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Lysondra
01-02-2008, 08:35 PM
After finishing the exercise, I wonder what the percentages of people that each item applies to, ie; what percentage of children born in yearX-yearX had said privilege.

Today, would items like a TV or Phone would be replaced with items like a laptop or blackberry, perhaps?

I wonder if my stepson is privileged or just average or underprivileged according to the standards set by this list?

And why are items like going to museums and reading to your child considered things of privilege? We used to go to the library and check out books that my mother would read to us, and many museums are an inexpensive way to spend a Saturday afternoon. This has more to do with being a good parent, not living a privileged childhood.

Sure would've been a privilege to me. :(

ahmeerah
01-02-2008, 08:48 PM
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

I'm wondering what this has to do with "priveledge." I didn't know about bills growing up but I don't even know how much I pay NOW. I just make sure I pay it when the bill's sent.

Plus it doesn't seem like something a parent would talk to their kid about???

MsQwerty
01-02-2008, 08:56 PM
Having a "good" parent is a priviledge thats why. On the other hand parents can still be "good' and not do those things for what ever reason. If parents wernt taken to museums themselves as kids then they may not be likely to start doing it as adults. Also some people dont have museums and galleries near them and some parents are so caught up with working there simply isnt time to do things like that. Some kids dont have parents and some may not have able bodied parents and so on...

I think the questions isnt setting standards so much - its not a test as such, but it certainly makes you sit back and think a bit.

It think some of the questions would need to change from generation to generation and by region. For instance when I was a kid in the 1970s (England) a lot of homes (most of the kids i knew up until the 1980s) didnt have phones at all.


After finishing the exercise, I wonder what the percentages of people that each item applies to, ie; what percentage of children born in yearX-yearX had said privilege.

Today, would items like a TV or Phone would be replaced with items like a laptop or blackberry, perhaps?

I wonder if my stepson is privileged or just average or underprivileged according to the standards set by this list?

And why are items like going to museums and reading to your child considered things of privilege? We used to go to the library and check out books that my mother would read to us, and many museums are an inexpensive way to spend a Saturday afternoon. This has more to do with being a good parent, not living a privileged childhood.

Djoser
01-02-2008, 09:00 PM
Yeah, in addition to monetary/class privilege, I think the survey considers it a privilege being born into a family that nurtures reading and art appreciation.

MsQwerty
01-02-2008, 09:01 PM
I can tell you from a British sense anyway. If you were from a poor family or poor area you would know how hard it was to make ends meet. Kids from better off families probably would never hear about money in a negitive sense or have much need to think about it, but the poor families sometimes had to choose between having heat in winter or having food on the table. In some of the really depressed areas families might have to sell or hock various belongings to help cover living costs or the kids might have to work too doing paper rounds and such.



34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

I'm wondering what this has to do with "priveledge." I didn't know about bills growing up but I don't even know how much I pay NOW. I just make sure I pay it when the bill's sent.

Plus it doesn't seem like something a parent would talk to their kid about???

OdysseusNJ
01-02-2008, 09:03 PM
I can tell you from a British sense anyway. If you were from a poor family or poor area you would know how hard it was to make ends meet. Kids from better off families probably would never hear about money in a negitive sense or have much need to think about it, but the poor families sometimes had to choose between having heat in winter or having food on the table. In some of the really depressed areas families might have to sell or hock various belongings to help cover living costs or the kids might have to work too doing paper rounds and such.

^^Yes this, I remember overhearing all the conversations about how to get enough to pay the rent and various bills.

GoldCoastGirl
01-02-2008, 10:24 PM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
I don't know that much about my mother. Never bothered. Her and me never had a 'great' relationship.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
dancing mainly with piano/keyboard thrown into the mix for awhile
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships)
Whilst I have not been to UNI, my father did pay for most of my TAFE courses that I did.
16. Went to a private high school
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels - plenty!
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
They built a few of the homes, before selling then moving, then defaulted on the mortgage at one home before we became renters and then I moved out of home to become a renter myself.
25. You had your own room as a child
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family


I do not doubt I had a privileged childhood. I know what it is like to fly first class from Sydney to LAX for goodness sake ;D My family did a lot of international travel before I was 18 and mainly during my pre-teens and mid-teens.

It may look all great on the outside yet my mother was an emotionally abusive parent (after she stopped being physically abusive). There IS a reason why I'm so hard core on NOT having children and it does have to do with how abusive she was towards me most of my childhood into my teens.

austinatalie
01-03-2008, 12:28 AM
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

I'm wondering what this has to do with "priveledge." I didn't know about bills growing up but I don't even know how much I pay NOW. I just make sure I pay it when the bill's sent.

Plus it doesn't seem like something a parent would talk to their kid about???

it's not necessarily that they talked to me specifically about it, but I definitely knew because I got yelled at if I turned the AC too cold in the summer or too warm in the winter, and I overheard lots of arguments between my parents when the bill would come. They bitched about it a lot when we were poorest.

MsQwerty
01-03-2008, 12:34 AM
^^^Yeah the whole "Did you know about how much the heating cost" thing directly relates to how much additional stress a child was likely to be surrounded with too.

You could even say that if you dont understand the question, thats a priviledge.

Andygirl
01-03-2008, 08:12 AM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
3. Mother went to university
4. Mother finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships)
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
29. Owned a mutual fund or superannuation fund in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

doc-catfish
01-03-2008, 08:40 AM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
I put these in gray because I'm not sure what constitutes "university", if you mean a 4 year academic institution then no, if you mean any type of post-graduate education then yes.

6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
Yes, but growing up in a small town thats not that exceptional. Most of our teachers come from working class families.

7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent

10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
Define "lessons". Like music lessons? Do athletics count? What about scouting?

12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Often it depends on what slant the media is trying to push.

20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them

23. You and your family lived in a single family house
Again, not all that exceptional in the rural U.S. Even the semi-poor often live in a single family unit. Some even actually own them.

25. You had your own room as a child
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.

All Good Things
01-03-2008, 10:25 PM
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc) – Most public school teachers in small towns in the U.S. are working class. My own family was in this odd socioeconomic limbo between clueless white trash and barely functional alcoholic enraged class.

7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home. Yes, but only because I bought most of the more mainstream ones. My parents had their own amusing collection of a dozen revisionist histories, long books on conspiracy theories and cheap unread dime store novels.

10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18 – Yes, but they were all free. Electronics, amateur radio, TV crew and talent, foreign languages. Sometimes traded training in one area for teaching in another. Never had paid lessons of any kind and sure as hell nothing my parents would actually pay for.

12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. Um, I am a guy in the media and generally my peers are portrayed positively with the exception of people like Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern and Don Imus. Don actually grew up in my small home town in Arizona (which is why he wears those goofy cowboy hats, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but in his case it’s a bit of an affectation because he is not from a family who at the time operated a working ranch.)

23. You and your family lived in a single family house - Sometimes – interspersed with rental rooms and two different mobile homes.

25. You had your own room as a child – Sometimes; alternated with a shared room or couch in a cramped family room

27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University. Thankfully, my parents did not stand in my way if it was free, so I had 4 AP courses in my senior year in high school, three years of National Honor Society and Key Club while still doing television and working as a licensed engineer at a radio station. All this while basically stoned within an inch of borderline cognitive functionality. I also paid my entire way through college, nearly starving to death at regular intervals, like there was ever any other option when it came to paying for education.

28. Had your own TV in your room in High School – Yes, but I bought it broken, fixed it and then had to hide it.

30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16 – Yes, but paid for all tickets myself too. There were times, particularly during alcoholic rages, when they would take them away from me before I learned to hide them like I did with the TV.

RoseLeigh
01-04-2008, 12:01 AM
I really didn't understand number 6. Is that a UK/AUS thing? I really have no clue what class my high-school teachers were in because sometimes teachers have spouses that are financially successful, or have been doing this for a long time and have some tenure. Class means something else here.


I think it's more clear if, like I did, you went to a private school in a good town and you lived in the crap city next to it, sporting hand me down uniforms. Or if you went to a small town public school, but drove a swanky car and could have afforded to go to private. We definitely have classes in the US, it's just unspoken and a little more blurry. It's not just money.

stellaforstars
01-04-2008, 09:15 AM
2. Father finished university--After I was in high school.
3. Mother went to university--Does community college count here?
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home- Thank goodness for Recycled Books/Records/Cds...Books at $.50 apiece!
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18- Paid for them myself or got scholarships.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child--Ummmm...my grandfather painted it...
25. You had your own room as a child-Sometimes.
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University Yes, and I paid for it myself.
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up

jasmine
01-04-2008, 03:10 PM
This really shows the inability to manage money. I had all these things that make me look very spoiled while living in a single-wide trailer and having the utilities regularly shut off.

1. Father went to university
3. Mother went to university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
23. You and your family lived in a single family house - sort of - does a trailer count?
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home - does a trailer count?
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family - I was unaware yes, but they frequently didn't get paid.

Tallulah
01-04-2008, 03:29 PM
I Britain the brats think they are below poverty line if they dont have an i pod,plasma in their room and wii. Kids are far to indulged and spoilt in UK I think.
Also in a world that calls Victoria Beckhma posh, i think we can safely say theres no such thing as proper class divide. It all comes down to wealth.

bellasera
01-04-2008, 05:07 PM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
3. Mother went to university
4. Mother finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships)
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them-it was used
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School-but no cable
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up



Growing up I was privileged, but I worked hard for everything my mom gave me. I was a very good kid and an only child, so it made things easier.

buffie06
01-09-2008, 12:24 AM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
3. Mother went to university
4. Mother finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
(9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 1814. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships)
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels -
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18 -
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house -
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
29. Owned a mutual fund or superannuation fund in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

misslizzy
01-09-2008, 08:46 AM
About half of these were more due to my Grandparents than my parents. For all the emotional support my Mom gave me, and for all she caused and encouraged my love of reading, if it wasn't for my Grandparents, we would have been homeless or living in bad project housing for most of my upbringing. I've never had cable, or owned a TV set that wasn't close to my own age. I had very few toys, and mostly played with school supplies and marbles. I was lucky to have a roof over my head and food to eat, but my Grandparents didn't want too much part of funding another kid's upbringing when they were ready to start spending on themselves.

3. Mother went to university
4. Mother finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
I come from a family FULL of teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
I was allowed to read anything and everything in the house
9. Were read children's books by a parent
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships)
Small trust fund. County college.
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
Grandparents bought me a used car to get to college classes
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
25. You had your own room as a child
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up

greenidlady1
01-09-2008, 03:26 PM
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
16. Went to a private high school
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

Alaska
01-09-2008, 07:59 PM
I just can't answer this. I've had the most originally traumatic life ever, yet I still went to summer camp!

hardkandee
01-09-2008, 08:21 PM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
3. Mother went to university
4. Mother finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships)
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
29. Owned a mutual fund or superannuation fund in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

Sounds better than it was, I guess. :-\

tennisqt
01-09-2008, 09:45 PM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
29. Owned a mutual fund or superannuation fund in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

I feel so fortunate for everything my family was able to provide for me.

miabella
01-09-2008, 11:21 PM
i noticed somewhere an interesting critique of this meme, which is that it defines 'privilege' as stuff common to white upper middle class americans, which makes the thing kinda classically bourgie-- and they are never the most privileged, just the most pretentious...

PhillyDancer1982
01-17-2008, 11:19 AM
1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
3. Mother went to university
4. Mother finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor. --> One of my cousins recently became an attorney...does that count, even though I didn't see/deal with my cousins much growing up?
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc) --> Nah, I went to a small public school in an upper middle class area where most of the teachers were rich.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
(9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18 --> At the same time, NO; but not at the same time, YES. I was involved in art classes when I was 8-12 and piano when I was 14.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships) --> They paid a generous amount considering how hard my dad works and that I have a lot of other siblings, but not most of it.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels. --> not hotels, but my parents used to rent a beach house for the week for all of us
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18 --> most of it but not all...sometimes my cousins gave us hand-me-downs
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them --> HELLS NO I WISH
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house --> for some of the time yes
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child --> for some of it
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University --> yes, but this was in spite of my mom's constant lectures to relatives about how "pointless and useless" she viewed college
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
29. Owned a mutual fund or superannuation fund in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up --> I loved the trips I went to with my family, such as to Crystal Cave or historic places!! :D
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family --> my parents never discussed their money with me on ANYTHING


We definitely weren't poor growing up...but we weren't rich either, and everything nice that we did have was earned by my dad drastically overworking. For example, the reason we eventually moved to a well-to-do neighborhood was because my dad had bought a plot of land 10 yrs earlier right before that town because a snooty "hot spot"(i.e., property values skyrocketed) and built the house himself alongside his full-time carpentry work. My parents worked very hard to build a protective lifestyle for us...allowing us to live in a safe neighborhood with an excellent public school district, etc. My mom chose to be a stay-at-home mom while us 5 kids were growing up, and worked out of home on bills/bookkeeping for my dad's carpentry business. They also stayed together until my dad became widowed. So I feel very privileged in those ways.

On the other hand, we weren't very spoiled at all and my parents(esp my mom, who was poor growing up) were obsessed with being overly thrifty and ensuring that I wasn't "spoiled rotten" like my cousins. When I was a teenager, it got to the point of extremely annoying...sometimes my mom would "ground" me from going out, just on the basis of showing me that she still had authority, even if I didn't do anything wrong.

Now if there was a quiz to take concerning how so-called "priviledged" I was after high school(my parents started taking a turn for the worse, and other factors)...I'd probably get like a 0. Ugh. Glad those days are over(thanks to stripping, which got me out of the hole and stabilized me until I found a good "regular" job).

teeth_of_the_hydra
01-18-2008, 12:37 PM
I can't believe I missed this thread before. Reading the replies have been really interesting.

1. Father went to university
2. Father finished university
3. Mother went to university
4. Mother finished university
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers (Ie, class as in - working class, middle class, upper class etc)
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively (I don't know if I know how this applies... these days I dress like some sort of lunatic, however, my parents talk and dress like Conventionally Upstanding Citizens, and always have.)
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your university
costs (costs after scholarships)
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels We stayed in beach houses or little boutique inns or bed and breakfasts, but the idea is the same, possibly even snobbier.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18 I actually wore almost nothing that I bought new, but my parents kept asking me to stop shopping at the Salvation Army. So I easily could have worn new clothing, I was just a contrary little fuck like that. Not much has changed.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house My parents' second home is a single family house, but they raised me and my brother in an apartment in Queens, because they consider it far better to live in NYC than Long Island (where the house is).
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18 I had a phone, but not a phone line. Many of my more spoiled friends had their own phone lines. Even now, it seems a bit outrageous to give a middle schooler his or her own phone line!
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
29. Owned a mutual fund or superannuation fund in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family Since I grew up in an apartment complex, residents paid a flat fee for utilities and maintenance. I was aware that this fee existed, as my parents grumbled when they received sub-par repair service that their money was being wasted on a plumber (or carpenter, or exterminator) who was "an incompetent ignoramus". But I had no idea how much the fee actually was, and was certain that my parents had no trouble paying it.

Anyway, now I've outed myself as a horribly spoiled kid. One of these days y'all are going to stop liking me and my bloated, bratty sense of entitlement. My past sits ill at ease with even me, because fuck, I'm a trust fund kid who hates stripping but wants so bad to be tough. Blah. I had a good childhood, though, and I am grateful for what my parents gave me, and wish I had turned out better, somehow; more grateful and willing to "give back." Maybe there's hope for me yet. :-\

Alia_of_the_Knife
01-18-2008, 01:14 PM
1. Father went to university
3. Mother went to university
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons (outside of school) of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons (outside of school) before you turned
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in any higher level Year 11 or Year 12 course with a view to entering University
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up


I'm glad to see that I am not the only one with a mixed up income childhood. My parents were both big on education adn had both attended college (mom also got an associates RN), neither has a bachelors. They always read to me and played with educational games. Later on I went to nerdy summer camps and private school. I also had music lessons in the Piano and Violin. But financially, we were poor as hell. My dad didnt make much money, and my mom made (and still makes) pretty good money but can't budget herself out of a paper bag. I lived with my insane grandma until I was 14 years old. And both my parents can be pretty nutty as well.

pixiekittie
01-18-2008, 01:32 PM
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child

Wow, this is pretty sad.