I keep wondering why class prejudice is treated as so normal in the UK, especially when most people are working class themselves. The slur “chav” shows this clearly. It gets used so casually, almost like it’s harmless, even though it’s aimed at an entire social group. What I can’t figure out is why so few people call it out for the classism it is. Media and politics seem to reinforce the idea that mocking the working class is acceptable, but it still feels strange that so many people go along with it without questioning it. It makes me wonder how something so openly dismissive became such an ordinary part of everyday language.
A few poignant examples I’ve read are things such as “anyone else cross the street when they see chavs (working class people)”? Or “I hate chavs (working class people) I wish they were all gassed”. Often, such phrasings will earn a lot of upvotes or likes, as well. It’s 42 million people, that is a lot of people some people want to be “gassed”, that other people are upvoting/liking.
Why would it be especially bad in the UK, though? What is happening in the UK to cause such widespread class-hate?
“Chav” doesn’t mean “working class” in the same way that “penguin” doesn’t mean “bird”.
Heck, some of the chavs I know wouldn’t know work if it hit them.
Chavs are a tiny subset of working class people, in the same way that penguins are a tiny subset of birds.
I live in a northern mill town. Most of my very large extended family are working class (it’d probably be a bit disingenuous for me to claim that I still am, though). They would look at you like you were an idiot if you tried to convince them that chav means them.
Chavs are the kids who hang around with expensive trainers and caps, who have absolutely no qualms about being a nuisance to other people.
They represent a tiny proportion of the working class, and any criticism of them is specifically targeted at them.