a working class hero is something to be...?

[eFestivals]

are you saying people should 'accept' their place in society?

Nope, exactly the opposite. But to do so they first have to recognise their place in society.

[eFestivals]

I haven't found in my working life any block in regards to "who I know"...

I think this issue is more to do with certain professions such as being a lawyer / MP etc for example...

PMSL - yeah, cos people explicitly say "you're wasting your time bidding for this contract cos I'm going to give it to my mate", eh?

[eFestivals]

So hence I don't think its an overbearing issue for me personally.

the point is that you simply cannot know if it is - unless you're landing 100% of the contract6s you go for?

I have only ever not got the job once when going for personal employment interviews.

PMSL - don't you think that the ruling classes need plebes to wipe their shit up for them then?

So haven't seen it

which is a different thing entirely to whether it's happening or not.

Why do you always have to take this tone when people are telling you about their own experiences.

because as I've just pointed out above, what your experiences have been is not necessarily the same thing as what is going on behind the scenes.

The simple fact - proven by facts - is that this country is becoming less of a meritocracy. You cannot know where that fact is coming into play within your own life.

[eFestivals]

Come one then... Present these facts...

http://www.crest.ox.ac.uk/papers/p70.pdf

[grumpyhack]

My point about universities should perhaps have been a bit clearer. I agree with Neil that often it's who you know but often the most important people you get to know are people you meet at uni.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

That's assuming the vast majority of people have been to university though. I would assume that the majority haven't attended, so the most important people they meet will come from other walks of life.

[eFestivals]

My point about universities should perhaps have been a bit clearer. I agree with Neil that often it's who you know but often the most important people you get to know are people you meet at uni.

tho of course the opportunity to meet future-powerful people at uni is set by a person's chances of attending the uni that those future-powerful people will attend, which is mostly set by a person's background prior to applying to unis.

The simple fact is that despite solid evidence that a person's background has little to do with how they succeed or not at uni (for example, the most successful Cambridge college is the one with highest proportion of comprehensive students [rather than students from private schools]), unis favour students from private schools when everything else is equal with their exam results and academic background.

Edited December 21, 2011 by eFestivals

[grumpyhack]

Which is why I said it's the school / uni that you attend that can still make all the difference.

[Ed209]

The simple fact is that despite solid evidence that a person's background has little to do with how they succeed or not at uni (for example, the most successful Cambridge college is the one with highest proportion of comprehensive students [rather than students from private schools]), unis favour students from private schools when everything else is equal with their exam results and academic background.

[diddly-dee]

The simple fact is that despite solid evidence that a person's background has little to do with how they succeed or not at uni (for example, the most successful Cambridge college is the one with highest proportion of comprehensive students [rather than students from private schools]), unis favour students from private schools when everything else is equal with their exam results and academic background.