Powered by glolg
Display Preferences Most Recent Entries Chatterbox Blog Links Site Statistics Category Tags About Me, Myself and Gilbert XML RSS Feed
Monday, Mar 28, 2011 - 23:09 SGT
Posted By: Gilbert

An End To Class


X

There is one last chapter in Fussell's Class, and there, in nine pages, he details "The X Way Out".


Yes, really (Source: oldmanmusings.com)


Fussell suggests that it is possible to transcend the class system entirely, through assiduous cultivation of one's free-spiritedness and creativeness (though, Fussell says, they abjure the term). Indeed, freedom from supervision, more than any intellectual virtue, is the hallmark of the Xs. [N.B. While not explicitly stated, mutant powers should suffice too]

These X-people are said to dress slightly down for any occasion (through no express effort, of course, it's natural for them), not care too much about what others think, are fitness enthusiasts (again, for the pure fun of it), and generally put a slightly distinctive touch on their behaviour and possessions - being multilingual, having uncommon pets, walking in the rain, adopting novel fashions, etc.

Basically, the X-class (which naturally includes the author, who makes conspiratorial use of "we" in the opening paragraph) are the cool kids. You know, those not actually different enough to be odd, but just edgy enough to be more charming than the undifferentiated mass of plebs, you know, them.

From the description given, they are also suspiciously similar to upper-class-but-without-the-money-but-that-isn't-important-anyway-and-we're-smarter-than-them-and-far-cooler-lala.

If an online quiz were created to determine the class of a person, the X-class would likely be the one to which many would be assigned due to overly-optimistic answers, or industrious retaking, so that the X-branding can take pride of place on their social network profile or forum signatures.


Geez, I mean, how uncool is that guy? (Source: flickr.com)


The X-class is more than bohemian - they are the style of the upper class without the decadence, the smarts of the upper-middles without the routine, the drive of the middles without the insecurity, and the consideration and openess of the proles without the uncouthness; in short, better.

Okay...


Y

"A wealthy man is one who earns $100 a year more
than his wife's sister's husband."
- H. L. Mencken


After this drawn-out roundabout, the original issue still stands: why is class both denied and aspired to, and why does it exist?

Clearly, class markers are not set in stone, but nevertheless make a good gauge in practice. Money is a factor, but tastes and upbringing are also indispensable, as one defender of Holland Village's rarefied culture evidently believes.

Is it because being upper(-middle) class is good? Certainly, if being rich is good, as commonly accepted, even among those of the rich who are also religious (doubtless they have in their possession some dwarf camels, and exceedingly large needles). Even those not beholden to money for its own sake, can well appreciate the freedom that it brings.

The upper-class do sometimes practice noblesse oblige, although as noted by one wit, nobles have historically relied more on force of arms than on any ideological aspiration (not counting "I'm stronger than you and deserve to rule") or offering of equitable deals, to keep their serfs in line.

Also, Fussell agrees that proles are more anxious to be liked (rather than respected or feared), and a study has suggested that they are more empathic [Quick aside: Can you spot fake smiles or real criminals?]; certainly, from my (admittedly very few) experiences with social work, the very poorest are often the most generous of the lot (which may have a lot to do with them being poor, come to think of it)

Quite a bit of it may stem from the entirely natural instinct to keep up with the Joneses (and overtake them). If we dig down to the evo-psych/common sense level, the (circular) reasoning would be that those of higher status (class) would be able to attract better mates, and beget more and better offspring.

One way out is rejection; as Epicurus said, "If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires", an attitude shared by many religious/spiritual traditions (when they are not busy whacking each other). It is a rare person who is able to take leave of his wants completely, though.

Unfortunately, this problem does not seem to be soluble. An upper class presupposes lower ones. The best direct assault that can be hoped for is perhaps for technology to improve to the point where everyone is materially provided for - except that the means have actually been in place for some time. Cue Gandhi's "enough for everyone's need, but not everyone's greed". Somehow, it never quite works out.

This makes sense if we think in terms of equilibriums. It might, for example, be hoped that everybody were generous and trusting; a single bastard could, however, severely damage the system (and also spawn more bastards). Therefore, societies are somewhat less trusting, to the point where the benefits from trust outweigh the losses from being fleeced, and there we have our world.

It's strangely therapeutic to simply sit down and consider all these thought experiments as to why things are as they are. Not that it always helps - the world's greatest expert on digestive systems must still feel hunger, after all.


Z

Looking forward to sleeping around midnight, after working into the wee hours the past few days.

It was nice to catch up with some old friends recently, courtesy of the SAF. Most of them haven't changed much. Amazingly, returning to the army once in a while isn't all that bad.

I also came to the realisation that I had always liked the abstract idea of people. Connecting on a deep personal level is, however, another thing altogether...

Come one more song ah:




comments (0) - email - share - print - direct link
trackbacks (0) - trackback url


Next: Sometimes A Banana


Related Posts:
In Another Class (Part One)
In Another Class (Part Two)
The Stars Are Right
GRE
On My Back
Back to top

Copyright © 2006-2025 GLYS. All Rights Reserved.