Reply to: Class

[wendigo100]

I associate with toffs, but I'm not. I'm always open to tips on social climbing, you know, like getting into their daughter's...

[Gonzo]

You find a lot of the analyst/trader/broker jobs go to folk who have the "right" degree from the "right" university, since this is heavily in favour of a privileged upbringing you get more toffs in these roles.

A bloke I used to work with (he is of working class stock like me) went to work for a blue-blooded bank. He said he was amazed at how many sons of directors would leave public school, join the bank and immediately be given £1M portfolios to manage. His comment was "I had no idea just how well entrenched the old boy network still is."

[Moscow Mule]

Most of the banks I've worked in have been primarily staffed by Essex Barrow boys, not toffs!

It depends which part of the bank you work in.

The client facing (and I don't mean behind the counter) or the strategy roles that are not heavily IT dependent go to the toffs.

The donkey work jobs that are heavily IT dependent go to the people that in any other part of the country would be getting jobs as builders or mechanics but if they live in Essex they can easily get the train into the city instead.

Fair point, most of the donkey work goes to the donkeys. Unfortunately, these are the people I mostly deal with.

I don't agree that all client facing jobs are going to the toffs. I know of several men who've gone from back office donkeys to Head of Treasury etc off the back of hard work and time (20+ years).

You find a lot of the analyst/trader/broker jobs go to folk who have the "right" degree from the "right" university, since this is heavily in favour of a privileged upbringing you get more toffs in these roles.

[HarryPearce]

Been trying to think of a suitable 'toff and the only one I can think of is Stephen Wolfram. From his entry on Wikipedia

Stephen Wolfram (born August 29, 1959 in London) is a scientist known for his work in theoretical particle physics, cellular automata, complexity theory, and computer algebra, and is the creator of the computer program Mathematica.


Early life

Of Jewish descent, Wolfram's father, Hugo Wolfram, was a novelist and his mother, Sybil Wolfram, was a professor of philosophy at Oxford. Wolfram was educated at Eton public school. Often described as a child prodigy, he published an article on particle physics at age 16[1] and entered Oxford University (St John's College) at age 17. He received his Ph.D. in particle physics from Caltech at age 20 and joined the faculty there. His work with Geoffrey Fox on the theory of the strong interaction is still used today in experimental particle physics.




It is also reported that he is extremely irritating and arrogant, any man who claim to have written the greatest book of the past century (A New Kind of Science) or words to that effect has to have something going for him.

In fact he's got most of the qualities needed to be a contractor :-)

[Jog On]

Please define 'common' in this context.

In this context I'd say anyone who isn't:

You know, privatley educated toffs, boris or euguene types...

[Gibbon]

Please define 'common' in this context.

I'm 'common', I'll sleep with anyone (OK, female human 18 - 60)

[Sysman]

Imagine if someone started this thread asking if there were any 'common' contractors out there. There'd be a riot.

Please define 'common' in this context.

[Jog On]

Are there any posh contractors out there?

You know, privatley educated toffs, boris or euguene types...

Would be interested to see....

I'm not sure where this discussion is going TBH, on the one hand you have people like Katie from the Apprentice who give reason for common (no pun intended) attitudes toward 'toffs'. Then on the other hand you get chavs - who's worse?

I can see this going round and round in circles with the toffs vs. the plebs bashing each other over the head and not getting anywhere

Judging people by their social background is a predjudice just like any other and is small minded and ignorant.

Imagine if someone started this thread asking if there were any 'common' contractors out there. There'd be a riot.

[Gonzo]

Most of the banks I've worked in have been primarily staffed by Essex Barrow boys, not toffs!

It depends which part of the bank you work in.

The client facing (and I don't mean behind the counter) or the strategy roles that are not heavily IT dependent go to the toffs.

The donkey work jobs that are heavily IT dependent go to the people that in any other part of the country would be getting jobs as builders or mechanics but if they live in Essex they can easily get the train into the city instead.

[Bagpuss]

In my experience, real 'toffs' tend not to look down on anyone - they don't really care who or what you are, and will generally rub along with anyone.

The wanabee toffs and 'new money' are the ones who are busy looking down their noses at everyone.

Spot on Bogeyman, two of my mates are from top public schools, they don'y talk overtly posh, they have great morals and treat people as they find them. The fake posh, try too hard to sound "ok yah" (e.g. Anne Robinson) and quite often trip themselves up and reveal their origins. They also are more likely look down on people, another good example of fake posh is Katie off The Apprentice.

[Jog On]

Hmmm - wasn't thre something in the news about Prince William's chums sneering at his ex for being the daughter of an air hostess? Or maybe the real toffs don't look down on people if they stay in their place but woe betide them if they try to get above themselves?

Not the ones I've met. But then there is the conspiracy theory that Princess Di was murdered to stop her marrying Dodi Fayed...

[Old Greg]

That is quality.

He's absolutely right about the proper posh being insane and very nice people. It's the middle/neveu riche who are the problem. I keep thinking of that Harry Enfield character saying "We are considerably richer than yaou"

Hmmm - wasn't thre something in the news about Prince William's chums sneering at his ex for being the daughter of an air hostess? Or maybe the real toffs don't look down on people if they stay in their place but woe betide them if they try to get above themselves?

[cailin dana]

I agree - the ones who are mega "old money" loaded are completely bonkers!!

[Jog On]

That is quality.

He's absolutely right about the proper posh being insane and very nice people. It's the middle/neveu riche who are the problem. I keep thinking of that Harry Enfield character saying "We are considerably richer than yaou"

[shoes]

In my experience, real 'toffs' tend not to look down on anyone - they don't really care who or what you are, and will generally rub along with anyone.

The wanabee toffs and 'new money' are the ones who are busy looking down their noses at everyone.

Yes. As observed by Billy Connolly :

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=42tdAHIWwxo

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JbHGvV2OImE