ESL Podcast 573 – Discussing Social Class

Hector: Can you believe James? All evening, he tried to tell me how this country would be better if we had no social classes. He's out of his mind.

Sophia: He was just trying to get a rise out of you. We all know that the two of you don't see eye to eye.

Hector: He thinks that just because he comes from a working-class background, he can criticize anyone who is middle class or upper class. I just can't stand his holier-than-thou attitude.

Sophia: He knows you, and he knows which buttons to push to get you worked up. I don't think he was serious when he said he thought class warfare¹ was a good idea.

Hector: Well, he was downright insulting. He talks as though we have no sense of social responsibility. We do our share for the poor. What more does he want from me?

Sophia: I think he has a chip on his shoulder, because his parents are blue collar and he now lives in a white-collar world. He feels he has to stand up for the marginalized people in our society.

Hector: Okay, but does that mean I have to allow him to insult me under my own roof?

Sophia: Of course not. Next week, we’re having dinner at their house.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。