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O/T: Does liking something that posh people like automatically make you posh?







DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
17,361
About 20 years ago I was working in management on a site in Basingstoke which was largely manned by London Overspill people. The people in the workshop I was in charge of the administration for thought I was posh because I did not drop my aitches. When I was a boy at primary school in Worthing, one day my class teacher called me in during break to ask me where I had my elocution lessons. I had never had any, I just had a mother who encouraged me to pronounce things properly - not just dropping aitches. I have been described by other people down here in darkest Hampshire as having a London Accent.

I went to grammar School and Oxford, but don't like Opera or Ballet particularly, like the theatre, have probably about equal numbers of books and CD's, the CD's being a mixture of Rock, Jazz, Blues and Classical. Live in a fairly normal 4 bed 1930's semi, get on very well with my neighbours, who are a wide range of people, don't really bother what people think of me and try not to judge others, for whatever reason.

From being at Oxford, in a college which at that time (1970's) had the second highest % of public school intake in the University, I cam across plenty of people who might be considered posh, some of whom were so at ease with themselves they would get on genuinely well with anyone, others of whom were so far up themselves it was unbelievable. I have never done anything which brought in shedloads of money, have not inherited anything, have two kids - aged 31 and 29, who are happy, and just try to work on the basis of not trying to be what I am not. It generally seems to work.
 




BuddyBoy

New member
Mar 3, 2013
780
Right. So, as others have said, accent is a major determinant. Perhaps the class into which one was born (aristocracy, for example). Ok - let's try someone else then. How about Tony Benn? He was born aristocratic, had an accent that many would describe as "posh" and was very intellectual. yet he gave up the title and became a labour MP (one who espoused reasonably socialist policies to boot - i.e. pre-New Labour).

Was Tony Benn posh before he gave up the title? Did he stop being posh afterwards?

My own view? I think he was posh at the start and remained posh later too....

Tony Benn is certainly posh in that sense, yes. He renounced his title and committed his life to working class politics, but he was born into aristocracy and would have had all the privilege had he stayed. I'm a fan anyhow.

I'm not really comfortable with the term because, as I said, it's difficult to define. But I suppose it's largely down to the class in which you were born.

Having said that, I guess someone could make every effort to become posh and get away with it. Theresa May might be a good example here - Liverpool council estate girl turned tory cabinet minister. My contradictions prove how difficult it really is to define...in my view.
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,465
Hove
Interesting. So, a self made person, with a yacht, a box at the opera and Twickenham, 5 houses, and who regularly eats at Michelin-starred restaurants and has centre court tickets at Wimbledon isn't posh? He's just a nouveau-riche fool?

Depends whether they're trying to act posh or not really? That self made person may not be changed by wealth, and therefore still wouldn't be posh, they could still be working class, just rich.

They'd be fools if they tried to act like they'd always had wealth, were privately educated etc. etc.

Posh is an attitude born of privilege, private education and cultural experience.

I thought this was all laid out very clearly by Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy in Trading Places!!??
 




Herr Tubthumper

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Jul 11, 2003
62,763
The Fatherland
I like the George Orwell theory that your traditions, values and beliefs define your class/status. For what it is worth I have been the opera 3 times and no one would consider me posh; in fact I consider myself working class and am quite comfortable with this.
 










Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Apr 30, 2013
14,125
Herts
I like the George Orwell theory that your traditions, values and beliefs define your class/status. For what it is worth I have been the opera 3 times and no one would consider me posh; in fact I consider myself working class and am quite comfortable with this.

You sure about that? I can well imagine that you wouldn't consider yourself posh, but I would wager one of my fine guineas that some people would, simply because you've been the opera three times. In my view they'd be wrong to, but I bet there are some who would....
 








Knotty

Well-known member
Feb 5, 2004
2,421
Canterbury
I find 'posh' as indeterminate a description as 'working class'.

Are they both meaningless?

Are they how some would like to describe themselves?

Are they what others see in individuals?
 








tinycowboy

Well-known member
Aug 9, 2008
4,004
Canterbury
I find 'posh' as indeterminate a description as 'working class'.

Are they both meaningless?

Are they how some would like to describe themselves?

Are they what others see in individuals?

I think we're heading to the conclusion that the definition of "posh" is down to individual interpretation - which is a boringly predictable conclusion, but it's interesting to hear all the different views that lead to it. The question is similar to "Who are the upper classes?" but I think this question has more scope for including the Lord Sugars of this world than the "Who is posh?" question. I don't think Lord Sugar would be at all pleased at being called "upper class" though - it's more of an upper-middle class aspiration...
 




Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,482
Brighton
I like the George Orwell theory that your traditions, values and beliefs define your class/status. For what it is worth I have been the opera 3 times and no one would consider me posh; in fact I consider myself working class and am quite comfortable with this.

I'm certain a LOT of people would consider you posh. Like I said above, I've seen people called posh for READING A BOOK.
 








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