Pretentiousness in UCD

Riamfada

Havnt seen a post on this before and before anyone starts Im not moaning or being hypocritical but... has anyone noticed that the cometition between students in terms of "im more diverse and intelligent and wealthy yet not that wealthy but never working class" among a large number of students around the campus? Im seeing this alot in terms of

1)Intelligence : People believing they are more intelligent than other people because they have a more diverse vocab
2)Money : People who come from obvious wealthy families rubbing it in other peoples faces
3)Bohemian Lifestyle: People who think their taste in music or lifestyle choices elevate them above other people
3)Wealth induced poverty : My personal favourite, people from families with more money then sense pretending that they are broke, never enough money for a coffee but a pox on your if you dare call them working class.(how was your backpacking trip across Asia paid for when you never worked a day in your life pov?)

Im not accusing anyone Im just asking has anyone else noticed this behaviour in UCD?

Another class of people . The Poverty Princess to add to the Umpa Loompas, Hacks ect ect

Boston

Sounds like you hang around with a bunch of tools. Why is that then?

Riamfada

LiouVille wrote:

Sounds like you hang around with a bunch of tools. Why is that then?

I never said i hang around with anyone like that and I was just wondering what otherpeople thought . I didnt post this looking for a mudslinging fight.

HappyCrackHead

obv ucd is full of people like that... i'd say i know a few and even from just the occasional eavesdropping on other people i'd determine that there are lots of people out there like that...

it does get fraking annoying

Boston

Grimes wrote:

I never said i hang around with anyone like that and I was just wondering what otherpeople thought

So what evidence do you have to back up these claims, or is this one of those "everybody agrees with this" facts? Are they, friends,family,people in your year? How many degree of separation is there, and how would you class youself, into the groups of people you jsut mentioned.

I didnt post this looking for a mudslinging fight.

Sure you did.

altermately, if these people aren't a part of your life, why care what bull**** they fill theirs with.

Riamfada

Im in UCD i see it. I was just asking if anyone else sees it. I dont see why it is any of your concern how I relate to it. And how I class myself is again none of your business just like I wouldn;t ask you the same questions you asked me there.

singingstranger

I see it... tbh I worry that I slip into the same realms quite a lot. People reckon that because (honestly, this isn't me being a prime example of what Grimes is on about) I have a (admittedly personally annoying) habit using longer words where shorter ones would work equally well, that I'm just one of those types. It's something I had before I came to UCD but because of the environment I'm in all of a sudden it's something I'm made very self-conscious of, because if I 'put on' the vocabulary I use instead of genuinely thinking in it, I would be one of them.

Boston

Grimes wrote:

Im in UCD i see it. I was just asking if anyone else sees it. I dont see why it is any of your concern how I relate to it. And how I class myself is again none of your business just like I wouldn;t ask you the same questions you asked me there.

You're making claims about people in UCD, I think what you're basing them on is relavent. Are you making gross generalisations, are can you be specific. How many people in each group do you personally know. This information gives weight to your claims, the lack of it casts doubt of them.

As for asking me, I wouldn't be so non-specific, and I'd at least have examples to back me up.

Mr.Nice Guy

Must have touched a nerve there with LiouVille, Grimey.

Riamfada

Im not going into detail or naming people as not to offend anyone who posts here if there are any who fit the bill, im not saying there are. Thats all .


MNG :

elmyra

Nah I'd say it's there and have noticed it a bit. There is also the case where, as Singingstranger has pointed out, you get grouped with those types just because you have one trait in common or appear vaguely similar on the surface which is a bit crap! A couple of my friends have been a bit cool with me this year cos I got more involved in debate type stuff for example. That's just my own personal experience though!

Boston

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Must have touched a nerve there with LiouVille, Grimey.

Yea, must have, cause I clearly fit the bill.

TheVan

Eh well I don't think its exclusive to UCD?....i think its just society as a whole!

Its just a diverse range of people in UCD, so you get jerks along with the 99% of UCD who are up front, honest and true to their circumstances/

pretty*monster

Grimes wrote:

1)Intelligence : People believing they are more intelligent than other people because they have a more diverse vocab

I have a wide vocabulary, I don't make any apologies for it. I don't think it makes me more intelligent than other people, but I'm not going to pick a shorter word when a longer word expresses what I mean better, because I don't anaylse what I say that much.

It annoys me when people assosiacte a diverse vocabulary with pretentiousness.

Grimes wrote:

2)Money : People who come from obvious wealthy families rubbing it in other peoples faces

Don't know any people like this, I'm sure they exist, but I don't have to deal with them.

Grimes wrote:

3)Bohemian Lifestyle: People who think their taste in music or lifestyle choices elevate them above other people

Emm... to a certain extent everyone thinks their life style is the best one. I have boho friends, indie friends, metalhead friends, electro friends, preppy friends, and (shamfully) a hand ful of emo friends.
Diversity is fun!

Grimes wrote:

3)Wealth induced poverty : My personal favourite, people from families with more money then sense pretending that they are broke, never enough money for a coffee but a pox on your if you dare call them working class.(how was your backpacking trip across Asia paid for when you never worked a day in your life pov?)

Hmmm... my parents are comfortably middle class and I'm never short of essentials, doesn't mean that I don't have to work, and yes, sometimes I can't afford a coffee. Y'know, most students inhabit a curiouse twilight zone where their parents money is still sort of there for the taking, but also, sort of not. It's really not worth getting in a fuss over. Every family doles out (or doesn't dole out) the cash their own way.

Stabshauptmann

LiouVille wrote:

Yea, must have, cause I clearly fit the bill.

are you in a bad mood today, because you're clearly picking a fight for no reason. You implied Grimmes was a tool in your first reply and your tone has been nothing short of aggressive. Take a step back and have a St. Paddys day drink.

Yeah Grimes I do notice people like that. I hang round with a few people from different courses and colleges and some places are worse than others for some of the traits you mention.

1)Intelligence : People believing they are more intelligent than other people because they have a more diverse vocab
Well perspicuity is a good indication of intelligence, and to be precise and concise one often must use polysyllabic words, but I always think it funny when writers (I shant be calling them journalists) for the observer use meandering protracted sentences just to show off their extensive vocabulary. Thats the very antonym of sagacious reporting.

2)Money : People who come from obvious wealthy families rubbing it in other peoples faces
To be honest, as a commerce student I'm lucky enough to rub shoulders daily with the cream of irish society and I can safely say that it really is the empty vessel making the most noise. The girls who feel the need to mention their Versachi bags, Gucci ipod case, Armani watch and Dolce et Gabbana gloves all in one sentence probable come from families with only 2 properties; positively lower middle class

3)Bohemian Lifestyle: People who think their taste in music or lifestyle choices elevate them above other people
My friend Lenord, hes actually gay though that’s not his actual name right? Well we were shopping in town, and you know the way you can only find the good stuff in small shops that most sheep haven’t heard of, before heading to a gig by this new band that does a mix of grunge-punk-emo, I like them but you probably wouldn’t get it, and he noticed how I haven’t shaved, showered or got a hair cut in months so I called him pretentious for always going with the flow and looking down on us intellectual rebels

3)Wealth induced poverty : My personal favourite, people from families with more money then sense pretending that they are broke, never enough money for a coffee but a pox on your if you dare call them working class.(how was your backpacking trip across Asia paid for when you never worked a day in your life pov?)
Actually this one I dont see as pretentious so I'll be serious. Modesty is a form of class, you cant give out to the gonzaga twerps who go round shouting "affluence" out of their car windows as they drive through the northside and then in the same breath condemn those who choose to be discreet about their privilege.
However yeah, when they go overboard constantly harping on about their disadvantage to help them fit in to certain groups/situations when in actual fact they nothing of hardship - thats pretentious. But I cant think of anytime *I* see this in UCD.

Stabshauptmann

TheVan wrote:

Eh well I don't think its exclusive to UCD?....i think its just society as a whole!

Its just a diverse range of people in UCD, so you get jerks along with the 99% of UCD who are up front, honest and true to their circumstances/

TBH, I see more pretentious people, (as well as more) hacks, D4 wanna bes, stoners, whores and behemians in college than in the real life.

anonymous_joe

Redeye - legendary post.

I must confess to enjoying having a fairly extensive vocabulary, I just like language.

To be honest, I think Grimes is WUM-ing a little with this post, but yes, UCD is full of D4 heads, some are arrogant air-heads, other's Boho coolcat's, many are pretentious, maybe I'm pretentious, I don't know. Go to Trinity and you'll find similar types of people, it's hardly limited to just this college.

There are lot's of pretentious people floating about, not exactly limited to UCD.

Blush_01

I honestly can't see why this is relevant. Lots of the people you're talking about there Grimes are just so insecure that they indulge in faux-pretension in groups to make themselves feel like they fit in better. I don't know, does it really bug you that much? If it does, avoid it - you won't change it.

As for intelligence being dictated by your vocabulary - that's only if you know how to use the words you're using. Plenty of my classmates have disturbingly large vocabularies, but know how to use them - that's not intellectual superiority in action, it's intellect in action. I'd prefer someone would talk to me as they speak rather than dumbing it down because my own vocabulary isn't as extensive. That's more laziness on my part for not being as widely read (when I could be, and simply am too lazy) than intellectual snobbery on theirs.

I don't know anyone who would rub their financial situation in my face - if I did, I wouldn't know them for long. Either insecurity or just plain being a dick in action.

I'm with Pretty*Monster on the lifestyle thing - everyone thinks that their ideal lifestyle is THE ideal lifestyle - otherwise they wouldn't aspire to it in the first place, nor would they relish it if they attained it.

Grimes, not everyone from a wealthy home has money. The money someone's parents have is not their money, it's their parents. Everyone's situation is different - plenty of people can have very flush days and very dry ones financially. Circumstances are constantly in flux - for most people.

Sure, I've indulged in generalisations too, but the snobbery and pretentiousness you describe there can also be seen as the opposite end of the scale you're on - you're just as biased as they are. You make the same assumptions about them as you expect them to make of you. We all make assumptions, I'm not saying you're the only one who does it. But things only get to you if you let them. Jesus, we all know that!

boneless

I have an ex.. ex... big voc... voc... word thingy, but most of it is rude. I know the longest swear words there are. I'm a working class snob too. I have as much money as I can liberate at any one given moment.

I do recognise the type that Grimes is referring to. It used to get on me tIts at the start but not anymore. All I care is, I've met some really genuine and lovely people in UCD during the past four years, from all classes of society and none!! If a person is willing to communicate and engage in craic and banter, that's all that matters.

mike65

Grimes, its Pretentions in TCD not Pretentiousness.

Mike.

ps Pretentious moi?

Economaniac!

Grimes wrote:

Im not accusing anyone Im just asking has anyone else noticed this behaviour in UCD?

You really should read "The Pope's Children" by David McWilliams... Welcome to Ireland's new young elite! We're sexy, we're cute, we're popular to boot! Basically what you've touched on here is a new mentality in young irish people of today. We don't really care anymore, we'll do what we want, when we want, for as long as we want, as often as we want!

I really believe UCD is a microcosm of Ireland, if not Dublin, in 2006, moreso than other colleges or places. It strikes me often how seldom the college is used for studies by the ESRI or like for Big Brother etc. ha!

Umaro

that David McWilliams is a good writer, very umm.. i cant think of the word.. its like incisive i think? he's that.

i do commerce.

i am probably pretentious, i know it. i wear abercrombie, dolce, hilfiger, ralph lauren, american eagle and dubes. i dont care for the bohemian lifestyle or anyone who who wanders around with long hair being "different" and "alternative". i believe there are certain bands that college people like because thats whats being forced down their throats: the killers, arctic monkeys, franz ferdinand, kaiser chiefs. theyre all rubbish. i dont have any gay friends, its not that i have something against them, i just dont. i pretty much live off the bank of mum&dad and i couldnt care less what people think of me as a result. i am from the middle classes and i dont care. i wear what i like to wear, i dont go out of my way to make friends, i go to college and i come home. thats what i do.

arbeitsscheuer

TheVan wrote:

Eh well I don't think its exclusive to UCD?....i think its just society as a whole!

Its just a diverse range of people in UCD, so you get jerks along with the 99% of UCD who are up front, honest and true to their circumstances/

Bingo.

Whatever you find in UCD you can find anywhere else tbh.

Pretentiousness knows no boundaries of race, class, intelligence or religion.

Can we talk bout sumfink else now, me darlin's?

Blush_01

If you're happy and you're not hurting anybody, who the hell cares?

The_Minister

Grimes wrote:

1)Intelligence : People believing they are more intelligent than other people because they have a more diverse vocab

I sometimes have a very diverse vocabulary. I must congradulate my post-primary pedagouges for that. On the other hand I still haven't found a PC swearword to replace "faggoty" since I hit college.

Grimes wrote:

2)Money : People who come from obvious wealthy families rubbing it in other peoples faces

Never seen this. Someone is jealous

Grimes wrote:

3)Bohemian Lifestyle: People who think their taste in music or lifestyle choices elevate them above other people

Dude! Open your mind and oppose the war.
and now for the other

Grimes wrote:

3) Wealth induced poverty : My personal favourite, people from families with more money then sense pretending that they are broke, never enough money for a coffee but a pox on your if you dare call them working class.(how was your backpacking trip across Asia paid for when you never worked a day in your life pov?)

Are you talking about the "socialists" who come from rich backgrounds but manage to put on dub accents?

Scraggs

1)Intelligence : People believing they are more intelligent than other people because they have a more diverse vocab

I've come across this, mainly because I have quite limited vocab..unless its swearing of course:D [yes I am possibly the worst linguistics student in existance!!] I'm not talking about normal people who genuinely have a broad repertoire of vocab -that I have absolutely no problem with... its the people who use larger words out of context and look down on you if you have to ask the meaning or just generally think they are ubersmart when really they just sound like tools who got a 'word a day' calender for christmas.

2)Money : People who come from obvious wealthy families rubbing it in other peoples faces

Unfortunately I come across this alot.. Both my flatmates are doing Commerce and [now I'm not saying all but a few] of their classmates that I've met are people who like to go on and on about their earnings, the cars their parents bought for them and how much allowance they get a week. I havent just noticed this in commerce I just used that as an example, it can be seen in a lot of places but generally I tend to not hang around with people like that so it doesnt bother me too much sure let them on! And I'll always remember what my papa said to me many moons ago 'if somebody looks down their nose at you Dani, You know what to do..Break it!!':)

3)Bohemian Lifestyle: People who think their taste in music or lifestyle choices elevate them above other people

I've met a few of these type of people but its not just in UCD really.. I suppose it could be due to the fact that theres such a wide range of people here and all the groups seem to compact together into one big stereotype. One thing I absolutely cannot stand is music snobbery.. people who look down on you for not liking 'their' music. I love all kinds of music...I have such a wide taste from all sorts of genres. I hate the way people look down on my taste in pop music but yet at the same time love the fact I love some other type...god I could get into such a rant over this but lucky ye I'm gonna spare ye!

3)Wealth induced poverty : My personal favourite, people from families with more money then sense pretending that they are broke, never enough money for a coffee but a pox on your if you dare call them working class.(how was your backpacking trip across Asia paid for when you never worked a day in your life pov?)

This is the bane of my life... well not really bane.. but its something I have to deal with alot. One or two of my friends can be like this... they're grand most of the time but sometimes you should hear the way they go on it'd make ya want to kill them!

Blush_01

Am I the only one who noticed that there are two point 3)'s there? I was waiting for someone else to mention it, but nobody did...

I keep putting "k" in front of all the words I type that begin with "n". Now, I'm not the world's greatest speller, but I'm not dense - is "k" just taking over my brain?

So much tension, so little need for it!

humbert

Grimes wrote:

Havnt seen a post on this before and before anyone starts Im not moaning or being hypocritical but... has anyone noticed that the cometition between students in terms of "im more diverse and intelligent and wealthy yet not that wealthy but never working class" among a large number of students around the campus? Im seeing this alot in terms of

1)Intelligence : People believing they are more intelligent than other people because they have a more diverse vocab
2)Money : People who come from obvious wealthy families rubbing it in other peoples faces
3)Bohemian Lifestyle: People who think their taste in music or lifestyle choices elevate them above other people
3)Wealth induced poverty : My personal favourite, people from families with more money then sense pretending that they are broke, never enough money for a coffee but a pox on your if you dare call them working class.(how was your backpacking trip across Asia paid for when you never worked a day in your life pov?)

Im not accusing anyone Im just asking has anyone else noticed this behaviour in UCD?

Another class of people . The Poverty Princess to add to the Umpa Loompas, Hacks ect ect

I think those comments are fair and accurate, the money thing is actually the one that pisses me off the least, they are just being themselves. Seb's right too those things are evident throughout all facets of society but the one place I would expect to see a little less of it is in a college, whereas if anything it's more prolific in UCD. Having been here as long as I have I have reached the stage where they don't bother me and I can just laugh at it all.

Jonny Arson

Grimes wrote:

Havnt seen a post on this before and before anyone starts Im not moaning or being hypocritical but... has anyone noticed that the cometition between students in terms of "im more diverse and intelligent and wealthy yet not that wealthy but never working class" among a large number of students around the campus? Im seeing this alot in terms of

1)Intelligence : People believing they are more intelligent than other people because they have a more diverse vocab
2)Money : People who come from obvious wealthy families rubbing it in other peoples faces
3)Bohemian Lifestyle: People who think their taste in music or lifestyle choices elevate them above other people
3)Wealth induced poverty : My personal favourite, people from families with more money then sense pretending that they are broke, never enough money for a coffee but a pox on your if you dare call them working class.(how was your backpacking trip across Asia paid for when you never worked a day in your life pov?)

Im not accusing anyone Im just asking has anyone else noticed this behaviour in UCD?

Another class of people . The Poverty Princess to add to the Umpa Loompas, Hacks ect ect

By all of this you mean this is UCD students in general.

TheVan

So much hate for fellow students out there! Where's the love people?!

scop

Dear UCD boards thrad, name is P**l and I know lots of words but also know that to be concise is to communicate well but also that wordplay makes the girls wet, I kid, it does in fact not do so.

I hang around with a load of people who are very intelligent but also modest, except in jest and even then its tongue in cheek. I am glad they exist, who else will discuss Eliot with me?

I'm from Tallaght but we have money and I do not need to work, remember that even at that there is a certain lack of control as regards money and thus some days you actually dont have cash for a coffee.

Boho lifestyle? Whatever a lifestyle is I hope to God one dosent attach itself to me.

My point, people are complex, if they are exhibiting the characteristics you mention its because you are seeing them in their public, out there moments and on an individual or small group basis they'd be shocking you with their interests all over the shop.