(Keep in mind the "liberal" Guardian also mourned racist, xenophobic comedian Bernard Manning's death and complained his critics were all "middle class," a sting to Brits, maybe, even if calling someone "middle class" in America is hardly a cutting remark in the same way.)
There are "ideas that the working class actually holds" -- like, in many parts of the US, racist ideas. And there are "ideas we'd like to see the working class hold because it seems consonant with their class interests" -- which would be ideas like anti-racism, and CND. Whether CND is a "working class idea" or a "middle class idea" in origin is less important to me than whether it's a good idea. A good idea is a good idea whether it comes from a king or a pauper. I think vegetarianism, CND, and environmentalism are good ideas, whether they're middle, working, or upper class in origin.
I used to think nature food faddists and homeopathic/herbal remedy nuts were a part of fringe culture, honestly. Then Whole Foods happened, and it became a very middle class idea in the US. Actually, not really even middle class, but boozhie, upscale, even ostentatious. Cashiers in dreadlocks wearing hemp clothing, selling faddist nature foods to folks in BMWs, who make ten times their salary. That seemed weird to me at first, and still sort of does.
-B.
John Adams wrote:
"Here's an interesting observation, which may or may not be true:"
B. quoted the Guardian about Crass:
"'Crass would send fans leaflets (usually self-produced) on topics ranging from vegetarianism to environmentalism to nuclear disarmament, introducing a slew of working- class punks to traditionally middle-class ideals.'"
John Adams wrote:
"What do you think about this analysis?"