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June 19, 2015 3:48 am  #1


Regarding one’s background

In some of the articles from the U.K. press that I’ve read, Cumberbatch has been criticized or ridiculed for having a “privileged” background. However, he doesn’t deserve any of it. In interviews, he seems like he’s a pretty nice guy and who has been very appreciative of both his fans and his cast and crew. He has contributed various causes as well which shows that his heart is in the right place.

I think dismissing someone for being “posh” is just as bad as trashing someone for being “working class.” We didn’t choose the lives that we were born into. The lesson is that you have to judge a person by their character and not where they came from. I do agree that in these times that economic inequality is becoming a major, growing problem and I sympathized with the arguments made from the whole “Occupy” thing awhile back. That said, I don’t believe that all rich and successful people are villains. Some of them aren’t snobs and can be on our side. However, if they use their money and influence to hurt the most vulnerable in society that is where I must draw the line and take issue.

Last edited by BrettHolmes (June 19, 2015 3:28 pm)

 

June 19, 2015 4:10 am  #2


Re: Regarding one’s background

BrettHolmes wrote:

That said, I don’t believe that all rich and successful people are villains. Some of them aren’t snobs and can be on our side.

As someone coming from a working class background, I love how you put that.

But seriously, you are right of course. But I must admit that I was raised with a certain ... distrust for rich people (to put it mildly). Otherwise, I was raised with very liberal ideas. My parents wouldn't have minded it if I had turned lesbian but coming home with a rich guy would have made them sad.

That influenced me a lot. For example, my parents always made snide remarks about a Mercedes Benz whenever one crossed our way. So later in live, when we had an A-class for a while, I never felt comfortable in it. In the end, we sold it to buy a VW.

I needed quite some time to get over that attitude.


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June 19, 2015 8:25 am  #3


Re: Regarding one’s background

In Noway we call that "Opposite snob". It's no better looking down on those with money than it is being a posh snob. It often has to do with envy or it works like a coping mechanism, in my experience. If you can't afford what the priviliged have, the better defense is to dismiss it as something negative.


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June 19, 2015 8:56 am  #4


Re: Regarding one’s background

My mother came from a working class family where she was the only one of her three brothers and two sisters to go to University. We jokingly call them "the poor side of the family". She's gone on to earn quite a bit of money and now they'd probably be considered as middle class. They own a decent detached house in the country and two properties abroad. Because of that, I was then born as automatically middle class. I also went to a "posh" school, ie. My parents paid for it (private school).

Having said all that, I don't consider myself particularly "posh". Sometimes I act like it just because it's fun, and pretend to be a snob and a toff with my friends just for a laugh, but in reality I'm just a normal Labour voter. xD


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June 19, 2015 10:25 am  #5


Re: Regarding one’s background

It's interesting for sure. I had to laugh about your example, Schmiezi, because I know it so well. I'd also go for a VW and not for a Mercedes or BMW or Audi. But that would not be because I'm a "opposite snob", as Vhanja puts it, but because experience tells me that the people who follow you too closely on the fast lane on the motorway (I had to check for a word - I found tailgaiting?) are 8 times out of 10 in a Audi or BMW. I don't envy them their cars, it's the behaviour that makes me wary. It's not masking envy, but a healthy distrust when I meet someone driving a BMW and I think "are you one of those who thinks rules are for other people?" "why don't you try overtaking in a slow car with a speed limit and learn what it feels like?". I dislike ignorance, not the money.

I don't think it matters which backgrounds we are from. I think it matters how we behave towards others and make our way in the world. I think Benedict is doing a good job of it, so I don't see the need to critizise him. The only thing I would expect rich people to do is to be aware of their privileges, and not to take things for granted all the time.
 

Last edited by Whisky (June 19, 2015 10:29 am)


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June 19, 2015 11:12 am  #6


Re: Regarding one’s background

In the UK it is called 'inverted snobbery'. Children cannot help whatever background they are born into- time travel is not possible so later, as adults, what are they supposed to do? BMW and Audi drivers are often a law into themselves and this has nothing to do with any privilege they may or may not have monetarily (often- and yes I am stereotyping- they are overly-aggressive male drivers of a certain age-bracket and income bracket); the very privileged tend to have different makes of cars than these. At its most extreme though inverted snobbery also leads to things like damage and destruction of items owned by the wealthier- a classic example would be someone 'keying' a car right down the side from front-to-back in a car park.

Back to Benedict however it does seem that certain sections of the press have a problem with him. Maybe it just comes down to his unusual name which makes him an easy target, since other actors with equally 'privileged' backgrounds do not seem to attract the negativity (examples would be: Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne, Damian Lewis, Laurence Fox, Helena Bonham Carter).

There are many perfectly nice, kind and compassionate rich people, likewise some people of middle income and who are poor are really nasty pieces of work. What matters is what people do. I try not to prejudge anyone solely on their perceived income level or any privilege, or underprivilege, they may have been born into ( at least I would hope I would not do so).


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June 19, 2015 11:24 am  #7


Re: Regarding one’s background

I remember when I was doing research on Kenneth Branagh years ago. He is working-class, Belfast-born and went on to establish his own film and theatre company at quite a young age. He won Prince Charles as a patron. And he was severely criticised for doing so and thereby sort of betraying his own working-class background. 


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June 19, 2015 11:47 am  #8


Re: Regarding one’s background

I come from a working class background. But because of the oil industry, me and my brother got well-paid jobs. My brother worked his way up from "nobody" to Country Manager, earning about 1,5 milliion NOK a year (aprx 150 000 GBP). 

In Norway, if you spend a bit of money on a cabin or a sailboat, everybody smiles and congratulates you. But he, having always been interested in speed and racing, bought R1 motorcycles and porsches. And of course people started talking. "Who does he think he is?"

It seems it's ok to have money as long as you spend it on the "right things", and it's the working class who decided what you are "allowed" to buy. I've experienced similar to a minor degree myself, and I severly dislike it. 


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June 19, 2015 12:49 pm  #9


Re: Regarding one’s background

Laurie Anderson said this about US politics but it seems to apply to the attitude of posh as well:

"It’s on the level of high school — junior high school — mentality of the beautiful girl who goes “People hate me because I’m beautiful.” No, people hate you because you’re a jerk; you’ve done some really stupid, selfish things. That’s why they hate you, not because you’re beautiful."

Last edited by Harriet (June 19, 2015 12:50 pm)


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June 19, 2015 1:37 pm  #10


Re: Regarding one’s background

That's fantastic Harriet!

In America my problem is with rich conservatives who seem to have the attitude that if you're not rich it's because you're lazy.  That people who find themselves in need of some assistance are "takers."  I could get on my soapbox and rant for hours about the state of classism in America and it's affect on the plitical climate.......but I really like you guys so I'll spare you. 


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June 19, 2015 2:11 pm  #11


Re: Regarding one’s background

Thank you, Laurie Anderson.


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