Does this constitute snobbery?

[MickyD]

I remember a friend's partner coming to stay at my house, browsing the many discs of early music on my shelves and finally commenting 'There's not one disc here that I would bother to listen to'.

I replied that his arrogance was matched only by his ignorance. Needless to say, he wasn't invited again.

[cloughie]

I remember a friend's partner coming to stay at my house, browsing the many discs of early music on my shelves and finally commenting 'There's not one disc here that I would bother to listen to'.

I replied that his arrogance was matched only by his ignorance. Needless to say, he wasn't invited again.

Obviously very unhipp!

[ardcarp]

Or as the cat in Red Dwarf said, "Man you're so unhipp your ass'll drop off".

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Or as the cat in Red Dwarf said, "Man you're so unhipp your ass'll drop off".

A pedant notes: Zaphod Beeblebrox in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe: "Sheesh! You guys are so unhip it's a wonder your bums don't fall off."

[oddoneout]

I made the additional point, down thread, that the woman is involved with an arts organisation, which made her ignorance of F.K. all the more alarming, to me at least. Sort of analogous to a member of a scientific society not knowing what joules are.

In today's climate knowledge of the subject in which you are involved in some way is not seen as necessary - or even desirable(asking awkward - aka essential - questions is not desirable).
However, on a less cynical note, people are involved in organisations for various reasons and in varied capacities, which may not require a high level of knowledge of the 'specialist subject', or perhaps only knowledge/experience of one aspect. People with specialised subject knowledge do not always make the best administrators, planners, fund-raisers etc. Sometimes it is the person without the knowledge who asks the important questions. As a school governor I know there were times when 'newbies' did us a service by asking 'simple' questions, either because as oldhands we were embarrassed to admit we didn't know something that we probably should have or because, in giving the answer, an opportunity sometimes arose to re-evaluate the issue. Similarly, as a lay person involved in plans for the local hospital, my contribution was being able to ask questions and make comments from a viewpoint outside the system.
Although there are obviously limits to the 'usefulness' of ignorance*, dismissing a person's place or role purely on the basis of perceived ignorance and consequent value judgement as to that person's contribution could well be counter-productive.

*except for those in positions of power and influence, where an inverse proportion situation seems to apply...

[french frank]

I made the additional point, down thread, that the woman is involved with an arts organisation, which made her ignorance of F.K. all the more alarming, to me at least.

Possibly. Though I worked in a French department where a majority of the staff didn't have a clue about the subjects I was teaching. I certainly didn't have much of a clue about what they were teaching. 'The arts' is a very wide subject.

[Conchis]

Possibly. Though I worked in a French department where a majority of the staff didn't have a clue about the subjects I was teaching. I certainly didn't have much of a clue about what they were teaching. 'The arts' is a very wide subject.

In so-called 'Academies', it's common for the head of an Arts/Humanities Department to have no qualification in that subject (this particularly applies to History and Geography).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

In so-called 'Academies', it's common for the head of an Arts/Humanities Department to have no qualification in that subject (this particularly applies to History and Geography).

How "common" is this phenomenon, Conchis?

[Conchis]

How "common" is this phenomenon, Conchis?

The one that Mrs. Conchis left a couple of years ago (to preserve her own - and my - sanity) was appointing recently-qualified teachers (ie, one year or less classroom experience as heads (not Executive Heads, mind - they want 'em to work hard for nowt). When last we heard, the head of the Geography Department had no qualification in Geography and the Head of History was a P.E. teacher. Mrs. Conchis (a History and Classical Civilisation teacher) was asked to teach Spanish: the fact that she doesn't speak a word of that language was deemed no obstacle. From what I can gather, this is entirely typical.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

From what I can gather, this is entirely typical.

This would not at all surprise me - but where do you get such "gatherings"?

[eighthobstruction]

.....it's too late now....but I'm very pleased to know that I'm unqualified to teach all sorts of subjects....I missed my vocation...

[french frank]

.....it's too late now....but I'm very pleased to know that I'm unqualified to teach all sorts of subjects....I missed my vocation...

Oh, eighth! I'm sure you missed your vocation, though I'm not to sure what it would have been

[french frank]

When last we heard, the head of the Geography Department had no qualification in Geography and the Head of History was a P.E. teacher. Mrs. Conchis (a History and Classical Civilisation teacher) was asked to teach Spanish: the fact that she doesn't speak a word of that language was deemed no obstacle. From what I can gather, this is entirely typical.

I bet it does well in the league tables.

[Conchis]

This would not at all surprise me - but where do you get such "gatherings"?

From practically every teacher - and I know about 12 - who has taught in a school that has become an 'Academy'. It is part of government policy to remove qualified and experienced (ie, expensive) teachers from the state system and replace them with NQTs who will be work long hours for less pay. Qualifications are not considered important - just being a 'class-room presence' is all.

[eighthobstruction]

<< ff: I'm sure you missed your vocation, though I'm not to sure what it would have been>>


....I'd say : Leader of World Mindfulness (Socialist-Liberal-Humanist Wing) : See person of small ratios