That's not the sort of thing I'd know!
August 2, 2013 7:56 AM Subscribe
Can you think of any examples from real life or fiction of people protesting their ignorance because knowing a thing would mark them out as of lower social standing?
Possible examples:
Margo from the Good Life or Hyacinth Bucket possibly declaring that they wouldn't know how to fix / operate / clean something because it is the sort of thing that one gets someone in for.
Characters from Austin / Bronte type books being upper class and therefore studying classics or poetry rather than plumbing or engineering
High class opera watching type people declaring that they have no idea who the spice girls are or what football is because they do not move in those sorts of circles?
Possible examples:
Margo from the Good Life or Hyacinth Bucket possibly declaring that they wouldn't know how to fix / operate / clean something because it is the sort of thing that one gets someone in for.
Characters from Austin / Bronte type books being upper class and therefore studying classics or poetry rather than plumbing or engineering
High class opera watching type people declaring that they have no idea who the spice girls are or what football is because they do not move in those sorts of circles?
"I'll have the 'Ike and Tina Tuna.'"
"Plate or platter?"
"I don't understand the question and I won't respond to it."
posted by griphus at 7:58 AM on August 2, 2013 [15 favorites]
"Plate or platter?"
"I don't understand the question and I won't respond to it."
posted by griphus at 7:58 AM on August 2, 2013 [15 favorites]
"You're a plumber? What on earth is that?"
posted by griphus at 8:03 AM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by griphus at 8:03 AM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
The Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey: "What is a ... week-end?"
posted by desjardins at 8:05 AM on August 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by desjardins at 8:05 AM on August 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Mitt Romney's reply to being asked if he follows NASCAR racing (by the booth announcer at a NASCAR race he attended):
"Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans, but I have some great friends who are NASCAR team owners."
posted by Flunkie at 8:11 AM on August 2, 2013 [5 favorites]
"Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans, but I have some great friends who are NASCAR team owners."
posted by Flunkie at 8:11 AM on August 2, 2013 [5 favorites]
Is this something I'd need to have a TV to understand?
posted by fritley at 8:15 AM on August 2, 2013 [16 favorites]
posted by fritley at 8:15 AM on August 2, 2013 [16 favorites]
Best answer: "...And we have a Swedish interpreter for you—you will have to arrange with the Admiralty how he will be rated in the ship’s books—I believe that is the correct nautical expression.”
It was typical of Wellesley to put in that little sneer. He was an ex-Governor-General of India, and the present Foreign Secretary, a man of blue blood and of the height of fashion. In those few words he had been able to convey all his sublime ignorance and his consequent sublime contempt for matters nautical, as well as the man of fashion’s feeling of lordly superiority over the uncouth seadog, even when the seadog in question happened to be his own brother-in-law. Hornblower had been a little nettled, and was still feeling sufficiently above himself to endeavour to irritate Wellesley in return.
“You are a master of all trades, Richard,” he said, evenly.
It was just as well to remind the man of fashion that the seadog was closely enough related to be entitled to use the Christian name, and, in addition to that, it might annoy the Marquis to suggest he had anything to do with a trade.
“Not of yours, Hornblower, I’m afraid. Never could learn all those ports and starboards and back-your-lees and things of that sort. One has to learn those as a schoolboy, like hic, haec, hoc.”
-- Lord Hornblower, C.S. Forester
posted by bac at 8:25 AM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
It was typical of Wellesley to put in that little sneer. He was an ex-Governor-General of India, and the present Foreign Secretary, a man of blue blood and of the height of fashion. In those few words he had been able to convey all his sublime ignorance and his consequent sublime contempt for matters nautical, as well as the man of fashion’s feeling of lordly superiority over the uncouth seadog, even when the seadog in question happened to be his own brother-in-law. Hornblower had been a little nettled, and was still feeling sufficiently above himself to endeavour to irritate Wellesley in return.
“You are a master of all trades, Richard,” he said, evenly.
It was just as well to remind the man of fashion that the seadog was closely enough related to be entitled to use the Christian name, and, in addition to that, it might annoy the Marquis to suggest he had anything to do with a trade.
“Not of yours, Hornblower, I’m afraid. Never could learn all those ports and starboards and back-your-lees and things of that sort. One has to learn those as a schoolboy, like hic, haec, hoc.”
-- Lord Hornblower, C.S. Forester
posted by bac at 8:25 AM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
In Pride and Prejudice, the Bennet girls have two uncles. One, Mr Philips, is a country lawyer. The other, Mr Gardiner, is a London businessman, described as being "a man who lived by trade, and within view of his own warehouses." These lowly connections are a considerable mark against Jane and Elizabeth when it comes to getting good husbands. In Chapter 37, Elizabeth and Maria are leaving Rosings for London. Elizabeth tells Lady Catherine de Bourgh that their Uncle Gardiner will send a servant to meet them once they get there. Lady Catherine feigns ignorance of the domestic arrangements of people like the Gardiners saying, "Oh! -- Your uncle! -- He keeps a man-servant, does he?"
posted by atropos at 8:31 AM on August 2, 2013
posted by atropos at 8:31 AM on August 2, 2013
I dimly remember an AbFab episode where a teenaged Saffy reluctantly told one of her study group friends his roach was too tight.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:32 AM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:32 AM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
In Alice In Wonderland, Alice is indignant when the Mock Turtle asks if she learned washing (laundry) at school:
'I've been to a day-school, too,' said Alice; 'you needn't be so proud as all that.'
'With extras?' asked the Mock Turtle a little anxiously.
'Yes,' said Alice, 'we learned French and music.'
'And washing?' said the Mock Turtle.
'Certainly not!' said Alice indignantly.
posted by corey flood at 8:34 AM on August 2, 2013
'I've been to a day-school, too,' said Alice; 'you needn't be so proud as all that.'
'With extras?' asked the Mock Turtle a little anxiously.
'Yes,' said Alice, 'we learned French and music.'
'And washing?' said the Mock Turtle.
'Certainly not!' said Alice indignantly.
posted by corey flood at 8:34 AM on August 2, 2013
Best answer: Well, this is metaphorical, but it's still one of the best examples of this type of thing that I know:
From The Importance of Being Earnest:
Cecily: Do you suggest, Miss Fairfax, that I entrapped Ernest into an engagement? How dare you? This is no time for wearing the shallow mask of manners. When I see a spade I call it a spade.
Gwendolen: [Satirically.] I am glad to say that I have never seen a spade. It is obvious that our social spheres have been widely different.
posted by dlugoczaj at 8:43 AM on August 2, 2013 [8 favorites]
From The Importance of Being Earnest:
Cecily: Do you suggest, Miss Fairfax, that I entrapped Ernest into an engagement? How dare you? This is no time for wearing the shallow mask of manners. When I see a spade I call it a spade.
Gwendolen: [Satirically.] I am glad to say that I have never seen a spade. It is obvious that our social spheres have been widely different.
posted by dlugoczaj at 8:43 AM on August 2, 2013 [8 favorites]
Can't remember any particulars, but I know that on the British show QI there's often a lot of back-and-forth teasing between Stephen Fry and the rest of the panel about how much of an upper-class upbringing Fry had compared to everyone else.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:57 AM on August 2, 2013
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:57 AM on August 2, 2013
In one of Margaret Drabble's books-- maybe The Middle Ground-- her main character sees "Fur off" written on a subway wall and wonders, "Is that a new way of writing 'fuck off'?"
Seriously, you're wondering? Of course it sounds that way when some people say "fuck off." A lot of Drabble's characters seem to wonder about stuff like this. It's not always specifically class and education based and may the the reverse of elitist at times-- one of her wealthiest characters wonders if there is such a thing as vintage champagne, I believe.
posted by BibiRose at 9:05 AM on August 2, 2013
Seriously, you're wondering? Of course it sounds that way when some people say "fuck off." A lot of Drabble's characters seem to wonder about stuff like this. It's not always specifically class and education based and may the the reverse of elitist at times-- one of her wealthiest characters wonders if there is such a thing as vintage champagne, I believe.
posted by BibiRose at 9:05 AM on August 2, 2013
Charlotte pushed the newspaper across the table toward Jessamine. "Meanwhile, Jessie, perhaps you and Tessa can go through the paper and make note of anything that might pertain to the investigation, or be worth a second look -- "Clockwork Angel, Cassandra Clare
Jessamine recoiled from the paper as if it were a snake. "A lady does not read the newspaper. The society pages, perhaps, or the theater news. Not this filth."
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:49 AM on August 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
You'll find a bunch if you you use Google Books and search for terms like "I'm sure I wouldn't know" and "I wouldn't know such a thing."
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:53 AM on August 2, 2013
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:53 AM on August 2, 2013
"Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor, not a..."
posted by ubiquity at 10:02 AM on August 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by ubiquity at 10:02 AM on August 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
The plot of Keeping up Appearances
Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act
In real life, people pretend not to know each other pretty often.
posted by null14 at 10:22 AM on August 2, 2013
Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act
In real life, people pretend not to know each other pretty often.
posted by null14 at 10:22 AM on August 2, 2013
I mean it's one banana, Michael, what could it cost, $10?
I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it.
posted by melissasaurus at 12:27 PM on August 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it.
posted by melissasaurus at 12:27 PM on August 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Um, Lindsay Lohan's character in Mean Girls purposely got lower scores on her math tests to appear less smart & thus require help from Aaron Samuels. [less a class issue, more a "don't want to seem good at math" issue]
posted by amicamentis at 12:33 PM on August 2, 2013
posted by amicamentis at 12:33 PM on August 2, 2013
In The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, the writer describes being carried through the flooded countryside fields. She doesn't know what was being grown. There was an editor's note at that point that the fields would have been rice, and there was no way anyone at all in the area wouldn't have known what they were. It's long time since I read the book so I can't quote chapter and verse on it, but I remember that.
"The Pillow Book (枕草子 Makura no Sōshi?) is a book of observations and musings recorded by Sei Shōnagon during her time as court lady to Empress Consort Teishi (定子) during the 990s and early 11th century in Heian Japan. The book was completed in the year 1002."
This may be at a bit tangential: There's the Lady Chatterley's Lover trial, when the prosecuting counsel asked the jury "Is it a book that you would have lying around in your own house? Is it a book that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read?" The article linked says about this "His famously asinine question about wives and servants was asked rhetorically and with utter sincerity."
Oh, Stephen Fry - in British terms upper-middle class I think. Arguably.
posted by glasseyes at 12:56 PM on August 2, 2013
"The Pillow Book (枕草子 Makura no Sōshi?) is a book of observations and musings recorded by Sei Shōnagon during her time as court lady to Empress Consort Teishi (定子) during the 990s and early 11th century in Heian Japan. The book was completed in the year 1002."
This may be at a bit tangential: There's the Lady Chatterley's Lover trial, when the prosecuting counsel asked the jury "Is it a book that you would have lying around in your own house? Is it a book that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read?" The article linked says about this "His famously asinine question about wives and servants was asked rhetorically and with utter sincerity."
Oh, Stephen Fry - in British terms upper-middle class I think. Arguably.
posted by glasseyes at 12:56 PM on August 2, 2013
I meant to say, above, in the Lady Chatterley case it's not that Mervyn Griffith-Jones (the barrister) was pretending to be removed from ordinary life, he actually was, anachronistically, so removed he didn't even know.
posted by glasseyes at 1:14 PM on August 2, 2013
posted by glasseyes at 1:14 PM on August 2, 2013
Best answer: A story that has circulated in my family for decades: For a while my aunt dated a very snobbish guy. One day while visiting with my parents he made a great show of turning away and paying no attention when my father began talking about an article he'd read recently. As Dad stops speaking he disdainfully declared "I don't read Time Magazine."
My aunt turned to him and explained "No, no. He said it was in The [New York] Times Magazine!"
"Oh! Oh! What were you saying again?"
posted by zoinks at 3:01 PM on August 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
My aunt turned to him and explained "No, no. He said it was in The [New York] Times Magazine!"
"Oh! Oh! What were you saying again?"
posted by zoinks at 3:01 PM on August 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
Paris Hilton: What's Wal Mart? Do like, they sell wall stuff?
posted by wcfields at 3:25 PM on August 2, 2013
posted by wcfields at 3:25 PM on August 2, 2013
Best answer: This is possibly more intellectual snobbery than class snobbery, but you don't have that many real life examples and I do think there's some implied class snobbery here:
I don't know how familiar you are with the British TV quiz University Challenge, but whenever there's a question about popular culture and nobody gets it right, Jeremy Paxman, the host, gives the correct answer and always suffixes it with "...apparently". He never does this if the question's about poetry or classical music or politics, and more annoyingly, he doesn't even do it when it's some deeply specific science question or a complicated maths question he blatantly has no idea about. It's like he's saying "Ha! As if I would know about such inanities". (And it drives me nuts!)
posted by raspberry-ripple at 5:55 PM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
I don't know how familiar you are with the British TV quiz University Challenge, but whenever there's a question about popular culture and nobody gets it right, Jeremy Paxman, the host, gives the correct answer and always suffixes it with "...apparently". He never does this if the question's about poetry or classical music or politics, and more annoyingly, he doesn't even do it when it's some deeply specific science question or a complicated maths question he blatantly has no idea about. It's like he's saying "Ha! As if I would know about such inanities". (And it drives me nuts!)
posted by raspberry-ripple at 5:55 PM on August 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
For me, pepper, I put it on my plate
Then-Prime Minister Chretien to Nardwaur when discusing the RCMP pepper-spraying protestors.
posted by saucysault at 9:19 PM on August 2, 2013
Then-Prime Minister Chretien to Nardwaur when discusing the RCMP pepper-spraying protestors.
posted by saucysault at 9:19 PM on August 2, 2013
Best answer: Isn't there a scene in Pride & Prejudice where Mr Collins asks which of the Bennett daughters is responsible for the delicious dinner, and Mrs Bennett replies frostily that her girls have no need to know how to cook?
Ah, yes. Here it is.
posted by not that girl at 3:51 PM on August 3, 2013
Ah, yes. Here it is.
posted by not that girl at 3:51 PM on August 3, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks all, so many great answers.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 2:24 AM on August 5, 2013
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 2:24 AM on August 5, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 7:56 AM on August 2, 2013