Is boards.ie a home for the middle class?

noway12345

In my short time reading boards.ie I've found that most of the posters seem very middle class. The popular view seems to favour the wealthy while there's a lot of looking down on the poor and minorities.
Am I mistaken in my view? If I'm not then what's the reason for this site to be populated so much by the same kind of people?

KwackerJack

I say, what a dreadful and narrow minded observation!

Bannasidhe

KwackerJack wrote: »

I say, what a dreadful and narrow minded observation!

Rather!

Mr. Incognito

young, irish spoilt mostly.

Little pricks.

Wanting free water.

darkpagandeath

In before Middle Earth wont stand for this !

LadyAthame

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

young, irish spoilt mostly.

Little pricks.

Wanting free water.

It falls from the sky and we pee it.

Nodin

noway12345 wrote: »

In my short time reading boards.ie I've found that most of the posters seem very middle class. The popular view seems to favour the wealthy while there's a lot of looking down on the poor and minorities.
Am I mistaken in my view? If I'm not then what's the reason for this site to be populated so much by the same kind of people?

Define "middle class", occupation/income wise.

DareGod

A lot of people on here who don't like to be burdened with other people's pain or have to think about it, so convince themselves that those people are wrong to feel the way they do. IMO.

Path of least resistance and all that.

It's easier for them to just lay down and take it, but nobody wants to admit that that's what they're doing, so they'll make up some wordy argument as to why everyone should lie down and take it.

Or something.

darkpagandeath

Nodin wrote: »

Define "middle class", occupation/income wise.

Sarah the Nurse Tom the Garda ?

Cold War Kid

noway12345 wrote: »

In my short time reading boards.ie I've found that most of the posters seem very middle class. The popular view seems to favour the wealthy while there's a lot of looking down on the poor and minorities.
Am I mistaken in my view? If I'm not then what's the reason for this site to be populated so much by the same kind of people?

I think the majority on Boards aren't like that, it's just that the minority is significant, and shouts louder.
Btw, being from a middle-class background doesn't automatically mean having the views you describe; unless you mean "middle-class" as an attitude.

porsche959

noway12345 wrote: »

In my short time reading boards.ie I've found that most of the posters seem very middle class. The popular view seems to favour the wealthy while there's a lot of looking down on the poor and minorities.
Am I mistaken in my view? If I'm not then what's the reason for this site to be populated so much by the same kind of people?

There are a number of very vocal posters with very right wing opinions. They are not representative of the silent (or not so silent) majority.

dxhound2005

I'm working class.

KwackerJack

People on the dole are middle class while people who work are poor.

The rest live in a big bubble........or on Boards.ie obviously

vicwatson

Im of no class, just Irish is all, classes are for schools

the evasion_kid

I would say so,there's a lot of politically correct nonsense on it,while it all sounds good it usually crumbles in the face of reality,makes you wonder what kind of world they live ina...oh that's right the middle class

When the Sun Hits

I find a lot of posters seem to identify as a certain "thing" and then convince themselves they are in the minority when really just a few people have disagreed with them on a certain issue. It's as if some people don't want it to be a discussion site. They want it to be an "everyone just agree with me site" instead.

Cold War Kid

the evasion_kid wrote: »

I would say so,there's a lot of politically correct nonsense on it,while it all sounds good it usually crumbles in the face of reality,makes you wonder what kind of world they live ina...oh that's right the middle class

This is the thing: middle-class people get accused from some quarters of looking down on the less well off and minorities... yet simultaneously of being naive, right-on do-gooders.
Although it is obviously possible to find both types.

Then there's the rest of us middle-class people who don't give a sh-t what anyone's background is and just plough on.

falan

Where's brendan Bendar when you need him? Middle earth indeed :-D

bb1234567

Well the majority of irish people are middle class...

LadyAthame

Cold War Kid wrote: »

I think the majority on Boards aren't like that, it's just that the minority is significant, and shouts louder.
Btw, being middle-class doesn't automatically mean having the views you describe.

I think what the op is saying is that posters seem to be right wing or conservative.

There are a lot of conservative posters.

It's true that people who are wealthy or middle class can form political view interdependent of their class. I know 'upper class' people who are lefties. But to be honest they don't think of people in terms of upper class middle class etc.

There are a lot of posters with very extreme right wing views.

I think that is to do also with age. People mellow as they age.

I consider myself a non extreme leftie. That's extreme though to some on here! It informs my views on multi -cultural ism and other things.

Also some people can be fiscally conservative and socially liberal. Some of the socially conservative stuff on here can be almost verging on discrimination. I don't consider THAT serious politics. They often get banned soon enough.

Cold War Kid

LadyAthame wrote: »

There are a lot of posters with very extreme right wing views.

I think that is to do also with age. People mellow as they age.

I used to be way more left-wing, now I'm left of centre. Then again, being very left-wing can encompass some intolerance too.
My dad used to be more right-wing; definitely mellowed with age.

Most of the time it seems like people get more conservative as they age, IMO.

Capt'n Midnight

The poor can't afford computers or the interwebs.

The rich are too busy pulling strings.

darkpagandeath

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

The poor can't afford computers or the interwebs.

The rich are too busy pulling strings.

Nah I heard they all have 2 next gen consoles and complain they can't pay for water.

LadyAthame

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

The poor can't afford computers or the interwebs.

The rich are too busy pulling strings.

They are buying their hookers doing coke and running the country high as kites! They are also banning abortions. They are keeping Haughey's memory alive!

jimgoose

A swift running kick up the hole is the only job for 'em, bah. Whoever they are. Or "whomever", if you want to be all Middle-Class about it.

Massimo Cassagrande

More of an after-hours creche than a home. "Home" sounds so elderly.

the evasion_kid

Cold War Kid wrote: »

This is the thing: middle-class people get accused from some quarters of looking down on the less well off and minorities... yet simultaneously of being naive, right-on do-gooders.
Although it is obviously possible to find both types.

Then there's the rest of us middle-class people who don't give a sh-t what anyone's background is and just plough on.

Funny when i was homeless guess who the majority were who would offer you money or food? Yup you guessed it the working class stiffs

dxhound2005

the evasion_kid wrote: »

Funny when i was homeless guess who the majority were who would offer you money or food? Yup you guessed it the working class stiffs

Could you distinguish them by their gait, their demeanour, their dress or by their manner of speaking?

the evasion_kid

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Could you distinguish them by their gait, their demeanour or their manner of speaking?

Usually their work wear

For Forks Sake

noway12345 wrote: »

In my short time reading boards.ie I've found that most of the posters seem very middle class. The popular view seems to favour the wealthy while there's a lot of looking down on the poor and minorities.
Am I mistaken in my view? If I'm not then what's the reason for this site to be populated so much by the same kind of people?

Right, own up, who let the peasant in?

SMASH IRISH WATER

As far as I can tell this site is full of people who are very well off and luck down there noses at working class or poor people. Full of snobs.

Most of the groups I post on on facebooks are more genuine people. Maybe being able to hide your identity helps very pro government types...

tritium

I wouldn't think you have any particular social group overrepresented here, certainly not in AH anyway. You seem to have a core block of right wing upper middle class, core block of left wing traditional working class and a larger middle group who may agree with some positions of either of the other two but not always. The first two groups routinely shout louder, fire off the odd pseudo intellectual rant, ignore (sometimes abuse) posters who don't agree with them and accuse everyone else of being a communist/ fascist. Of course its impossible to say what the actual background of those posters are.

Judging by the overall balance I think I can see between the 'Tax the hell out of the 'rich'/raid the money tree' gang and the 'dole scroungers are scum/end all benefits' gang I wouldn't say either group dominates. So in that sense I'd say boards is a home more for the middle ground, who listen to the megaphone diplomacy of the two extremes, than the middle class - A bit like society in general possibly

Cold War Kid

SMASH IRISH WATER wrote: »

Most of the groups I post on on facebooks are more genuine people. Maybe being able to hide your identity helps very pro government types...

Oh yeh those Facebook groups - full of such delightful people, who are so receptive to anyone who merely disagrees with them. The likes of the lovely The Hub I take it.

Cold War Kid

tritium wrote: »

I wouldn't think you have any particular social group overrepresented here, certainly not in AH anyway. You seem to have a core block of right wing upper middle class, core block of left wing traditional working class and a larger middle group who may agree with some positions of either of the other two but not always. The first two groups routinely shout louder, fire off the odd pseudo intellectual rant, ignore (sometimes abuse) posters who don't agree with them and accuse everyone else of being a communist/ fascist. Of course its impossible to say what the actual background of those posters are.

Judging by the overall balance I think I can see between the 'Tax the hell out of the 'rich'/raid the money tree' gang and the 'dole scroungers are scum/end all benefits' gang I wouldn't say either group dominates. So in that sense I'd say boards is a home more for the middle ground, who listen to the megaphone diplomacy of the two extremes, than the middle class - A bit like society in general possibly

Exactly. The two you mention (I'd throw in staunchly left-wing middle-class intellectuals too) just scream and groan the loudest.

SMASH IRISH WATER

Cold War Kid wrote: »

Oh yeh those Facebook groups - full of such delightful people, who are so receptive to anyone who merely disagrees with them. The likes of the lovely The Hub I take it.

Groups of ordinary decent people. It must scare pro-government types like you now that we can communicate with each other on social medias and don't have to swallow the mainstream press anymore.

southcentralts

Me, I don't come here, there are far too many sexy singles in my area!

dxhound2005

SMASH IRISH WATER wrote: »

As far as I can tell this site is full of people who are very well off and luck down there noses at working class or poor people. Full of snobs.

Most of the groups I post on on facebooks are more genuine people. Maybe being able to hide your identity helps very pro government types...

It's also full of smash Irish Water activists who bring their political agenda on to as many threads as they can. The irony of the abuse and intimidation being visited on ordinary working people by these wasters who claim to represent the working class does not go unnoticed.

myshirt

There are a substantial amount of 'f#ck the poor' type people on boards if we be honest. Without fail there's a thread tearing into the most vulnerable people in our society nearly every week.

Cold War Kid

SMASH IRISH WATER wrote: »

Groups of ordinary decent people. It must scare pro-government types like you now that we can communicate with each other on social medias and don't have to swallow the mainstream press anymore.

Your response claims that I, without any proof whatsoever, am "pro government" - as I predicted to a T.
No, people who attack people for simply not agreeing with them are not "decent".

There are people like The Hub, who enjoy intimidating their detractors, and there are people who are government worshippers - and then there's a whole canyon in between.

tritium

myshirt wrote: »

There are a substantial amount of 'f#ck the poor' type people on boards if we be honest. Without fail there's a thread tearing into the most vulnerable people in our society nearly every week.

There would seem to be substantial amounts of 'f#ck the poor, the rich, the middle class, the young, the old, the guilty, the innocent, the accused, men, women, foreigners, irish, <insert category here>.......type people

Easy enough to find a number of threads on all of the above. Some survive the lock, some don't. I'm not sure you can say with any confidence that the poor get a harder time on here than anyone else

Chijj

SMASH IRISH WATER wrote: »

As far as I can tell this site is full of people who are very well off and luck down there noses at working class or poor people. Full of snobs.

Most of the groups I post on on facebooks are more genuine people. Maybe being able to hide your identity helps very pro government types...

Your outlook shapes how you view things.

By the way Facebook groups are the epitome of what is wrong with society these days, full of people who want the best services and minimum tax.

myshirt

I do whole heartedly believe the poor get an absolute asses beating week in week out on boards, with very little defending of them.

Mint Aero

There's isn't many full time working at full time mammy types or bleedin' scratcher types on AH that's for sure

SMASH IRISH WATER

Chijj wrote: »

Your outlook shapes how you view things.

By the way Facebook groups are the epitome of what is wrong with society these days, full of people who want the best services and minimum tax.

No they are not.

They are people who want some change. People who want fairness and equality. People who are sick of hearing about corrupt politicians and about millionaires paying no tax. There has never been such a large gap between the rich and the poor. People are now finally standing up, and the establishment and their lapdogs are running scared.

Cold War Kid

Cold War Kid wrote: »

Oh yeh those Facebook groups - full of such delightful people, who are so receptive to anyone who merely disagrees with them. The likes of the lovely The Hub I take it.

Other then Boards.ie keyboard warriors who hide behind a made up name.

FloatingVoter

The social background and political views of AH posters depends on which number beer they're on.
Y'see ....I've stopped counting and my spelling is coming back.

Cold War Kid

Deleted User wrote: »

Other then Boards.ie keyboard warriors who hide behind a made up name.

Simply saying they're unnecessarily aggressive towards people who disagree with them is hardly being a keyboard warrior; it's a statement of fact.
They and their fans are so needlessly defensive.

Chijj

SMASH IRISH WATER wrote: »

No they are not.

They are people who want some change. People who want fairness and equality. People who are sick of hearing about corrupt politicians and about millionaires paying no tax. There has never been such a large gap between the rich and the poor. People are now finally standing up, and the establishment and their lapdogs are running scared.

If you truly believe that the slack jawed yokels from a Facebook group can run a country and the ideas are viable to make it a success I think you are deluded.

JupiterKid

Well the majority of Irish people today are middle class- so it would seem that posters on boards.ie would follow suit. But what strikes me lately are the number of extreme right wing reactionary posters.

Ruu

Only class I'm in is the school of Grange Hill!

the evasion_kid

Chijj wrote: »

If you truly believe that the slack jawed yokels from a Facebook group can run a country and the ideas are viable to make it a success I think you are deluded.

Couldn't be any worse than the slack jawed yokels that are there at the minute