branch of M&S. I walked, and accidentally side-bumped a rather loudly-dressed, shabby-looking Black Man, as we both walked opposite ways. But what he said to me was something I should never forget, which I had never ever had said to myself by a stranger, regardless of the Store or the colours of our respective Skins...

...In a VERY high-class English accent, he said to me: "I DO beg your Pardon!"

    :-) 

(I have lead a pretty sheltered life, what with my running away from strangers so much, yes indeed...)

Here is a (very) little story, in keeping in with the main theme.

Once I was looking for socks in the Green Park Branch of M&S. I walked, and accidentally side-bumped a rather loudly-dressed, shabby-looking Black Man, as we both walked opposite ways. But what he said to me was something I should never forget, which I had never ever had said to myself by a stranger, regardless of the Store or the colours of our respective Skins...

...In a VERY high-class English accent, he said to me: "I DO beg your Pardon!"

    :-) 

I love that ~ I think I might start using that phrase ~ I do beg your pardon

And yeah, I can see what you mean about being common and uncommon. I guess I'm an uncommon (autistic) commoner (like to keep it real, with the people!) who can mix with anyone from the poverty stricken to royalty :) 

oh and nite nite sleep well and hope you all have wonderful happy dreams.

Replying to you DC for no particular reason other than ,,,,well ,,,, I was reading your words and for no apparent reason , and not especially related to what you said I suddenly wanted to share a tiny part of a very big issue I have had all my life.

 The use of words!

As a young boy the other children often used to ask me what I was talking about?  As a teenager I was asked why I always used such posh words? As an eighteen year old experiencing my first time working a very large building project , with predominantly Irish workers I was ridiculed for being so posh, how the words I used were made up or me trying to seem well educated.

Now with that firmly in your mind think about the real me and my upbringing.

I was born in a council estate, couldn’t read or write until quite late about seven I think?

I struggled to learn most of the things other kids found simple, I played out more than I was ever indoors, I was scruffy, hated washing, loved the rough and tumble of tree climbing, digging holes to make camps, hide outs, a street urchin, never read a book, in fact even now I have read so few you wouldn’t believe me if I could remember how many( one or two).

I never once tried to talk like anyone,

 in particular, I have no idea where the so called posh words came from, they seemed the right words to use given the circumstances,, if a word best suits then use it.

So there I was a typical kid, surrounded by other typical kids, no one thing to give rise to me hearing posh words, my parents spoke normal as far as I know, my dad did speak quite well but often just another dad chatting away with the other dads.

 The only time I consciously decided to talk differently was when the constant put downs and ridicule I had from the site workers got to much to bear. It really was non stop picking in me, everything I said was highlighted and comments like “ oh I say old boy! What a spiffing thing to say”.

 That kind of thing, 

I decided to deliberately use shorter words, less if them, try to pick up how they spoke, hurray it worked, only trouble was I actually started talking with an Irish lilt. Not in a patronising way, just more Irish in accent..

I have no idea why I used so called long posh words?

 Why I sounded posh.?

Why indeed it was considered a bad thing?

Even now I moderate my use of words as descriptors. Still I get “ that word doesn’t exist! You made it up!”

Or “ so what’s the new big word today then?”

Only trouble is trying not to use expletives when not at work, not proud of swearing but in order to be accepted it helps to integrate and not stand out.

 Phew, I also use far too many words to get across a simple fact. 

Take care friends, x()x