Posted by Joe Windsor on September 05, 2006 at 17:47:05 from 84.12.25.230 user Joe.
In Reply to: Re: Class (was Emma Holt (Was Matrix)) posted by Pam Adams on September 05, 2006 at 16:46:41:
I can't believe that in this day and age people are still banging on about the word class.
Humankind is tribal. Tribes form around a set of criteria. This could be geographical, cultural, religious - whatever. So members of a tribe cleave to other members of their tribe and may view with discomfort, suspicion or hatred members of a different tribe. But in many cases different tribes are relaxed and comfortable with each other.
And, yes, (referring to another post)when I was a boy in a small Hertfordshire Village I was called - face to face - 'Master Joe'. That was simply a term of address. I respected enormously the poeple who called me that because they had skills I lacked and I had huge respect for them. That was a win/win relationship.
Communism was class warfare. Many people were murdered for that. But oddly enough Communism was Fascist. It also had a FIERCE tribal / class system. If you were 'in' - you had special circumstances of money, shops, status, housing, car - w.h.y. Not 'in'? Ground under foot by the 'system'. Over here, Unions proclaimed their wish to defend the 'working class'. Many of whom they bullied and abused. So much good was done - and also much harm in the name of 'class'. I HATE that word.
Oddly enough like anything to do with people the story is not true everywhere. the Tribe with land and money cared deeply for those others who worked there and they provided housing, pensions, care - whatever. The professional tribe of lawyers, accountants, academics - also cared about the people who helped them in the ways that they could.
As I myself know, there are manifold examples of one tribe being close and friendly with another - and everyone was a winner.
Let us not tar (oh-a BAD WORD) everyone with a bitter and negative brush. It's simply not true in past times and still not true today.
No more class warfare, please. Think mutual respect. Think intuitive understanding. And, yes, our local policeman called me Master Joe - but I called him Sir. Joe