WHAT IS SNOBBISHNESS?

Otago Witness, Issue 3475, 19 October 1920, Page 51

WHAT IS SNOBBISHNESS?

One of the great things the war has done a great deal to eradicate is that' hateful feeling known as snobbishness. Just exactly what snobbishness is it is difficult to say, i’ust as it is difficult to define exactly what we mean when wo speak of a real lady. But, though wo cannot define these words in dictionary language, deep down in our hearts we know what we mean when we speak of a snob and of a lady; and we know that a reab lady would not play the snob. The levelling up and down in the army and at home during the war brought people of widely different social positions into close contact, and the snobs began to find out that snobbishness was not only despicable but foolish. For at bottom all people are, after all, very much alike, irrespective of rank or position. It was doubtless a surprise for the snobbiest to find out that there were really nice people who did not live in villas, who had not had a grammar school education, and who were quite ignorant of the usages of polite society I But, as a’ matter of fact, many, of the people who lack outward polish are possessed of that innate refinement which counts for so much. People, who perhaps' do not speak quite grammatically, yet know how to respect the feelings _ of' others ; many of the precisely grammatical people, on the other hand, are, beneath the surface, innately vulgar, and lack the spice of natural refinement.' Sometimes one thinks that real ladies are born, not made. You may put a shine on a piece of tin and make it look like silver, hut eventually the rust will show through. “Quite common people! We couldn't possibly associate with tho;n,” is a remark frequently heard. Now ; why should we be afraid to associate with these so-called common people? Are we afraid that some of the cpmmonness would rub off, and that we should get soiled with it? If so, it does not say much for us of the villa, and with the ’grammar school educations, does It? ' _ . Possibly we might learn something from those quite common people; some of them

It is not often that an opportunity given for a private individual to buy light house, but one was advertised in recent issue of the New Zealand Times

is a a as

for sale. It was described as being "in a magnificent position, and containing a large sitting room, dining room, five bedrooms, bathroom, eto., together with a garage."

might give us of the villas points as to honourable dealing, truth, sincerity, and kindliness—virtues which the grammar school education does not particularly foster. On the contrary, they are virtues which may be fostered equally in the cottage and the mansion, and they are certainly more valuable assets to us than the usages of polite society. It is quite conceivable that people who occupy different stations in life should not care for each other as boon companions, but it is not conceivable why the mistress should be ,so infuriated because someone mistakes her for the maid. There are plenty of refined and ladylike girls among the maids, just as there are mistresses who are neither.

No really refined and educated woman need fear being mistaken for what she Is not, for, though she may not have a distinguished appearance, ten minutes' conversation with her will at once settle the matter.

And if there is one thing which causes ill-feeling, and puts class against class, it is this hateful quality of snobbishness. It hurts greatly to be despised and looked down upon, and it engenders hatred from the woman who is one step lower down than yourself, just as it engenders the same feeling in you towards the woman who is one step above you. You do not like it, dear lady { so do not pass it onto otheis. We all have very susceptible feelings, and we do not like them hurt,-for these sores take a long time to heal.