Middle Class values...

Alot of people crow about "middle class" values!!...A great number of people especially girls pride themselves on being "Simple middle class girls" or having , for the want of a beter word, "middle class values" ....

Such terms constitute one of the most commmon and unfortunate cliche synonymous with moral rectitude, conforming to the societal norms, being pious/religious, being parsimonious, respecting each and every person who is elder in age irrespective of whether the person in question is deserving of the respect or not, giving the parents/family the carte blanche in matters concerning education, marriage etc, being so goddamn acquiescent and unquestioningly obsequious that any opposition/doubt is termed as insubordination

A person abiding by the aforementiond rules and if he/she hails from a family whose economic status falls in the "middle class" category, he/she is the "simple, virtuous middle class kid"...

Likewise, when viewed through the "middle class prism", the "spoilt, high-society person" is one who parties, drinks, spends money on stuff most people deem unnecessary, enjoys unlimited and unchecked freedom, is image conscious and shallow too...

What's even worse is certain relatively hi-fi people calling themselves "middle class" and claiming to have values which they most certainly don't possess😕...Admittedly a stereotype, but what is staggering is that loads of people still harp about being "middle class"...

I'm not generalizing, neither am I advocating and endorsing any style/way of life...How does having the so called "middle class" values make one any superior a person and why do some people take such furious pride in being "middle class"😕

Originally posted by: Buffie

Alot of people crow about "middle class" values!!...A great number of people especially girls pride themselves on being "Simple middle class girls" or having , for the want of a beter word, "middle class values" ....

Such terms constitute one of the most commmon and unfortunate cliche synonymous with moral rectitude, conforming to the societal norms, being pious/religious, being parsimonious, respecting each and every person who is elder in age irrespective of whether the person in question is deserving of the respect or not, giving the parents/family the carte blanche in matters concerning education, marriage etc, being so goddamn acquiescent and unquestioningly obsequious that any opposition/doubt is termed as insubordination

A person abiding by the aforementiond rules and if he/she hails from a family whose economic status falls in the "middle class" category, he/she is the "simple, virtuous middle class kid"...

Is this Kekta type ideation of middle class.😕 Contemporary India's middle class is educated, uninhibited, pragmatic, street-smart, techno savvy, more prosperous then their parents . Some or all those of the middle classs sentiments are also shared by wealthy , capitalists, or upper strata of middle classes.

Likewise, when viewed through the "middle class prism", the "spoilt, high-society person" is one who parties, drinks, spends money on stuff most people deem unnecessary, enjoys unlimited and unchecked freedom, is image conscious and shallow too...

What's even worse is certain relatively hi-fi people calling themselves "middle class" and claiming to have values which they most certainly don't possess😕...Admittedly a stereotype, but what is staggering is that loads of people still harp about being "middle class"...

This must be inverted snobbery- a useful self justification tool by anyone with monetary or material comfort.😊

I'm not generalizing, neither am I advocating and endorsing any style/way of life...How does having the so called "middle class" values make one any superior a person and why do some people take such furious pride in being "middle class"😕

Originally posted by: Buffie

Alot of people crow about "middle class" values!!...A great number of people especially girls pride themselves on being "Simple middle class girls" or having , for the want of a beter word, "middle class values" ....

Such terms constitute one of the most commmon and unfortunate cliche synonymous with moral rectitude, conforming to the societal norms, being pious/religious, being parsimonious, respecting each and every person who is elder in age irrespective of whether the person in question is deserving of the respect or not, giving the parents/family the carte blanche in matters concerning education, marriage etc, being so goddamn acquiescent and unquestioningly obsequious that any opposition/doubt is termed as insubordination

A person abiding by the aforementiond rules and if he/she hails from a family whose economic status falls in the "middle class" category, he/she is the "simple, virtuous middle class kid"...

Likewise, when viewed through the "middle class prism", the "spoilt, high-society person" is one who parties, drinks, spends money on stuff most people deem unnecessary, enjoys unlimited and unchecked freedom, is image conscious and shallow too...

What's even worse is certain relatively hi-fi people calling themselves "middle class" and claiming to have values which they most certainly don't possess😕...Admittedly a stereotype, but what is staggering is that loads of people still harp about being "middle class"...

I'm not generalizing, neither am I advocating and endorsing any style/way of life...How does having the so called "middle class" values make one any superior a person and why do some people take such furious pride in being "middle class"😕

First of all welcome back to DM and nice to see yaa Buffie!!

RE:Topic

Poor don't bother to raise an opinion why they are poor...similarly rich are rich they don't care of raising or appreciating any thing " Rock and roll baby" atitude...ok I understand there are exceptions...

Now talking about middle class there are in spot...basically confused whether to be happy for not being poor or sad for not being rich..and there comes 10 different reasons for the state they are in.... they acknowledge both the poor and rich...and hence try to justify thier stance ...let be saying we are most hard wokring... or we have values etc etc... may be as society has majority of middle people we hear more opinions about them...but barring few I think there is no distinction of status of living on following values in life.

As LH said rest is upto Ekta to figure out and mint money as usual😆😆

Originally posted by: lighthouse

So true LH! This whole Ms/Mr Sob Sob Goody Two Shoes image is Kekta Mayee's gift to the Indian society. Real life is more complex and layered than her soaps, storylines and characters. However, this whole middle-class syndrome is a stagnating remnant of 18th century Victorian England where morals and virtues were associated with a class of people that weren't aristocracy or peasants. Those days are long gone in England, but we are still clinging to such generalised demarcations. And which middle class are we talking about - lower middle class or upper middle class???

Originally posted by: SholaJoBhadkey

So true LH! This whole Ms/Mr Sob Sob Goody Two Shoes image is Kekta Mayee's gift to the Indian society. Real life is more complex and layered than her soaps, storylines and characters. However, this whole middle-class syndrome is a stagnating remnant of 18th century Victorian England where morals and virtues were associated with a class of people that weren't aristocracy or peasants. Those days are long gone in England, but we are still clinging to such generalised demarcations. And which middle class are we talking about - lower middle class or upper middle class???

🤔 middle middle class😛😆

seriously, nice post LH and SJB😊

Originally posted by: Buffie

I'm not generalizing, neither am I advocating and endorsing any style/way of life...How does having the so called "middle class" values make one any superior a person and why do some people take such furious pride in being "middle class"😕

how do middle class values make one any superior? same as how having good looks, brains, money, talent, personality makes someone superior! perhaps more so. provided any of it ever counts.

all else equal, most guys want their women to be morally upright, faithful etc. Women pretty much want the same thing too. Middle-class values in short.

that's on one level. on another, there's perhaps the perception/ reality that middle class values helps one lead a more natural/ beautiful life. so there is intrinsic value to it all too. ultimately yes, we can always say that nothing matters because we'll all be gone. but meanwhile, given the premium put on these things by "market" forces, people like to show off those "values" possessions just the same as they would any other commodity that's in high demand and in short supply.😛😊

Originally posted by: Buffie

Thanks folks for the replies 😃 Yea, its nice to be back

No,I wasn't referring to the Kekta soaps,as a matter of fact I've never watched a K soap (except maybe for the odd three or four episodes of certain K soaps)...

I was referring to the celebrities priding themselves on being "middle class"...People say Ash is a "middle class girl with middle class values"...Recently, at some award function, the lovely Deepika Padukone too said something on the lines that she is a "simple middle class girl"...Now I don't understand what is "simple" about Deeps, she is a superstar and a celebrity and she should take pride about that...And if her recent outings with hi-profile men as Ranbir, Yuvraj Singh etc is any indication, she's having a laugh...Nothing wrong about that, but what I fail to grasp is the "middle class" tag she clings on to...Its almost as though the tag acts as a shield, sumthing to hide behind....

Ash is again one of the biggest celebrities of India, and arguably the most sought after and renown female face of India even internationally...She's loaded, hobnobs with the creme de la creme and certainly belongs to the upper echelons of the society post nuptials...
I think by clinging to middle class tag they are just saying that they are more like Madhuri or Kajol (who seemingly lead decent lives and haven't been romantically linked with many) then say like Rakhi Sawant or Mallika sherawat. This is because as you have said before their lifestyle is viewed thru "middle class prism" depicting high flying partying lifestyle which is not the impression they want to give out.

Not all affluent and influencial people cling to middle class tag to assert moral values they may or may not have but it appears that most celebrities or people in glamour business tend to do it as their flamboyant lifestyle and multiple romantic linkups and breakups are publicly scrutinized. Bipasha and Sush's names come to mind when one thinks of a modern celebrity who is comfortable with their glamour status and livein relatiosnships.

My question is, why do they claim to be "middle class" even when they so clearly have left the recesses of middle class society long since...Does being "middle class" offer the moral highground, does being middle class automatically connote that one has "values, respect" etc etc ...Does being middle class make these ppl any better than say someone who was a celebrity kid and was born with the proverbial silver spoon in the mouth?

Unfortunately you are so right in that assesment Buffie. It is a case of haves and have not and the middle class perception is that of losing something of value in exchange for moving up.Middle class has a chip on their shoulder about having exclusive rights on the moral high ground and one can sense a tiny bit of jealousy towards upwardly mobile and their achievements. Yet at the same time the celebrity types have to gladden the masses who keep them in business.

@ LT....True, modern Indian middle class is educated, pragmatic, techno-savvy...But uninhibited??..I don't think so..There is still alot of diffidence,alot of holding back...Most middle class girls are still fettered by the shackles of societal perception and certain amount of parental pressure...Admittedly, there is much more liberty in matters of attire and are increasingly left to their own devices by the family, but total freedom is still a dream that may perhaps be realized only in the distant future 😊

True. But compared to the middle class youth of 2 generations ago , a lot has changed as you say and the education, working environment and financial freedom they have makes them less answerable to family and society. Middle class girls have a say in who they marry, can go out with boys openly in a relationship etc. Also used to be showbiz was not considered a career choice for girls from decent families but now we see middle class parents effectively rushing to get their kids into modelling, acting, beauty pagents, talent reality shows etc.

Nice to hear from you again Buffie. 😃