I'm alright, Jack

"I'm alright, Jack" is a British expression used to describe people who act only in their own best interests, even if providing assistance to others would take minimal to no effort on their behalf.[1][2] It carries a negative connotation, and is rarely used to describe the person saying it.

This article is about the expression. For the film, see I'm All Right Jack.

The phrase is believed to have originated among Royal Navy sailors; when a ladder was slung over the side of a ship, the last sailor to climb on board would say, "I'm alright Jack, pull up the ladder." The use of the name "Jack" derives from Jack Tar, an archaic term for a British sailor. Another version depicts the origin of the phrase among sailors returning home from duty who, instead of being treated as brave heroes, were forced to fend for themselves in a dog-eat-dog society.

The expression was used in the title of the 1959 comedy film I'm All Right Jack. It also appears in the lyrics of the 1931 song "Which Side Are You On?" by social activist Florence Reece and the 1973 Pink Floyd song "Money", and is the name of a 2019 song by UB40 which satirises people who do not care about the less fortunate.[3]

References
  1. Sarah Cassidy and Richard Garner (2006-04-12). "Thatcher blamed for lack of respect in classrooms". The Independent.
  2. Lynsey Hanley (2016-07-03). "High status, high income: this is Britain's new working class". The Guardian.
  3. See the UB40 album For the Many.

See also
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