Friends outside your social class?

[>:^|]

Do you have good friends that you consider to be in a different social class? I have a couple of mega-rich friends. It's a little disconcerting to go to their parties, because the majority of their friends are also very rich. So I usually have the only shitbox parked in the driveway.

I also have a couple of friends who are significantly poorer than I am, but that doesn't seem to matter much. Probably because we came up together and our family lives were similar?

So how do your friends stack up, class-wise?

[TB4000]

Most of my associates are pretty much either middle class or lower. I know a few people that are somewhat on the wealthy side, and we talk on occasion, but they're not like "I can come to you if I have a flat tire and I know for certain you'll be down to come and get me" type of friends.

[Seamus]

Most of my friends are middle class or upper middle class, but two of my best friends come from working class families.

[Hiroshi2]

I knew this one white kid who wasn't neccessarily rich himself, but his best friends were pretty rich. Like they lived on big mansions on the mountain and drove Ferraris and Mercedes 500SL's, etc. And I went to one of their parties and I felt a bit out of place. One of my mom's japanese friends is so rich she has two houses - her regular house which is like fucking huge, and then their "weekend home" (i.e. ranch) a little bit further down the road, with a lake and a bunch of acres of land, etc. I didn't feel like I fit in, because of racial, cultural, and class lines.

[SunWuKong]

does pip count as my friend?

[Chester]

Do you have good friends that you consider to be in a different social class?It doesn't seem like too much of an issue as nobody is ridiculously extravagant in their spending habits, so nothing more than a moderate income is necessary to participate in group stuff...especially if one picks and chooses which things to participate in.

Most importantly my circle is pretty close-knit and everyone is sensitive to each other. Nobody rubs material acquisitions in the faces of another. We take care of each other with the understanding that this doesn't entail an opening for blatant freeloading...and nobody would be like that, anyway.

[mr. x]

does pip count as my friend?

pipsy? wouldnt she be like a different sexual class?

[moJo]

most of my friends are middle or working class (like my fam). i have probably two friends whose families are upper-middle class, though they may arguably be upper-class (new money that the parents made themselves). i'm not quite sure where the line is drawn btwn upper-middle and upper, so, yeah, i'm just guessing here...

[hooligan]

ah, most of them arefrom ucla. middle to upper-middle. sometimes it feels a bit too rich for my blood. (i come from a blue-collar working class family)

[BigLew]

I'm dirt poor and unemployed and so are most of my friends.

[Faithless]

I forget what friends are, since I've pissed them all off.

I have allies, instead -- from all classes.

[thaite]

My friends have no class.

[Emperor_Mike]

Sadly, I have none. All my friends are upper-middle to upper class. I need to diversify.

I also don't like using the term "upper class." Money doesn't buy class. The person who came up with this should be shot.

[Faithless]

Sadly, I have none. All my friends are upper-middle to upper class. I need to diversify.
Shhhnob! :biggrin:

I also don't like using the term "upper class." Money doesn't buy class. The person who came up with this should be shot.
Here, here! Karma!

[Chester]

Here, here! Karma!Good show, old chum!

[Emperor_Mike]

Good show, old chum!

Okay, contrary to popular belief (as packaged and delivered by television) English people don't speak like that.

Anymore.

Which is disappointing.

[Mr.Lum]

yes.

[Chester]

Which is disappointing.'Tis frightfully dreadful, isn't it, old bean?

[Faithless]

Okay, contrary to popular belief (as packaged and delivered by television) English people don't speak like that.

Anymore.

Which is disappointing.
But they do like to say "bloody" this and "bloody" that.

[Emperor_Mike]

'Tis frightfully dreadful, isn't it, old bean?

Yes, rather. Bloody disappointment, what?

But they do like to say "bloody" this and "bloody" that.

The English are a bloodthirsty lot.

[amietron]

most are within or around my social class. i don't have a very diverse lot of friends.

[Emperor_Mike]

Actually, Chotto is correctly in a way. It *does* seem terribly snobbish not to have friends from the...er...less affluent rungs of society. There might be a reason for this perhaps. I've noticed from having spent time with my friends that the well-heeled have a tendency to be incredibly insensitive as far as taking into consideration the cash resources of others is concerned. If all of your friends are stuffed to the gills with trust fund moolah it's probably only natural that you'd expect no financial restraints when social events are being organised. Birthday dinners and weekend brunches that run from $150-$200 a person is *not* something everyone can afford to partake in. Nor can you expect everyone in your social circle to shell out $1000-$2000 every year for a Christmas gift exchange.

Of course, getting people to change isn't easy. God knows I've tried to get the people I know to "go for a coffee at Starbucks" or "watch a film at so-and-so's house or my house" rather than eat out at some stupidly expensive restaurant and drink until everyone's in a coma. I suppose getting a diverse group of people together from all social classes can only be done if everyone is willing to do something that's not going to cost a month's salary in one night.

[amietron]

Actually, Chotto is correctly in a way. It *does* seem terribly snobbish not to have friends from the...er...less affluent rungs of society. There might be a reason for this perhaps. I've noticed from having spent time with my friends that the well-heeled have a tendency to be incredibly insensitive as far as taking into consideration the cash resources of others is concerned. If all of your friends are stuffed to the gills with trust fund moolah it's probably only natural that you'd expect no financial restraints when social events are being organised. Birthday dinners and weekend brunches that run from $150-$200 a person is *not* something everyone can afford to partake in. Nor can you expect everyone in your social circle to shell out $1000-$2000 every year for a Christmas gift exchange.

Of course, getting people to change isn't easy. God knows I've tried to get the people I know to "go for a coffee at Starbucks" or "watch a film at so-and-so's house or my house" rather than eat out at some stupidly expensive restaurant and drink until everyone's in a coma. I suppose getting a diverse group of people together from all social classes can only be done if everyone is willing to do something that's not going to cost a month's salary in one night.
or, simply put, you're comfortable around people who are "like you." plus, it's convenient.

[Emperor_Mike]

or, simply put, you're comfortable around people who are "like you." plus, it's convenient.

I suppose that's another valid reason. Still, I think it's pretty unfair. Sadly, I'm one of two people in my group who thinks this way.

[amietron]

I suppose that's another valid reason. Still, I think it's pretty unfair. Sadly, I'm one of two people in my group who thinks this way.
yeah. invisible boundary lines according to social status, ethnicity, etc.

some would argue that this is the way things should be.

[>:^|]

or, simply put, you're comfortable around people who are "like you." plus, it's convenient.

Well, how much does wealth mean commonality?

I don't mean to give the impression that my rich friends are a bunch of thoughtless boors. Although I did get invited to a weekend party in the south of France. And usually when we socialize, it's at each other's houses. We rarely eat out together. When we were talking about it once, I really had the feeling one of my friends was trying to downplay where they went.

But although my friends are not snobs, their friends sometimes are.
:tongue:

[applehead]

i do have a couple of friends who have very rich
parents but rich themselves no.
so it doesn't really have any effect on the things
we do or activities we choose to participate in.