Does class status still exist in modern times? During the olden days, in almost every culture, those who were aristocratic were not allowed to marry beneath them, and those who were born lower-class were asked to stick to their own kind.
But now that society is supposed to be equal, does social status still play a part? I was watching "The Notebook", where the female lead was forced to break up with the male lead simply because her father was a millionaire and the guy was just a labourer.
She loved him, but got engaged to another guy of the same social standing as her. The movie had a happy ending though, as the lovers did get together in the end as her parents finally allowed her to make her own choice and her fiance let her go.
Nowadays, we still hear of the upper-class marrying someone of the same status. Although things are more equal than before, as I have a few friends who come from average backgrounds marrying into very wealthy families, but some of those who are rich still have an air of aristocracy and look down their noses at everyone else.
Take my family for example. I cannot profess that I am that rich in the first place since we are nowhere near millionaire status. But my mum herself has the type of attitude that is almost befitting her high-middle-class status.
According to her, I must be with someone rich and established, with a good family background, good job with well prospects, etc. So she normally finds fault with every guy I bring home, which is probably the reason why the guys I had been with never dared to progress further.
Is money and social status really that important? She keeps telling me to open my eyes wide and not end up with guys who will keep struggling with finances and make me suffer.
Of course if the guy is in debt all the time, I will not be with him as well, but if he is earning a decent living, it should be alright. He does not need to be rich or have a vast amount of inheritance coming to him or running some big family business as long as he is true to me.
My first guy lived in a five-room flat in one of the middle-class housing estates, and his father is a social worker. So she was not that disapproving, especially when he was supposed to be studying to be an Engineer.
My second guy was living in an executive flat in one of the middle-class housing estates, and his father ran his own business, until the economic downturn when the family was forced to downgrade to a four-room flat in a more low-class area. Still, she liked him the most probably because of his law qualifications and the fact that he is working in the airline.
She disliked my third guy the most as he is living in a three-room flat in one of the older estates, and working on a project basis. She thinks he is not stable and has no fixed income. I used to tell her it does not matter who she likes because I am the one who will be getting married and living with the guy, not her.
Now that I am with someone much older (the age she likes), she wants me to find out his monthly income and family background. I cannot be bothered to do that. I have asked about his family background, but that is only because I want to find out more as a girlfriend, not to report back to my mum, so I never really tell her much about him.
So far she has not questioned me further, but honestly, must she always interfere each time I start a new relationship? Ok, perhaps in the past I ended up with guys who broke my heart, but I believe I am in a better position to know whether he is good and true to me. I never have a boyfriend who is willing to do so much for me before!
At least she has not done what those upper-class families used to do in the past - match make me with someone of the same status. For me, I believe in choosing the one I want to be with. After all, it is for the rest of my life, so I will want someone who can make me happy and not living my life catering to others.
But now that society is supposed to be equal, does social status still play a part? I was watching "The Notebook", where the female lead was forced to break up with the male lead simply because her father was a millionaire and the guy was just a labourer.
She loved him, but got engaged to another guy of the same social standing as her. The movie had a happy ending though, as the lovers did get together in the end as her parents finally allowed her to make her own choice and her fiance let her go.
Nowadays, we still hear of the upper-class marrying someone of the same status. Although things are more equal than before, as I have a few friends who come from average backgrounds marrying into very wealthy families, but some of those who are rich still have an air of aristocracy and look down their noses at everyone else.
Take my family for example. I cannot profess that I am that rich in the first place since we are nowhere near millionaire status. But my mum herself has the type of attitude that is almost befitting her high-middle-class status.
According to her, I must be with someone rich and established, with a good family background, good job with well prospects, etc. So she normally finds fault with every guy I bring home, which is probably the reason why the guys I had been with never dared to progress further.
Is money and social status really that important? She keeps telling me to open my eyes wide and not end up with guys who will keep struggling with finances and make me suffer.
Of course if the guy is in debt all the time, I will not be with him as well, but if he is earning a decent living, it should be alright. He does not need to be rich or have a vast amount of inheritance coming to him or running some big family business as long as he is true to me.
My first guy lived in a five-room flat in one of the middle-class housing estates, and his father is a social worker. So she was not that disapproving, especially when he was supposed to be studying to be an Engineer.
My second guy was living in an executive flat in one of the middle-class housing estates, and his father ran his own business, until the economic downturn when the family was forced to downgrade to a four-room flat in a more low-class area. Still, she liked him the most probably because of his law qualifications and the fact that he is working in the airline.
She disliked my third guy the most as he is living in a three-room flat in one of the older estates, and working on a project basis. She thinks he is not stable and has no fixed income. I used to tell her it does not matter who she likes because I am the one who will be getting married and living with the guy, not her.
Now that I am with someone much older (the age she likes), she wants me to find out his monthly income and family background. I cannot be bothered to do that. I have asked about his family background, but that is only because I want to find out more as a girlfriend, not to report back to my mum, so I never really tell her much about him.
So far she has not questioned me further, but honestly, must she always interfere each time I start a new relationship? Ok, perhaps in the past I ended up with guys who broke my heart, but I believe I am in a better position to know whether he is good and true to me. I never have a boyfriend who is willing to do so much for me before!
At least she has not done what those upper-class families used to do in the past - match make me with someone of the same status. For me, I believe in choosing the one I want to be with. After all, it is for the rest of my life, so I will want someone who can make me happy and not living my life catering to others.
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