Is it worth arguing politics with middle-class people?

[Annie Askew]

Yes, it is coherent. Would you rather I rephrase my reply in the style of one of Georg Hegel's philosophical tomes? On your bike.

See, I know who Hegel is without googling it. He was an influence on Marx and Engels, iirc. And I don't own a bike. I walk.

But let's face it boys, you ain't getting no lovin' tonight.

 

[Casually Red]

I was at a " garden party " on Saturday . And not a barbecue either . A proper garden party, with wine. And salad . And desert . and cushions and gazebo thingies .

They all hoped Hilary Clinton would win . I didn't bother arguing . Took out my newspaper to sort of quietly fume behind and it fell open at the horse racing pages . That was duly noted . I noted .

 

[goldenecitrone]

By being matey. Acting like a wanker teach. Found any more rough diamonds that need a good polish?

You can't polish a turd, Idris. Next time, just flush it away.

 

[seventh bullet]

He's back. Oh no.

 

[chilango]

I'm mostly interested in this part of your OP:



This is the middle classes right?

As a middle class person: if I have no power to change things even if I want to, does this mean I am off the hook as far as a responsibility to try and change anything is concerned? I just sit back and hope the working classes get their act together?

Well...I do wonder that sometimes.

Sometimes I think maybe the best thing the middle classes can do is stay out of the way and try not to make things worse.

However, there's a couple of problems with that. I was hoping that this thread might help me tease them out a little. Aside from the problems we're having in defining what exactly is "middle class". We all seem to be using slightly different yardsticks, and that's no accident imo. But, as butchersapron says up thread there are times when the material interests of sections of the m/c (or individuals within it) align with those of the w/c. There are also sections of the m/c (or individuals within it) who in some respects may actually be "proletarian" as far as relationship to MOP is concerned.

Its a little glib of me to reduce everything to relationship to MOP, and I do have a lazy tendency to do so. But it is a primary consideration as far as having power to challenge capital.

The social and cultural aspects of this I find harder to come to any clean conclusions about. I know, for example, there are huge contradictions between my own level of cultural capital and my level of economic capital, that muddies my own class status considerably.

But, I'm largely venting first and then trying to think out loud. So, as often, I may very well be wrong.

 

[nino_savatte]

But let's face it boys, you ain't getting no lovin' tonight.

*shrugs* So says the returning poster.

 

[Pickman's model]

See, I know who Hegel is without googling it. He was an influence on Marx and Engels, iirc. And I don't own a bike. I walk.

yeh. but do you know what he said?

 

[Pickman's model]

Yes, it is coherent. Would you rather I rephrase my reply in the style of one of Georg Hegel's philosophical tomes? On your bike.

if his posts are anything to go by you might more expect to see yer man riding a tricycle.

 

[ffsear]

I'm middle class. I'd be lying if I said that no debate I've had with anyone one here has had no effect on my personal thoughts or made me look at thinks in a different perspective.