The New Upper Class and the Real Reason We Dislike Them

Time ^ | 2/7/2012 | Charles Murray

[lentulusgracchus]

Unfortunately, the Ivies no longer admit nor promote based on merit but on ‘diversity.’

As you point out, this is a co-optation move, an attempt to stay in front of the dissemination of powerful ideas and technologies, to co-opt the leaderships of the societies that will grow in power and capability and prosperity by adopting them. They want to make sure the clerisy populations in other countries and in outgroup communities within the United States all have influential ringknockers they can go to, to pull a string when needed.

[thesearethetimes...]

BookMark

[PapaBear3625]

I live in a nice town. I know a lot of families who are grooming their children to the Rulers Of The Universe. The kids are not especially bright or especially talented. They are just like anyone else. But they attend nice schools, their families know certain people, doors are opened for them, and they will clearly grow up and have their hands on the levers of power. And, overwhelmingly, they will think, "How did I get here? I don't really deserve this." And that's how guilty Liberals are created.

I don't think it's guilt that drives them -- it's insecurity.

They realize that there are people in the middle class who are much smarter than them. So how do they make their positions (and their kids positions) more secure against competition from middle-class kids who may try to displace or supplant them?

Step one is to cripple the public school system, so that the smartest kids are never really educated to their full potential.

Step two is to create a maze of rules and regulations, so that it is harder to become wealthy if you are not connected into the network of people who understand the complexities, know all the loopholes, and have long-term relationships with the politicians who have the power to create exemptions to the rules, in exchange for a return favor at a later date.

Step three is affirmative action -- create a class of people dependent on the continuation of the big-government system that the upper class controls so well.

[GraniteStateConservative]

The new upper class are the people who deposited all of our tax dollars via the bailout into their bank accounts. That’s why we are angry at them. “Hank” didn’t get millions of dollars in bailout money. That’s the difference. Hank isn’t a self-entitled, manipulative, greedy a$$hole.

[Texas Eagle]

I have no animosity towards anyone who got rich through his own efforts. As long as it was legal.

The people I despise are government bureaucrats who are living like kings off their fellow citizens.

[PapaBear3625]

We see in Greece this week what happens when the entrenchments collapse inward. In my life we’ll see the same in the USA unfortunately for all of us.

I suspect that many of the rioting "anarchist" young people are the children of government bureaucrats who are still dependent upon their parents and had ideas of joining the governmental ruling elite. They are now VERY upset at the idea of having to reduce government spending (and thus government power).

[SandwicheGuy]

I LIKE the way you think.

[SandwicheGuy]

Ooh wow, great smackdown. That was so satisfying to read. And I enjoyed your post.