Comments on: Democracy & Elitism: an introduction to the American false consciousness

By: Scholars and Rogues » Democracy & Elitism 4: equality, opportunity and leveling up the playing field

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:33:31 +0000

[...] you’ve read the previous installments in the series (part 1, part 2, part 3), it should be clear that I see elitism, properly understood, as an important key [...]

By: Jeffrey Watson

Jeffrey Watson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:38:43 +0000

Perhaps the Breeding is merely proof that Galton was right. Look at the difference between the people at the bowling alley and the country club, and tell me I’m wrong.

Jeff

By: Scholars and Rogues » Democracy & Elitism 2: performance elitism vs privilege elitism, and why the difference matters

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:02:03 +0000

[...] US today, of course, but humans being human, we still see vestiges of dynastic social elitism. In part one of this series we noted the Bush dynasty, of which former president George W Bush was at least fourth generation. [...]

By: JS OBrien

JS OBrien — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:33:40 +0000

Russ, my sense is that it goes deeper than that. The right wing media simply exploits what is. I don’t think it had to create it. Much of the US was settled by impoverished immigrants who had great fear of, and disdain for, anyone educated or who thought they were the immigrants’ “betters.” Those once consisted only of those born wealthy. And, of course, the elitist attitudes were very real. Even today, I have heard the word “breeding” used in the context of how mannered/educated/wealthy a person is.

Once upon a time, a man really could better himself in the US just by working harder than others. If you were willing to spend sunup to sundown every day chopping down trees, you could earn good money and do a lot better than you did in the old country. If you earned enough by farming to buy really cheap land farther west, you could become quite wealthy without really knowing much of anything. You could strike gold, or lead, or some other mineral resource.

That dream is mostly lost to those of average or worse intelligence in the US these days, and the old resentments are still there. But let’s see where Sam takes this. I’m looking forward to it.

By: Russ Wellen

Russ Wellen — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:51:44 +0000

The public seems perfectly willing to forgo any expertise elites afford it simply because of hearsay about elites’ attitudes spread by right-wing media. Quite a sacrifice. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

By: Dr. Slammy

Dr. Slammy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:38:30 +0000

You two stay tuned. This is just part one. I have not yet begun to rage…..

By: Lex

Lex — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:32:54 +0000

Only in America (ok, maybe not only…) would being smart, educated and capable be seen as a negative. Worse, this is a nation that elevates “Joe Six Pack” to ideological heights at the same time it beats old Joe down by killing the unions that gave Joe a decent, middle class existence; by off shoring Joe’s job opportunities; and by convincing Joe that the path to happiness is a bunch of debt to buy a shit-ton of crap he doesn’t need made by low-wage Chinese laborers who replaced Joe in the manufacturing food chain.

Long live ignorance, the American ideal that’s slowly killing poor Joe.

By: JS OBrien

JS OBrien — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:29:47 +0000

Tippecanoe and Tyler too!

America is what America is. If William Henry Harrison (“log cabins and hard cider”) and John Tyler, the worst sorts of FFV aristocracy, could present themselves as common people in 1840, it stands to reason that it can be done now, too. America really hasn’t changed a bit.