Class

Quotations about Class

Using Quotations in a Speech or Text about Class

As well as keeping your audience engaged, adding quotations to a speech or a text can significantly enhance its impact and effectiveness. Quotations are useful for explaining complex ideas concisely, much in the same way that analogies are used. Additionally, quotations from experts or celebrities can add credibility to your message.

Here are some funny and poignant quotations about class. If your speech is serious, do not automatically avoid funny quotations as they can often be the most impactful, forcing your audience into the thinking about the hidden analogous message in your selected quotation.

"Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious." (British actor Peter Ustinov)
"When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth." (Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw)

If you are looking to make a fuller speech about class, then below this selection of quotations are three funny themes and three serious themes on the topic of class that might help trigger some ideas for your speech or text.

"You know you're working class when your TV is bigger than your bookcase." Rob Beckett English comedian

"There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else." Andrew Carnegie (Scottish American industrialist, 1835-1919)

"Upper classes are a nation's past; the middle class is its future." Ayn Rand (Russian-born American writer, 1905-1982)

"Why do elites hate the poor? It's xenophobia. They don't know any poor people – except their off-the-books Brazilian nanny and illegal immigrant cleaning lady from Upper Revolta who don't speak English." P. J. O'Rourke (American humorous writer, 1947-)

"The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them in parliament." Vladimir Lenin (Head of Soviet Russia, 1870-1924)

"A gentleman never eats. He breakfasts, he lunches, he dines, but he never eats!" Anon

Interviewer: "Have the British class barriers come down?"
"Of course they have, or I wouldn't be sitting here talking to someone like you." Barbara Cartland (English writer, 1901-2000)

"We are all Adam's children but silk makes the difference." Thomas Fuller (English writer and physician, 1654-1734)

"Be sure to pack your evening clothes. The governor is bound to ask you to dine." Lady Douglas Home (1909-90) speaking to her son, the Earl of Home, when he was sent to prison in 1944.

"Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? All the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewellery." John Lennon (English pop singer and songwriter, 1940-80)

"I no longer keep the coal in the bath. I keep it in the bidet." John Prescott (British Labour politician, 1938-)

"Nothing is more bourgeois than to be afraid to look bourgeois." Andy Warhol (American artist, 1927-87)

"Really, if the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on Earth is the use of them?" Oscar Wilde (Irish dramatist and poet, 1854-1900)

"I think factories would close down, actually, if it wasn't for working-class people." Victoria Wood (British writer and comedienne, 1953-)

Thinking Template for a Speech or Text on Class

Below are 3 funny themes and 3 serious themes related to class. These have been included to help you identify areas to explore.

Funny Themes:

Class Clashes: Hilarious Misunderstandings Between Social Classes
- Share amusing stories of misunderstandings and culture clashes between different social classes, highlighting the humorous side of these interactions.
Ridiculous Etiquette: Funny and Outdated Class Norms
- Highlight some of the most bizarre and outdated etiquette rules that were once followed by different classes, showcasing the humor in these old customs.
Parodying the Upper Crust: Comedic Takes on High Society
- Explore the funny side of high society through parodies and comedic portrayals of the upper class in literature, film, and television.

Serious Themes:

The History and Evolution of the Class System
- Discuss the origins and historical development of the class system, examining how it has evolved over time and its impact on society.
Social Mobility: Breaking Down Barriers
- Address the importance of social mobility and the barriers that prevent individuals from moving between classes, highlighting efforts to promote equality and opportunity.
The Impact of the Class System on Modern Society
- Explore the ongoing effects of the class system on contemporary society, including economic disparities, access to education, and social stratification.

Help Us Improve Funny Quotation (#FuQ)

Do you know a great quotation that belongs on this page?
Do you disagree with our top three?
Do you disagree with something else on this page?
Have we credited the wrong person with the quotation?

Find Us Quicker!

When using a search engine (e.g., Google, Bing), you will find us quicker if you add #FuQ to your search term.