The document discusses the British class system and how it is depicted on the reality TV show "Come Dine with Me". It first provides definitions and background on class systems and categories in Britain. It then analyzes interactions between characters from different classes on the show. Two unlikely friendships are noted, challenging stereotypes, as well as some initial wariness between a working class and upper class character. Behavioral differences are also observed, such as an upper class character making themselves seem smaller in contrast to a working class character who uses exaggerated gestures. The analysis suggests class still influences how people perceive and present themselves to those of other classes in social interactions.

1. Amelia Cranstoun
Media, identities & representations
Being British is something to celebrate. 'The term 'class' will be used when (i) a large
number of men have in common a specific causal factor influencing their chances in
life, insofar as (ii) this factor has to do only with the possession of economic goods
and the interests involved in earning a living, and furthermore (iii) in the conditions of
the market in commodities of labour. This we shall call 'class situation'.
It is hard to define someone by class. It is made up of status and wealth, opinions,
breeding and taste, and there's always the concept of class politics that you have to
take under consideration. Left wing politics tend to believe in the social and
economic equality of the working and upper working classes, whereas right wing
politics prefer the privatisations of the elite and typically believe in capitalism.
However both are classes as neoliberal. It's come to my opinion that today's class
system is so generalised compared to how it was just a few years ago. It used to be
that we simply had upper, middle and working class. Today's class system shows
there are now six different categories that you could fall into based on your
background, your job or your living circumstances.
A- Upper middle
b - Middle
c- Lower middle
c2 - skilled working
d - Working class
E - unemployed/benefits
According to the UK British class survey, the following statistics show the breakdown
of the current class positioning.
Elite- 6%
Established Middle class - 25%
technically Middle class - 6%
New affluent worker - 15%
Service worker - 19%
Traditional worker - 14%
Precariat - 15%
In Britain class is very much an obsession, just like the Monarchy and the weather.
What I am hoping to achieve in my assignment, is study the social interaction of the
British class system and use what I find to try and pin point why there is a stigma
around class. Why are we just so obsessed with it?

2. Amelia Cranstoun
Media, identities & representations
I expect to find it boils down to human instinct. That as simple as it is, we as a nation
function with a leader and to have those leaders we need the sheep, those who are
not leaders and are good at following the heard. Much like a food chain we wouldn't
be able to function without our own categorised labels in which we find comfort.
However, just as us English folk do we are able to find the humour behind our very
typical and stubborn ways. The internet is very good at entertaining us, whilst
dutifully procrastinating; an online news article from 'Buzzfeed' had an online survey
to test just how British I am. This only supported and glamorised the UK's addiction
to the status quo.
After Watching 'Come dine with me' (every students go to watch) I decided to use
the show as a form of social study. After considering and deliberating the concept of
the British class system I found it was a topic where I found I had a lot to think about.
What makes someone a different class to someone else? Why does class matter?
How does one class act when paired with another? It was when I struggling to come
up with an intelligent academic piece of writing that I started to realise the best place
to start wouldn’t be reading books on theory and fact that I didn’t really understand,
but to watch different people interact and react to each other. What better to use
than a reality TV show that shows the general public exploring they're competitive
side by being as English as possible and politely showing off there hosting skills.
The TV show groups together four people who have never met, and asks them each
to throw a dinner party. Throwing these people in social situations and forcing them
to interact with each other can sometimes have humorous, yet interesting results.
From watching the show it's very easy to decide who comes from an upper, middle
or working class background - Mostly from their speech and conversation topic, and
from their clothing and home environment. Upper class characters tend to be well
spoken and boast of their cultural experiences, taste in wine and travel endeavours.
As stereotypical as it may seem I found it was often the case. However I also found
that they were often the friendliest characters and often in competition for the
spotlight with the working class male. One episode for example showed retired
business man Oliver and Local builder Terry. Immediately the job descriptions
signify a certain position within the social circle. As the older and more experienced
character Oliver is looked up to in the group and is also the upper class character,
Terry is loud, working class and likes to be the group jester. These two characters
have a juxtaposing dynamic but surprisingly got along, shown by Terry calling Oliver
a 'Top Lad' (to which Oliver seemed rather confused as if he was foreign to such
working class dialect)
The unlikely friendship between these two characters challenges the stereotype of
the British class system being competitive and that a conflict in class means a
conflict in relations. It shows that it does not matter your background or bank
balance, you can still see someone as a person and not a category of society.

3. Amelia Cranstoun
Media, identities & representations
This differs to the relationship between PHD student John and Working class Terry,
who are initially very wary of each other. They are both aware upon introduction that
they are very dynamically opposite people and both privately share concern that
they're personalities will clash. If anything I think it is a positive that they are
cautious of this as it shows that even though they are of different class they do not
wish to dislike each other but only accept that they may share conflicting opinions.
However it supports the common stereotype that those of separate classes do not
integrate well.
The two relationships bring the concept of essentialism and social construction to
mind. With essentialism believing that we make our own identity it is the lighter of
two concepts, as social construction believes our identity is constructed through
society, i.e the British class system, marketing, and political interest. However, I
wonder is it with age that we grow such ignorance to others? As a student myself, I
witness if not experience the stigma of social class every day. Being a Sheffield
Hallam student and the arch nemesis of University of it is often the cases that even
on nights out the two do not mix. Being as open minded as I am I stand to challenge
the stereotype. Friends from Uni of Sheffield are also aware of this divide and the
typical routine of: ‘Hi, where you from?, Hallam?...Never mind’. My question is where
does this resonate from? Is it just good old rivalry or does it stem from a matter our
conscience isn’t aware of… had this stigma for redbrick universities and metropolitan
been passed down to us from family or simply from the fact we are told if we don’t
get the grades for the red brick university then we simply are not worthy and will
amount to nothing? So, can we really be blamed for our ignorance?
It would be nice to think we live in a utopian sate where image and status doesn’t
matter however my perception would be that the connotations of social construction
are much likelier the realistic option.
If there was anything I noticed quite obviously about the way two classes interact
with each other, is how the upper class used divergence and the lower class used
convergence in efforts to become equal with one another. For example in one
episode upper class PHD student John was very quiet, laughed at the appropriate
times and curved his spine to shrink his posture. This made me feel he felt out of
place and wanted to seem smaller and hide from socialising from the group. In
contradiction to this working-class character Ita used large hand gestures, laughed
too loudly and had very excited facial expressions throughout most conversations.
This suggested that she felt she needed to be a larger character and compete for
attentions, inferring she felt overshadowed or threatened by the upper class guests
at the table.
Our class may not define who we are but it has a large role in the way we think about
ourselves and others. This study simply shows that we are mentally aware and
active when associating ourselves with another class, projecting or introducing
ourselves to a person or business; it’s even evident when we walk down the street.

4. Amelia Cranstoun
Media, identities & representations
Every common high street is the waterhole of social class. With a mixture of all
stereotypes from business men, builders, house mums, underprivileged, public
school and private school children it is easy to pick them apart.