In today’s lesson, we looked at the BBC modern class system that replaces the old class system. Which was just upper class to lower class.
There are seven categories: Elite, Established Middle Class, Technical Middle Class, New Affluent Workers, Traditional Working Class, Emergent Service Workers, and Precariats. Each one is sorted by wealth, social interactivity, and what activities you do. It also describes each class.
Elite
These are a small group of people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, political power, privilege, or skill in society. These people are the uppermost class of society. Examples would be MPs and CEOs. There are approximately 6% in the UK and the average age is 57. They enjoy going to Museums and listening to classical music. They would have attended private schools, elite universities and come from a privileged background.
Established Middle Class
People in this class have high levels of all three capitals but not as high as the Elite. They are a culturally engaged class and gregarious, mostly socialising with people who are like them. These members are of an average age of 46 and share 25% of the population. They enjoy a diverse range of cultural activities and socialise with a broad range of people. Many work in management or traditional professions. Most come from middle-class backgrounds and live outside of urban areas in the south of England.
Technical Middle Class
This is a small distinctive and emerging class group. The average age is 52 and has a 6% of population ratio. People in this group tend to mix socially with people like themselves. They prefer emerging culture like using social media. Their job titles are working in research, Science and Technical occupations. They tend to live in suburban areas mostly in the southeast of England. They come from a middle-class background.
New Affluent Workers
These members are generally young and active, have an average age of 44 and are 15% of the population. They are economically secure without being well off. They enjoy live music concerts, sports and social media. They are likely to have come from a working-class background. Mostly living in the northwest and midlands areas. Jobs would be tradesmen such as Electricians, Engineering and Sales careers.
Traditional Working Class
This group of people have an average age of 66 and share 15% of the population. This group has the oldest age group. Many own their own home and mix socially with people like themselves. They tend not to go with an emerging culture like social media or going to the gym. Jobs include lorry drivers, cleaners and electricians.
Emergent Service Workers
The average age is 34 and a population percentage of 19% They are the youngest of all the class systems and are financially insecure with low scores for savings and house value. They have the highest score for emerging culture and typically enjoy social media, going to the gym, gigs and playing sport. They live in urban areas such as big Cities like Newcastle in inexpensive housing. Jobs are chefs, nursing, auxiliaries and production assistants.
Precariats
This group is the poorest and most deprived class group. People in this group score low for economic, social and cultural factors. The age is generally 50 and the population percentage is 15% They tend to mix with people like themselves socially and live in old industrial areas away from urban centres. More than 80% rent their home. Jobs are typically cleaner, van driver and care worker. They are not very cultural.
There is an online calculator to see what class you would be in.
What I got was Technical middle class, a small, distinctive and prosperous new class group. They like to:
- Mix socially with people similar to themselves
- Work in research, science and technical fields
- Enjoy emerging culture such as going to the gym and using social media
Link to the website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2013/newsspec_5093/index.stm
For my fantasy brief, I think that I will aim it to people in the class group New Affluent Workers and Emergent Service Workers, I have chosen these two groups mainly due to their age demographic as they are young adults of an average age of 34 and 44. They use social media and are interested in the emerging culture. I think out of all the class systems these two groups are most likely to watch Flame of Oblivion and enjoy it.