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There is a marked difference in the way older elites trained younger generations, and what occurs presently. The Northeastern U.S. and British elite boarding schools were Spartan in nature, with rigorous academics and vigorous athletics. There was also an expectation of military service during wartime, with the sons of the elite serving their country. For example, both Prescott Bush and George H.W. Bush fought in World Wars I and II, respectively. So did the Kennedy men who were eligible during World War II. Entrepreneurial families started their children at the bottom rung of the family enterprise. As an example, young Donald Trump collected rents and performed property maintenance jobs for his father, who owned numerous real properties in New York City.

Our current elite more resemble the decadent aristocracy of 18th Century France, more suited to the cocktail lounge than the shop floor, much less the field of combat. It will not take a lot to topple them, just the right circumstances. Imagine the current elite if we were in the military situation of early 1942, with the Japanese defeating us at every turn and our first North African expedition resulting in German victory. Picture Obama, or Hillary or Bill Clinton, rather than FDR, in this situation. Any of the three would either give up or go Hitler-level insane.

Very few modern liberal icons has worked a damned day in their life at a job that didn’t involve spending other people’s money.

Obama, Hillary, BJC, Ted Kennedy, Biden, etc.

Perhaps the most recent example of someone who didn’t is Jimmy Carter.

The Northeastern U.S. and British elite boarding schools were Spartan in nature, with rigorous academics and vigorous athletics.

I once saw a quote that expressed the view that the British Empire started dying when boarding schools introduced hot water. A bracing cold shower in the morning was the way to start the day! A nice hot shower? Men began to go soft.

There is a marked difference in the way older elites trained younger generations, and what occurs presently. The Northeastern U.S. and British elite boarding schools were Spartan in nature, with rigorous academics and vigorous athletics... Our current elite more resemble the decadent aristocracy of 18th Century France, more suited to the cocktail lounge than the shop floor, much less the field of combat.

We can thank the rise of the lawsuit cult. I am a life-long house renovator. I've seen many working-class restoration contractors cut themselves, shock themselves with electricity, use noxious chemicals and get filthy dirty hauling radiators or shoveling rubble. I am still renovating in my 70s and have scraped lead paint and fallen off a ladder a few times even recently, and I'm a woman. It would be hard to imagine the snob class learning to handle tools without resorting to punitive damages if one of their snowflakes got a bad bruise, much less cut off the tip of a finger with a chainsaw, or suffered a broken toe from mishandling an axe. The same people wouldn't sue the school if an injury was from lacrosse, tennis or racquetball. It's the work that is beneath them that must be punished.