Abstract

At the time of writing this chapter—the early months of 2014—sections of the British media, particularly the broadsheet press, became concerned about the disappearance of a particular species. Not in the natural world this time, but in the cultural one. The working class artist (for which read singer, musician, actor, fashion designers, and so on) was said to have disappeared, replaced by a tide of privately educated (or in Britain, “public school educated”) youngsters, from actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Damien Lewis to pop stars such as Coldplay’s Chris Martin or Florence Welch, and even stand-up comedians.