How the media has shaped you? - Class

How the media has shaped the representation of class?

I found a youtube clip from a breakfast show a while back, which clearly represented class differences in the UK. It featured an interview of Katie Hopkins, who was asked on her opinion about certain baby names.

Hopkins is an example of what could be considered of upper class due to her celebrity status. In this video, the topic of baby names is discussed, and Hopkins shows a grudge against parents who give their children specific names which she personally isn't fond of, and openly confesses that she thinks less of both the children with such names and their parents who gave these names to them. The names she dislikes include 'Tyler', 'Charmaine' or 'Chantelle', as she associates such names with people of a lower class to her. From simply hearing a child's name, Hopkins talks about how she immediately decides whenever she "wants her children to play with them".

Because Hopkins is of a higher class status, she has no shame in belittling those who are not 'equal' to her, and she takes the chance of making herself superior. She fits the stereotypes of upper class individuals acting unabashedly rude towards 'lower class' citizens, of being judgemental and lacking any sympathy. Hopkins also has shown that her association of the lower class is that they are a threat to her and her family.

The This Morning cast have expressed their disagreement to Hopkins' opinions, and the producers have shown her in a negative light. The occasional banners shown during the clip read things such as "Katie Hopkins, says she judges people by their names" to summarise and remind the audience what she said. It is a clearly negative statement, as it makes the audience dislike her from wondering if she would ever approve of their own name. The ambiguous 'people' could be interpreted as anyone who crosses Hopkins' path would be judged for a name, as one of the presenters phrased it, "have not chosen for themselves". It portrays Hopkins as hostile and spiteful. As the discussion shifts towards the topic of 'successful/ middle class people who have 'working class' names', the male presenter interrupts Hopkins statement of "I never heard of a lawyer called Charmaine" with a list of Paralympic medallists, journalists and musicians to prove Hopkins wrong and to remind the audience that their name does not identify whenever one will be successful or not.