Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Grand Canyon-Sized Chasm Between Elites and Ordinary Americans
Rob Henderson's Newsletter ^ | February 4, 2024 | Rob Henderson

Posted on 02/11/2024 7:22:23 AM PST by karpov

55% of Ivy League graduates believe that the U.S. “provides too much individual freedom” compared with just 16% of ordinary U.S. voters.

Back in 2019, as I was developing what became the luxury beliefs framework, I read a recently issued chapter published by Cambridge University Press titled “Why Are Elites More Cosmopolitan than Masses?”

Authored by a team of social scientists, this 2019 paper reports stunning gaps in political views and outlooks between elites and ordinary people in various western countries.

In the introduction, they suggest that elite attitudes are expressions of cultural capital. That is, the large gap in views between elites and everyone results from elites drawing symbolic boundaries between themselves and the provincial masses.

Indeed, another report found that 65 percent of Americans believed that the most educated and successful people in America are more interested in serving themselves than in serving the common good. This view is held across the board—across age, gender, race, political party, and ideology.

(Excerpt) Read more at robkhenderson.com ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: environmentalism; ivyleague
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-53 next last
To: karpov
ELITISTS are not not elite...
21 posted on 02/11/2024 7:55:17 AM PST by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. #FJB)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

Where is your mind?


22 posted on 02/11/2024 7:55:38 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer” )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: blueunicorn6

Everywhere my FRiend—as is yours.


23 posted on 02/11/2024 7:57:37 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

Where is your body?


24 posted on 02/11/2024 7:58:36 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer” )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: blueunicorn6

It is getting old—right here.

;-)


25 posted on 02/11/2024 7:59:18 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

The body turns to dust.

That was my point.

It is a well known and little debated point.


26 posted on 02/11/2024 8:02:18 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer” )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

Good comments. Reminds me of the young people you see on the internet saying they work 40 hours a week and can’t even afford an apartment by themselves.


27 posted on 02/11/2024 8:02:57 AM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

Sadly though the elites have the sheeple on their side already. Ghetto rats, educators, bureaucrats and soccer moms have all found a common enemy: capitalism and its leaders white males. Stupidly of course, not really their enemy, just the same.


28 posted on 02/11/2024 8:07:16 AM PST by anton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: anton
Sadly though the elites have the sheeple on their side already. Ghetto rats, educators, bureaucrats and soccer moms have all found a common enemy: capitalism and its leaders white males.

And yet the elites are still all white. This is to eliminate their white competition.

29 posted on 02/11/2024 8:09:10 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: dragnet2

Yes. There are people working really hard at the best job they can get, and they are still stuck in Mom’s basement. And their employer hollowed out any sort of “middle management” layer years ago. So you can’t move up. The workers in the trenches work hard until they move on to a similar gig in a lateral move. The people at the top work until they make a lateral move to the top at a different company. If you start off with enough boxes checked, you start at the top and you stay at the top. Career advancement out of the trenches? Doesn’t happen these days. You’re stuck in Mom’s basement for life.

Who the hell wants to support that system? It’s serfdom at best.


30 posted on 02/11/2024 8:09:32 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: cgbg
They also like the “perks” of “fitting in”.

Since the days of Wilhelm Wundt and G. Stanley Hall, the entire basis for public "education" has been emotional manipulation. Why would its professional minions be any different?

31 posted on 02/11/2024 8:16:24 AM PST by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: karpov

“The Grand Canyon-Sized Chasm Between Elites and Ordinary Americans”

That would be the definition of elite, wouldn’t it? Elites have investable resources, the seed money for jobs, especially the better and best jobs. That said, one doesn’t need to BE an elite to be financially independent and happy.


32 posted on 02/11/2024 8:16:30 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (Are you ready for Black Lives MAGA? It's coming.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blueunicorn6

Who anointed them “elites”? We don’t have peerage in this country, and there isn’t any test you take to get a certificate that you hang on your wall that proclaims you to be elite. So they pretty much self proclaim themselves to be superior. Kind of like New Yorkers thinking they’re better than the rest of us because they live in “the city” or massholes considering themselves to be superior because (I haven’t figured that one out yet, but they definitely look down on fly over county folks).


33 posted on 02/11/2024 8:17:24 AM PST by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy - EVs a solution for which there is no problem)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Chode

Right.


34 posted on 02/11/2024 8:18:17 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (Are you ready for Black Lives MAGA? It's coming.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: from occupied ga

“Who anointed them “elites”?”

The failures.


35 posted on 02/11/2024 8:19:35 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (Are you ready for Black Lives MAGA? It's coming.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: SaxxonWoods

I divide the elites into two camps:

Good elites—the minority of them. They just want to take care of their families and friends—and have no wish to control others. Many live modestly and keep their heads down. They know that envy is a trait of homo sapiens and can be an issue any time any place.

Bad elites—they want to “make a difference” by cramming their values and their plans down everybody else’s throats. They are politically involved and very proud of themselves. They like to get awards and to use their wealth to push people and institutions around....”do you know who I am?”...


36 posted on 02/11/2024 8:21:57 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

They are self serving power hungry devils. It makes the guillotine of the French Revolution all the more understandable. George Soros and Marc Zuckerberg would have been at the head of their line. Followed in close succession by the entire WEF party from Davos.


37 posted on 02/11/2024 8:22:59 AM PST by anton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

I agree except I think the percentage of good elites to bad is the same as good and “bad” people in the population in general. However, I’m talking about financial elites, not commie “elites” in schools etc. Those aren’t elites in my view. Real elites are high achievers, not just loudmouth political extremists on either side.


38 posted on 02/11/2024 8:32:00 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (Are you ready for Black Lives MAGA? It's coming.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: anton

Garbage to make yourself feel better.


39 posted on 02/11/2024 8:32:35 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (Are you ready for Black Lives MAGA? It's coming.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: SaxxonWoods
Real elites are high achievers, not just loudmouth political extremists on either side.

Today's elites are folks who just happened to have high achievers as parents.

40 posted on 02/11/2024 8:33:25 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-53 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson