A working class hero is something to be
 

Quoted from: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200903/class-system

Counterintuitively, an over-clustering of educated people in one region is not always a social boon. Citing the research of the political scientist Diana Mutz, Bishop shows that, startlingly,

education is presumed to nurture an appreciation of diversity: the more schooling, the greater the respect for works of literature and art, different cultures, and various types of music. Certainly, well-educated Americans see themselves as worldly, nuanced, and comfortable with difference. Education also should make us curious about—even eager to hear—different political points of view. But it doesn’t. The more educated Americans become—and the richer—the less likely they are to discuss politics with those who have different points of view.

In 2000, the research of Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, showed that the correlation between the health of civic culture and the affluence of the local economy was actually negative; the highest-tech cities tended to have the lowest rate of civic connections. I think of the Silicon Valley runner guy we met in San Francisco who, when we showed him a set of lost car keys we’d found on the path in Golden Gate Park, said: “I wouldn’t trust the police with those. Post a notice on Craigslist!” For all of Richard Florida’s celebration of San Francisco, the city has been hemorrhaging families with children at an alarming rate, because of the creative class’s flight from public schools there. (Florida proposes some remedies for these problems in “How the Crash Will Reshape America,” page 44.)

Define social boon.

- Peter.

I just read the whole thing. About halfway through I started asking myself why I was still reading that drivel. I don't have an answer.

I made it farther than you did! I couldn't finish it, either. But I am mildly interested in class definition in the USA. Like Australia, we can't claim much in the way of aristocratic bloodlines so we have some sort of synthetic version, mostly based on money.

Octo-mom....

Must have something to do with the primitive thought process about keeping the tribe pure....

The article is interesting, but it doesn't really add much to an already ongoing discussion. I've read some of the books referenced as well, most recently BOBO'S in Paradise. The new Bohemianism is already overtaking the one of old, and by old I mean the one of the 80's and 90's, the hipster/bohemian scenester. I think the article is right to point out that there is an aesthetic dimension to lifestyle and location, or the culture of urban geography. Its not something I've paid much attention to as hip or unhip as I may be, because I make my living in an old school, tweedy occupation (law), and if lawyers move to Portland, OR its not for the "scene", its for the job, but I do know folks who thrive on scenes of all kinds, cultural and otherwise, sufficient to move for them.

At any rate, somewhat interesting, and I think ultimately it bears some truth about the American cultutal and social landscape.

The author makes some good points. It goes along with some of my beefs about our cherished modern culture. Along with the undeniable benefits of some (or much) of our tech, comes a widespread self-delusion that we are above the fray, that our science and tech somehow supersedes the fact that we create dung just like cattle, that we need heat in the winter, and food regularly.

I've worked for quite a few people in the highly educated/affluent range and the way some of these folks race through piles of possessions/resources can be jaw dropping. Oh yeah, it's 'their money.' Doesn't make it prudent.

Along with that, or integral with that perhaps, is an enhanced sense of their/our own personal power, which, IMHO, is vastly inflated.

On the educated classes being less likely to discuss politics, my bro. in law in Idaho has a Mech. Eng. masters (coal fired elec. professional) and MBA and is utterly unavailable for considering opposing points of view. You can see the wheels working in his head when he hears forbidden language on the AGW or gun control issues: he moves infallibly to smirk mode followed by a recitation of talking points, which never vary.

I've told the guy (whom I like in many ways) that his barrage of e-mail forwards begins to sound like heckling/bronx cheering. He forwarded Geo. Wills erroneous article wherein Will stated that U. of Ill. arctic climate/ice researchers said there'd been no decline in ice pack since '79 (maybe '89 I forget now). The U of I people came out afterwards and said, approx: "No way in hell did we say that."

But none of my corrections on these points of fact slow him in the slightest. Which brings me back to my main beef: on the whole, we are arrogant and proud way past rationality in this country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N_rNz2oAGA Marianne Faithful's live version of "Working Class Hero" . One of my favorites.

Even modern primitive tribes tend not to marry within their own tribe, it is considered incest.

Not just this country.

- Peter.

In his mind, it is just this country. The rest of the world is perfect. We are the fly in the ointment, so to speak. Or the soup if you prefer. Probably will try tell you that we would be responsible for the extinction of mankind if it weren't for the liberal factor holding us back. :rolleyes:

Great lyrics

Absolutely. But that doesn't absolve us of the inevitable dealing with the debris of our folly.

I mean here we are going to great lengths to urge and make it possible for backward, troublesome nations to be like us. Oops, don't look now but our model is showing some serious flaws.

How far we'll fall before we right, to some degree, our combined systems of governance and commerce remains to be seen.

Hey look, I got more roll eyes than you:

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

You don't begin to get what I'm talking about.