Tuesday 11 September 2007

Urban Tribes



We all have an affiliation to one tribe or another be it by birth, choice, or chance. This affiliation determines the outward presentation of ourselves to the world. It also determines how we decorate our houses and conduct our inner lives. Author, and social commentator Nancy Mitford simply described it as U and non-U. No longer is it a simple, if it was ever indeed simple, question of social standing.
Today's tribes are driven by the concept of lifestyle and a sense of false nostalgia, not by familial tradition or any sense of connoisseurship.
These Neo-Tribes, as I call them, are:
the Neo-Nouvelles; the Neo-Barbarians; the Neo-Preps; the Neo-Emigres; and my least favourite of all, the Neo-Trendsetters.

4 comments:

Pigtown-Design said...

I am one of the oldveau poor! old name but no more money...

surprised at the news of Dame Anita. she was one of the governors at the college in wales and i met her a couple of times.

HOBAC said...

You are in good company...
Don't spoil it - I'm going to detail each tribe and the money thing too. ssh....


I'm really shocked re DAR - such a shame.
Was she nice? I've met one of her friends who was absolutely hideous...I wish it was her who had died instead.

Pigtown-Design said...

V. nice to me, but a friend interviewed to be her corporate lawyer and hated her.

HOBAC said...

I suspected as much - birds of a feather and all.