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What Oxford taught me about posh people

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Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#101

Post by psychomugs »

I went to a public state school for undergrad and a private Ivy for grad school. While there are diverse socioeconomic backgrounds at the latter, people with similar backgrounds as myself are definitely far and few between. The standards of living is far removed from the penny-scrounging dollar-menu-eating existence that I knew.

I'm still taken aback by the disparity in leisure activities; it seems like a lot of people here escape to some international Instagrammable getaway for a weeklong academic break, whereas back home everyone would be fine just hunkering down or maybe visiting their parents for a weekend.

Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#102

Post by flir »

geomark wrote: post #98
gyulai wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not only a side effect, but a stated principle: After you gain admission, you have to prove that you have the money you need to sustain yourself either through a scholarship, or you have to literally show a bank statement that shows that you have a lump sum in your account that will sustain you for the normal amount of time it takes to finish the degree. Living expenses are factored into this at a set rate. Yo…

"You wouldn't start building a house when it's uncertain that you have enough money to be able to complete the project." Sorry for the completely OT reply, but this triggered me because it is exactly how banks in Thailand do lending to build a house. Once all the details and total cost are known, the bank lends about half of the needed amount and then checks on your progress. If you didn't get about half the house bu…

So what happens to the half-built houses? Is it like kit cars, where there's a thriving market for other people's failed projects?

Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#103

Post by geomark »

flir wrote: post #102
geomark wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"You wouldn't start building a house when it's uncertain that you have enough money to be able to complete the project." Sorry for the completely OT reply, but this triggered me because it is exactly how banks in Thailand do lending to build a house. Once all the details and total cost are known, the bank lends about half of the needed amount and then checks on your progress. If you didn't get about half the house bu…

So what happens to the half-built houses? Is it like kit cars, where there's a thriving market for other people's failed projects?

Some of them get finished other ways. Others get taken back by the bank when the owner decides to stop making payments on a loan for an unfinished house. You often see half finished houses that are slowly rotting.

Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#104

Post by alephnan »

jdlshore wrote: post #100
alephnan wrote: post #99

I went to school in Seattle and had a Singaporean trustfund baby friend who always reiterated “everyone deserves to get a masters degree”. She would constantly fly to different cities every weekend on her own (parent’s) dime to volunteer for this non profit org called AIESEC. “Everyone deserves to travel.” To this day, I still don’t understand what this org does and it sounded like a cult or some kind of pyramid sche…

I'm having trouble understanding the point of your story. It sounds like you don't think very highly of this friend. Does she know you talk about her this way?

> Does she know you talk about her this way?

Yes, I make it a very clear to remind people of their entitlement and privilege

> It sounds like you don't think very highly of this friend.

I don’t . I should have stated it was a college friend, now strangers.

> I'm having trouble understanding the point of your story.

Entitled “posh” people who got into these academic institutions because they’ve been told their whole life they are special. Completely unaware of their privilege, walking about lecturing and mansplaining to people about the virtuous route of academia / non-profit. Perpetual academia and not entering the real world, paying your own rent, paying for your own tuition, is a privilege

Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#105

Post by hellbannedguy »

vr46 wrote: post #97

I am acquainted with a disproportionate number of Oxbridge grads, mainly through my old school, which has always targeted those universities for its boys. While everyone is smart and pleasant, there is the constant reinforcement that Oxbridge grads seek each other out throughout their lives to almost exclusively hang out with each other. I mean, as towns they're not exactly next door, but in London there is the joint…

Actually, for what most colleges charge, they should provide free clubs for alumni?

Although, the thought of my pompous college mates is not a memory I want to think about today though.

I went to a state school. I honestly thought my local community college did a much better job, but graduated anyways. I went to a professional school, and kinda thought the same--a whole lot of wasted time.

I will never forget our last party though. Everyone graduated with their degree. We were at this party, and the atmosphere was different. I couldn't figure it out until years later though.

My date that night was a stunning, innocent, affable, young lady. I recall guys at the party making a bee line to her. The ladies at the party gave me the look. A acquaintance came up to me, and said, "She's very young Danielll?". She was 20?

Anyway, everyone kinda of changed. They talked different. They talked like they did something wonderful by graduating. They were posing, instead of standing? The biggest poser had a job at Open Space. He thought he hit the lottery. That night he should have worn an ascot. Never talked to him again.

I remember thinking this is it? Well it's better than working full time. Hiding in school was something I adored, but knew I was no different than anyone else. In all reality, I felt guilty. The worse day in school was better than any day at my part time jobs. The four years were fun.

On the way home, Michelle said, "I've never felt so weird at a party." I had no idea what she was getting at other than being the worst party I have been to. She then said she felt like she didn't fit in.

I told her, "I don't fit in with those people. College was a joke for the most part." I couldn't believe the way people changed. I had a steady girlfriend who went to UCD. She was a different person upon graduating. Just so full of herself? I wasn't the greatest boyfriend either, by dating someone else, but I was young, and we both knew our relationship was baked years earlier.

End of story, but reminded of my young pompous classmates upon graduation.

Would I go to a alumni club after graduation--hell no, but colleges should provide them. I am a wacko, and despised networking, and schmoozing, but my classmates would be at the club. It would be a great selling point for colleges too?

(I had a premed/business education from a state school. I guess it's a lot different than going to an Ivy League school? I honestly remember eight classes maybe, that I felt were worth the time. My rambling post is about the obnoxious levels of self accomplishment so many young grads have.)

Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#106

Post by WalterBright »

vletal wrote: post #4

My life goal was to attend one of these elite universities. I desired to work at companies such as Google or Apple. After graduating from the Czech Technical University I realized that 1. I am much less special then I thought 2. There is much more hard working focused average people then the few talented superstars, both usually achieving the same 3. Surprisingly many of the exceptionally smart people in my social bu…

> Work, life, and social structure is extremely unfair

It's always going to be unfair. Attempts to fix it always result in some other unfairness.

The real thing that works is freedom, i.e. not having the law artificially holding you back. Instead of being consumed by envy of others, you can make your own life better.

Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#107

Post by ksec »

iratic0 wrote: post #48
nicoburns wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When has it ever been cool to be posh?

In the UK after the Conservatives came to power in 2010 electing an Old Etonian, I felt culturally there was a shift towards "posh" is good as a signifier of status and social power. I feel like in the last 5 years or so it has turned to posh is "uncool". In the US, I feel like they had something similar. Obama was elected in 2008, but some people did have concerns of electing someone unestablished. To assuage these…

Interesting observation.

Re: What Oxford taught me about posh people

#108

Post by ksec »

20 years later all I could remember from Uni was Drink, Drink and Drink. LOL

All the people I know who interviewed for OxBridge were so god damn clever and smart I sometimes ( even til this day ) think whether they are human or not. They could learn a new subject far quicker than I do. And spend more time doing other mostly creative things. But nearly all of them ( at least those I knew ) quit their high paying job for something much simpler, Teaching, Fitness Training, Art or Traveling.

And In my opinion I dont think Cambridge is in anyway similar to Oxford about posh people. Although a lot of comments seems to think otherwise.

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