What you're describing is the elites' utter disdain for populism -- populism that resists their system of luxury beliefs, which sets them at the top.
If the rank-and-file won't acknowledge the validity of the belief system, how can our betters bask in the warm embrace of being .... our betters?
What's frightening is how intensely the elites are obsessed with ensuring everyone believes as they do.
It's no longer a world of "to each his own." It's "We will find out what you really think" and cancel you in a New York minute.
It's why U.S. journalists gleefully try to doxx people who have the "wrong" ideas. NPR effortlessly enforces the orthodoxy through lexicon and processes. All a host has to say is "far right," "hardliner," or "conservative," and it sends the correct signal to listeners. A roundtable discussion will almost never include anyone who isn't already metaphysically confident in their moral hygiene.
No need for understanding or dialogue when a smug to-the-camera monologue from a talk show host and an agreeable audience will do.
Where money once could buy you luxury goods, now luxury beliefs can now secure you a corporate job, a political appointment, a seat in the halls of power. Here in the U.S., the press thinks of itself as The Fourth Estate and it basks in its access to power. Cozy up to government sources, and you too could one day make a small fortune in a consulting firm run by a former agency official.
What we're going through right now is a massively unpleasant social game of "How DARE they!" Vote for Brexit? How dare they. Right-wing crush centrists in Frrance? How dare they. Same thing in Germany? How dare they.
They've got complete control of the levers of power and media. Yes, there's the internet. There's sharing and talking about what these people are really doing, but that's a different kettle of fish from being able to do something about it. We are being ruled by deeply incurious people who think they are civilization's only defense against the barbarian hordes.
Hi DJ. Hope you've seen that Labour plan to force employers to give paid time off during the work day for DEI UNION REPS! For decades it's only been the Branch Sec who got paid time off, and he might only be in one workplace over a wide geographical area. But there's often a DEI rep in EVERY workplace, and you can bet they're already queuing up! Yes, it's going to get a LOT worse! Vote Party Of Women, we've got 3 candidates in London!
There’s a dreadful and patronising hand-wringing liberalism which says that working-class children simply cannot enjoy (say) Shakespeare because they can’t “relate” to it and how will they possibly derive any value from it if they don’t “see themselves represented”? (Which is weird: I’ve never read Shakespeare and thought “oh my God, that duke/priest/thane/gravedigger is literally me!”) Growing up in the North East I was acutely aware of a heritage of fierce autodidacticism: mechanics’ institutes, reading rooms, mutual improvement societies and phenomena like the Ashington Group of painters. But once you start to degrade the idea of “culture” and say it’s all relative, it hacks away at that kind of impulse.
The greatest inequality in this country is class in my opinion, it seems to never be discussed tho. Also if I hear Starmer mention his parents jobs once more I think I’ll spontaneously combust!!
Lippy, great writing piece and a well-considered theme ! I am a Boomer and working class all the way, with Dad being a Railroad switchman and Mom was a Registered Nurse. I have no problem with people having more money than I do...but it does seem like sometimes the wealthy lack something called "common sense." I lived in San Francisco proper for 31 years, to summer 2011 and sometimes worked around the wealthy as a Personal Assistant. Most were gracious and kind but a handful were not nice. Many lived in Pacific Heights (Pelosi territory) and I still remember a storefront furniture store on Upper Fillmore St. It was the epitome of "shabby chic"and actually had a battered old wooden dining table in the window...for asking price of ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. I was walking by and stopped, just standing there chuckling ruefully. I almost walked in and told the staff to consider making a trip to Goodwill, Salvation Army or Thrift Town on Mission St...and get a battered dining table for far less than $1000. Good grief, no sense. Sad. I prefer the company of grounded humans skilled with their hands as well as their brains. Signed, a street-smart blunt Oregon girl who lived there... WEW
Lippy, that's great! My Dad's father worked as a railroad brakeman and my Dad worked as a Switchman in the yards of Klamath Falls, Oregon, for the Southern Pacific before it became Amtrak. I have such fond memories of childhood, riding the rails to and from Canada (Mom was Canadian) and riding on a family Pass. It was a wondrous time, so glad for the remembrances. WEW
I listened to Rob Henderson's interview by Jordan Peterson. Luxury beliefs is most descriptive. We are proudly working class and happy to use that compendium of all human knowledge YouTube to learn skills we don't have.
Same in America. It's become much worse since 2021 also as I've witnessed the rise of new self-described 'activists' who are mostly just vying for the next position as an 'influencer' online and seeking money just to open their mouths or type out quick remarks on SM about something.
They parrot the words of others who said it way before them and never demonstrate any respect by not crediting the originator. Some are simply careerists seeking attention. Often these characters come from a position of financial privilege and haven't been inside of a food bank or know anyone who has needed that.
What you're describing is the elites' utter disdain for populism -- populism that resists their system of luxury beliefs, which sets them at the top.
If the rank-and-file won't acknowledge the validity of the belief system, how can our betters bask in the warm embrace of being .... our betters?
What's frightening is how intensely the elites are obsessed with ensuring everyone believes as they do.
It's no longer a world of "to each his own." It's "We will find out what you really think" and cancel you in a New York minute.
It's why U.S. journalists gleefully try to doxx people who have the "wrong" ideas. NPR effortlessly enforces the orthodoxy through lexicon and processes. All a host has to say is "far right," "hardliner," or "conservative," and it sends the correct signal to listeners. A roundtable discussion will almost never include anyone who isn't already metaphysically confident in their moral hygiene.
No need for understanding or dialogue when a smug to-the-camera monologue from a talk show host and an agreeable audience will do.
Where money once could buy you luxury goods, now luxury beliefs can now secure you a corporate job, a political appointment, a seat in the halls of power. Here in the U.S., the press thinks of itself as The Fourth Estate and it basks in its access to power. Cozy up to government sources, and you too could one day make a small fortune in a consulting firm run by a former agency official.
What we're going through right now is a massively unpleasant social game of "How DARE they!" Vote for Brexit? How dare they. Right-wing crush centrists in Frrance? How dare they. Same thing in Germany? How dare they.
They've got complete control of the levers of power and media. Yes, there's the internet. There's sharing and talking about what these people are really doing, but that's a different kettle of fish from being able to do something about it. We are being ruled by deeply incurious people who think they are civilization's only defense against the barbarian hordes.
Hi DJ. Hope you've seen that Labour plan to force employers to give paid time off during the work day for DEI UNION REPS! For decades it's only been the Branch Sec who got paid time off, and he might only be in one workplace over a wide geographical area. But there's often a DEI rep in EVERY workplace, and you can bet they're already queuing up! Yes, it's going to get a LOT worse! Vote Party Of Women, we've got 3 candidates in London!
I cannot wait for this general election it will certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons!
There’s a dreadful and patronising hand-wringing liberalism which says that working-class children simply cannot enjoy (say) Shakespeare because they can’t “relate” to it and how will they possibly derive any value from it if they don’t “see themselves represented”? (Which is weird: I’ve never read Shakespeare and thought “oh my God, that duke/priest/thane/gravedigger is literally me!”) Growing up in the North East I was acutely aware of a heritage of fierce autodidacticism: mechanics’ institutes, reading rooms, mutual improvement societies and phenomena like the Ashington Group of painters. But once you start to degrade the idea of “culture” and say it’s all relative, it hacks away at that kind of impulse.
The greatest inequality in this country is class in my opinion, it seems to never be discussed tho. Also if I hear Starmer mention his parents jobs once more I think I’ll spontaneously combust!!
'beclowning themselves' WORD.
Lippy, great writing piece and a well-considered theme ! I am a Boomer and working class all the way, with Dad being a Railroad switchman and Mom was a Registered Nurse. I have no problem with people having more money than I do...but it does seem like sometimes the wealthy lack something called "common sense." I lived in San Francisco proper for 31 years, to summer 2011 and sometimes worked around the wealthy as a Personal Assistant. Most were gracious and kind but a handful were not nice. Many lived in Pacific Heights (Pelosi territory) and I still remember a storefront furniture store on Upper Fillmore St. It was the epitome of "shabby chic"and actually had a battered old wooden dining table in the window...for asking price of ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. I was walking by and stopped, just standing there chuckling ruefully. I almost walked in and told the staff to consider making a trip to Goodwill, Salvation Army or Thrift Town on Mission St...and get a battered dining table for far less than $1000. Good grief, no sense. Sad. I prefer the company of grounded humans skilled with their hands as well as their brains. Signed, a street-smart blunt Oregon girl who lived there... WEW
P.S. I like the "salon of the proletariat" .
My grand day worked on the railways too!
Lippy, that's great! My Dad's father worked as a railroad brakeman and my Dad worked as a Switchman in the yards of Klamath Falls, Oregon, for the Southern Pacific before it became Amtrak. I have such fond memories of childhood, riding the rails to and from Canada (Mom was Canadian) and riding on a family Pass. It was a wondrous time, so glad for the remembrances. WEW
I listened to Rob Henderson's interview by Jordan Peterson. Luxury beliefs is most descriptive. We are proudly working class and happy to use that compendium of all human knowledge YouTube to learn skills we don't have.
Preach it!!
Same in America. It's become much worse since 2021 also as I've witnessed the rise of new self-described 'activists' who are mostly just vying for the next position as an 'influencer' online and seeking money just to open their mouths or type out quick remarks on SM about something.
They parrot the words of others who said it way before them and never demonstrate any respect by not crediting the originator. Some are simply careerists seeking attention. Often these characters come from a position of financial privilege and haven't been inside of a food bank or know anyone who has needed that.
And the worst is yet to come.
You're so right and I hope you're right about the resistance.
Good post, Lippy. You are utterly correct.