O/T: Does liking something that posh people like automatically make you posh?

[MissGull]

A behaviour that can be (is?) learned or one that is present from birth? Any examples?

Learned certainly, and born into as long as one upholds the behaviour. People confuse rich and posh. Not the same, in my opinion. There used to be a link between 'posh' and 'proper'. So in society if you behaved 'properly' with exemplary manners, observing social etiquettes, being cultured and worldly with access to a good education and indulging in a certain lifestyle went hand in hand. However in this society new money has helped people climb the class system without any of the behaviours and thus Katie Price lives in a mansion and drives a land rover and owns horses, but is not conventionally 'posh'.

 

[tinycowboy]

Learned certainly, and born into as long as one upholds the behaviour. People confuse rich and posh. Not the same, in my opinion. There used to be a link between 'posh' and 'proper'. So in society if you behaved 'properly' with exemplary manners, observing social etiquettes, being cultured and worldly with access to a good education and indulging in a certain lifestyle went hand in hand. However in this society new money has helped people climb the class system without any of the behaviours and thus Katie Price lives in a mansion and drives a land rover and owns horses, but is not conventionally 'posh'.

I don't think she has fully climbed the class system, but, if her children are in a private school and are learning to behave and talk in a certain way, it may well be that they and not her are the beneficiaries of their mother's "climbing" - my grandparents were servants on one side and a mechanic on the other, firmly "working class". My dad was a journalist, starting as tea boy on The Argus, and I was essentially born into a "middle class" existence - my parents have feet in both camps, as it were.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

I like the George Orwell theory that your traditions, values and beliefs define your class/status. For what it is worth I have been the opera 3 times and no one would consider me posh; in fact I consider myself working class and am quite comfortable with this.

I know you'd love to be working class but I'm afraid you're not. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[lawros left foot]

If posh is about birthright, rather than attainment, can you become "classy", and what is the difference?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

What exactly qualified "Posh Spice" as being "Posh"??

According to the Spice Girls Encyclopedia, she was called Posh because...

...of her refined attitude, form-fitting designer outfits, such as little black dresses, and her love of high-heeled footwear.

So you know what you need to do, to be accepted in high society, Norman.

 

[Norman Potting]

According to the Spice Girls Encyclopedia, she was called Posh because...



So you know what you need to do, to be accepted in high society, Norman.

..You have a Spice Girls Encyclopaedia - how many volumes does it have?

 

[Goldstone1976]

you have a spice girls encyclopaedia?

boom!

 

[lighthouse]

What exactly qualified "Posh Spice" as being "Posh"??

irony?

 

[el punal]

POSH is such an outdated term - unless you support Peterborough United. In years gone by it was used by less well off people to describe other, more affluent folk, or their speech, or way of life etc.

In this day and age anyone and everyone can enjoy the finer things in life - it just costs more.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Anthony Wedgewood Benn is posh. Alan Sugar is a rich oik.

Hereditory peers are posh. Life peers are just nouveau.

 

[glasfryn]

my ex-mother in law thought she was posh firstly by buying their council house then when that was "oh so yesterday" they sold up and moved to the posh part of Hove.
I always actually though she was just a little bit posh until we found out she was sleeping with her husbands best friend.
and when I won care and control of my children her language was that of a common slapper, which after thinking about it for a while was exactly what she was

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Interesting. So, a self made person, with a yacht, a box at the opera and Twickenham, 5 houses, and who regularly eats at Michelin-starred restaurants and has centre court tickets at Wimbledon isn't posh? He's just a nouveau-riche fool?

I saw this earlier post and wondered where Tony Bloom would fit into the OP's thinking? He seems to be a self made man who can afford to have international poker as a hobby and stump up £150m on a football Club as his plaything, so presumably could easily afford all of the things suggested above. Tony is Albion 'royalty' but I'm not sure I'd consider him posh or even ostentatious. He certainly doesn't seem to have any airs or graces. Maybe he is a bit of a diva behind the scenes but I suspect not. I wouldn't begrudge him a knighthood and can't see that changing his character either.

I think part of this issue is the politics of envy - but I actually admire self made people who have worked hard but don't flaunt their money. It is the chinless wonders who do not add anything tangible to society and their ignorant / arrogant behaviour that give being 'posh' a bad name.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I saw this earlier post and wondered where Tony Bloom would fit into the OP's thinking? He seems to be a self made man who can afford to have international poker as a hobby and stump up £150m on a football Club as his plaything, so presumably could easily afford all of the things suggested above. Tony is Albion 'royalty' but I'm not sure I'd consider him posh or even ostentatious. He certainly doesn't seem to have any airs or graces. Maybe he is a bit of a diva behind the scenes but I suspect not. I wouldn't begrudge him a knighthood and can't see that changing his character either.

I think part of this issue is the politics of envy - but I actually admire self made people who have worked hard but don't flaunt their money. It is the chinless wonders who do not add anything tangible to society and their ignorant / arrogant behaviour that give being 'posh' a bad name.

Interesting question! When I set the thread up it was just random musings; I wondered what NSC would make of it. There's been some really interesting debate.

Tony Bloom? Well, I don't know the man at all, so anything that follows is an uneducated guess. He certainly has the money that some people (but not all) think is necessary to qualify as posh. Many folks have said poshness is predominantly down to accent - on that score, TB is disqualified. Others say that it's a factor of which class you are born into (I have no knowledge of TB's family background) or which class you develop into yourself. If poshness is class-based, some have argued that you need to be aristocratic to be posh - TB would again be disqualified. I don't believe that he has spent so much money on the Albion as a plaything; I choose to believe, on pretty good, albeit circumstantial, evidence that it's a labour of love - for the club and for the city. No doubt, he gets a big kick from his ownership too, but getting a kick and doing something for love are not mutually exclusive, in my book. So, in summary, I'd hazard a guess that TB is not in the least bit posh. Rich? For sure. Posh? Nope.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Interesting question! When I set the thread up it was just random musings; I wondered what NSC would make of it. There's been some really interesting debate.

Tony Bloom? Well, I don't know the man at all, so anything that follows is an uneducated guess. He certainly has the money that some people (but not all) think is necessary to qualify as posh. Many folks have said poshness is predominantly down to accent - on that score, TB is disqualified. Others say that it's a factor of which class you are born into (I have no knowledge of TB's family background) or which class you develop into yourself. If poshness is class-based, some have argued that you need to be aristocratic to be posh - TB would again be disqualified. I don't believe that he has spent so much money on the Albion as a plaything; I choose to believe, on pretty good, albeit circumstantial, evidence that it's a labour of love - for the club and for the city. No doubt, he gets a big kick from his ownership too, but getting a kick and doing something for love are not mutually exclusive, in my book. So, in summary, I'd hazard a guess that TB is not in the least bit posh. Rich? For sure. Posh? Nope.

That's my take on Tony Bloom too. A very successful but well grounded businessman with the Albion properly in his heart and not just part of his 'investment portfolio'.

So I was being a bit tongue in cheek when I suggested the Albion is his 'plaything'. There is nothing to suggest it is a passing whim, quite the opposite. I liked it that when Alan Mullery was recently announced as a Club Ambassador he was welcomed by Tony as having had a special relationship with Tony's grandfather Harry. The Bloom family are in this for the long haul. The less well informed observers across football who perceive that Tony will walk away when he gets bored should take note.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'm certain a LOT of people would consider you posh. Like I said above, I've seen people called posh for READING A BOOK.

I'm 45 and I have been to the opera 3 times during this time. Once was in Prague as I was simply interested in going to see what it's like and also interested in seeing the inside of the building; I did not have a clue what was going on. The other two were the Damon Albarn operas. Hardly posh.

 

[upthealbion1970]

Bizarrely I've been in my mates pub in dereham in Norfolk for the weekend and had a long conversation with one of the locals who says shes got a posh friend. I discussed with her at some length that in my experience there different levels of posh, and that her friend was more well off than posh in comparison to The Lord & Lady my mother in law looks after in Lewes who are on 1st name terms with the current and in fact most prime ministers since ww2, along with all of the royal family.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I know you'd love to be working class but I'm afraid you're not. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

The class theory which makes the most sense to me is discussed in The Road To Wigan Pier and specified in my previous post. My background, beliefs, values and traditions are all from a working class angle and these in Orwell's opinion and mine define me.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I'm 45 and I have been to the opera 3 times during this time. Once was in Prague as I was simply interested in going and also interested in seeing the inside of the building; I did not have a clue what was going on. The other two were the Damon Albarn operas.

I'm 47 and have never been to an opera. Having said that I once sat through Carmen on Sky Arts 2 on a dull Sunday afternoon and absolutely loved it. The inverted snob piece is probably holding me back here, because I swore as a youth, that no matter what else I did in my life, I was never ever going to wear a dinner jacket. There is probably a way around this, so maybe one day.

As others have said being posh is a perception and you shouldn't necessarily be offended that others consider you posh. Take craft beer, you are happy to pay a premium, for what you perceive to be a premium product and are happy to let others know that they are satisfied by drinking inferior alcohol. Maybe at this point I am straying closer to that other label "The Snob". Would you consider yourself a beer snob and more importantly would you take offence at others perceiving you as a beer snob ?

 

[Mowgli37]

I get accused of having a posh voice, I've never thought of it as that different to anyone else in my area

 

[Emily's Mum]

When I lived in Barnsley I was accused of being posh every time I opened my mouth. 99% of people thought my attitude and lifestyle was the same as my accent. I was accused of being the reason for the local men being out of work: being posh = voting Tory = pits being closed. Fortunately my ex-husband and his parents decided to get to know, and love, the real me.

Now I live in a relatively 'posh' part of the country I don't get sneered at for my accent, but my God, other Waitrose shoppers look down their nose at me when I push my trolley round whilst wearing velour jogging bottoms!