Chattering classes
Encyclopedia
The chattering classes is a generally derogatory term first coined by Auberon Waugh
often used by pundits and political commentators to refer to a politically active, socially concerned and highly educated section of the "metropolitan middle class
," especially those with political, media, and academic connections. It is sometimes used to refer to a liberal elite
, but its first use by British right wing polemicist Frank Johnson
in 1980 appeared to include a wider range of pundits. Indeed, the term is used by people all across the political spectrum to refer to the journalists and political operatives who see themselves as the arbiters of conventional wisdom. As such, the notion of 'chattering classes' can be seen as an antonym
to the older idea of an unrepresented Silent Majority (made famous by the U.S. Republican President Richard Nixon
).
In the United States
, the term has come to be used by both the right and left-wings to describe political opponents, with Stephen Perrault of the Merriam-Webster
dictionary suggesting that the term has "connotations of idleness, of useless talk, that the noun 'chatter' does. [...] These people don't amount to much — they like to hear themselves talk."
, the journalist Anne McElvoy
described herself and other similar people as being "metro-trendies", a self-deprecating way of describing people who live in urban areas who hold fashionable views on social issues, in this case the issues of civil union
s and same-sex marriage
.
Auberon Waugh
Auberon Alexander Waugh was a British author and journalist, son of the novelist Evelyn Waugh. He was known to his family and friends as Bron Waugh.-Life and career:...
often used by pundits and political commentators to refer to a politically active, socially concerned and highly educated section of the "metropolitan middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
," especially those with political, media, and academic connections. It is sometimes used to refer to a liberal elite
Liberal elite
Liberal elite is a political stigma used to describe affluent, politically left-leaning people. It is commonly used with the pejorative implication that the people who claim to support the rights of the working class are themselves members of the upper class, or upper middle class, and are...
, but its first use by British right wing polemicist Frank Johnson
Frank Johnson (journalist)
Frank Robert Johnson was an English journalist.-Education:Johnson failed his Eleven Plus examination, and was educated at a state secondary school in Shoreditch in East London, which he left at the age of 16...
in 1980 appeared to include a wider range of pundits. Indeed, the term is used by people all across the political spectrum to refer to the journalists and political operatives who see themselves as the arbiters of conventional wisdom. As such, the notion of 'chattering classes' can be seen as an antonym
Antonym
In lexical semantics, opposites are words that lie in an inherently incompatible binary relationship as in the opposite pairs male : female, long : short, up : down, and precede : follow. The notion of incompatibility here refers to the fact that one word in an opposite pair entails that it is not...
to the older idea of an unrepresented Silent Majority (made famous by the U.S. Republican President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
).
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the term has come to be used by both the right and left-wings to describe political opponents, with Stephen Perrault of the Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster
Merriam–Webster, which was originally the G. & C. Merriam Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, is an American company that publishes reference books, especially dictionaries that are descendants of Noah Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English Language .Merriam-Webster Inc. has been a...
dictionary suggesting that the term has "connotations of idleness, of useless talk, that the noun 'chatter' does. [...] These people don't amount to much — they like to hear themselves talk."
Metro-trendies
In London's Evening StandardEvening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
, the journalist Anne McElvoy
Anne McElvoy
Anne McElvoy is a British journalist for The Economist and Evening Standard, and a Radio 3 presenter.-Early life:McElvoy attended St Bede's RC Comprehensive School in Lanchester, County Durham and read German and Philosophy at Wadham College, Oxford...
described herself and other similar people as being "metro-trendies", a self-deprecating way of describing people who live in urban areas who hold fashionable views on social issues, in this case the issues of civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s and same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
.