I remember listening to Fiona Hill in the same auditorium, and talking about her own underprivileged background growing up in a poorer part of the UK she emphasised that she had to work very hard to escape that.

Sanna Marin repeatedly credited "Nordic welfare model" and sounded really proud of it.

On the last point, Marin's mother grew up in an orphanage and her dad (who met her mother when she was 15) was an alcoholic absent from the family. She still received a good education no worse than her peers coming from close more advantageous circumstances, and became the PM.

That said, she mentioned at least a few points that don't get the attention they deserve:

* X is bad and its role is very destructive
* European military should be actively learning from Ukraine starting yesterday, not the other way around
* Nordic welfare model is still a marvel

The fact she is now a senior consultant in Tony Blair Institute working on gender equality and climate change also doesn't help - again, all good (apart from TBI) but put together this feels like a meaningless end of the road or pension with extra steps.

What they say about Polanski (that he is a mix of generic leftist talking points) feels also true about her (minus disarmament). This is not to say the points are bad, I'm very much in favour of most of them, but today it somehow feels both dated but also refreshing (as no one still talks like this)

Big "don't vote for the supporter of genocidal capitalism Harris" vibes.

Also: spouse not working.

Yes, which is why they are even more in shock about how much worse they have it in the Euro capital of their choice. Which is more often than not the consequences of being plucked out of their support and peer networks rather than actual pound for pound quality of life.

Yeah, the only chance for that is Russia doing something stupid enough to leave them no choice. And even then (especially with the new French leadership next year).

Funnily enough she was also shooting this video in her massive expensive car not a lot of middle class Brits can afford lol!

Yeah, in the US everyone thinks they are middle class. I remember a viral tiktok from a cleaner lady who was complaining about inflation and saying middle class people like her were getting squeezed. There is no way a cleaner would call themselves middle class in Britain!

As just one of the factors, you can be upper middle class and/or rich and NOT live in the capital (in fact, it even makes you more middle class if you don't). Cities are vulgar except for some selected areas.

I lived in Moscow only briefly, but my circle wasn't typical for someone like me because I was mainly mingling with my internet friends many of whom were from those "good Moscow families". So this phenomenon is definitely *a thing*.

In Britain it is still very different though.

This is not a complaint btw, life of an immigrant is supposed to be more difficult and it is a part of the deal people are willingly taking, but considering the share of immigrants in the some cities that experience is underrepresented in class discourse.

This is not a complaint btw, life of an immigrant is supposed to be more difficult and it is a part of the deal people are willingly taking, but considering the share of immigrants in the some cities that experience is underrepresented in class discourse.

Parental help with childcare alone has a very significant monetary equivalent you'd otherwise spend or lose in wages.

Also you technically earn a lot, but people you see as your peers have a completely different (better) lifestyle despite often earning nominally less. It is a puzzle!

I also suspect that in a hot conflict between EuroNATO and Russia the former would now look like Russia did in 2022 - making every possible mistake and suffering shocking casualties on livestream.

And in democratic countries that shock may lead to a speedy defeat before the Euro armies adjust.

When Jar Jar Binks speaks I sit my wyte ass down and LISTEN.