Those pondering lack of social mobility & lack of aspiration in England could do worse than study popular tv soaps
Early 1960s: a very young Ken Barlow, home on holiday from teacher training college gets a good ticking off from Uncle Alfred for upsetting his mother with his new-found fancy ways
Instead of leaving for an environment where the drinking of sherry is unremarkable Ken returns to The Street. To spend over 40 years getting rid of his boring tag through brushes with powerful sexual or criminal shenanigans
A generation later Michelle in East Enders overcomes the setback of teenage pregnancy to earn a degree & a job in an office. She even starts wearing suits! But she has to be sent to America. Otherwise she would presumably end up like mum, working in the launderette
