Class Distinction

While wrapped up in Matador, Upstairs, Downstairs (both series) and Downton Abbey one becomes enthralled with the whole division of class.  Decades ago my mother made the observation that the middle class were the people that behaved with most decency because they were the ones with the most to lose.  The rich have money to whitewash their sins while the poor already have nothing so bad behavior doesn’t have many terrors for them.  But the middle class has struggled to get where they are and so they don’t want to lose it by behaving badly.  We are of course talking about past generations and about morality.

       In Matador we see things a little more blurred because the disparity of wealth is not as great as it was in England (at least not in this little town).  What is illustrated in the early episodes is how the serving classes behave towards those who are presumably wealthier than they and the common man.  Some are so exaggerated in their manners that one wants to throw up or strangle them; others are scheming, others are decent and caring.  Interestingly enough one can take a look in the workplace and see the same types of behavior though coloured differently.  There are those who barely see a secretary in the room but who gravitate immediately towards a manager.  Those are the visible signs, then there are the emails that are ignored unless one includes the boss’s name in the cc section.  How rapid the response becomes once that name is added and how pathetic that 100 years after the era of Upstairs, Downstairs, nothing has changed.

       In a social context how does one go about the art of mingling?  We are approaching the season of Christmas parties where people make attempts at conversing over the loud music that is provided with the idea of dancing although people tend to converge on the bar for most of the evening.  In this setting one can observe those who are true minglers, who visit everyone for a little chat and a nibble at the food and then there are those who converge on those they believe matter, have their chat and then leave the party.  They have been seen by those who matter, apparently.  These parties never appear to have the zing of the parties one sees in films.

       A truly Social event is one where like minded people can enjoy conversation and fun without distinction of who is better or more important than another.  Enjoying the company of friends while having a nice meal or just coffee, chatting about the events of the day, good books, a fun film, a political happening, or simply social chat, that's entertainment.  A simple concept but one that a gravitate towards.