Sad thing is, that the middle "class" is so easy to rile up (just be glad the USA has this great anglosaxon liberal tradition. We here in Europe know all about a really "riled up" petite-bourgeoisie...).
Sad thing is, that the middle "class" is so easy to rile up
It's a vicious cycle. Most people here in the US are poorly educated (despite technically go to what passes for school for a minimum of 13 years), due at least in part to a terribly funded public education system. Unfortunately, this means they can be easily manipulated into further undermining public education, reinforcing the cycle for their children.
Then again, perhaps the elites should be blamed for fighting against social mobility as if it's a zero-sum game...
I saw someone describe it yesterday as there are 10 cookies, and a billionaire CEO just took nine of them then whispered to the private middle class employee "Psst! That public employee is trying to take part of your cookie."
Well, i don't excuse the middle "class" about that: We're talking about people with at least the ability to read and write and handle the internet. Playing cozy with the "haves" seems more important than solidarity with the "have-nots" (who are smelly and rude and deal with drugs...). Perceive Your real interests, i say! ;-)
Excuse them certainly not, but try to understand them, yes.
Basic literacy is something most Americans are capable of, but the ability to critically think, to evaluate facts and resist blatant lies and manipulation, is frighteningly rare. Remember that this is the same country where about 43% of Americans believe that "God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so." I wish that was a parody.
If you can convince Americans to ignore overwhelming scientific evidence, then you can just as easily convince them that teachers are overpaid, or that cutting taxes is good for the deficit. It's no coincidence that these people all share a political affiliation.
Yes, i get what you're saying. I mean - i live in the country where the petite bourgeoisie organized industrialized genozide...
All over the world, these slightly better paid workers are a reason to be cautious. But as i said: at least YOU have the anglosaxon liberal tradition (one of the main reasons why no anglosaxon country developed a fascist state, yet).
The middle of the middle of Europe. A bit west of the Rhine (so i claim french ideas as my own ;-)).
Germany.
But the fascistic petite bourgeoisie is really universal for continental Europe, wether it's Poland, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Romania, .... All these countries had fascist governments at one time or another.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2011-03-01 04:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-01 04:55 pm (UTC)Sad thing is, that the middle "class" is so easy to rile up (just be glad the USA has this great anglosaxon liberal tradition. We here in Europe know all about a really "riled up" petite-bourgeoisie...).
no subject
Date: 2011-03-02 12:07 am (UTC)It's a vicious cycle. Most people here in the US are poorly educated (despite technically go to what passes for school for a minimum of 13 years), due at least in part to a terribly funded public education system. Unfortunately, this means they can be easily manipulated into further undermining public education, reinforcing the cycle for their children.
Then again, perhaps the elites should be blamed for fighting against social mobility as if it's a zero-sum game...
no subject
Date: 2011-03-02 01:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-02 03:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-02 11:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-02 11:14 am (UTC)Basic literacy is something most Americans are capable of, but the ability to critically think, to evaluate facts and resist blatant lies and manipulation, is frighteningly rare. Remember that this is the same country where about 43% of Americans believe that "God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so." I wish that was a parody.
If you can convince Americans to ignore overwhelming scientific evidence, then you can just as easily convince them that teachers are overpaid, or that cutting taxes is good for the deficit. It's no coincidence that these people all share a political affiliation.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-02 05:34 pm (UTC)All over the world, these slightly better paid workers are a reason to be cautious. But as i said: at least YOU have the anglosaxon liberal tradition (one of the main reasons why no anglosaxon country developed a fascist state, yet).
no subject
Date: 2011-03-02 10:20 pm (UTC)Point. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-03 03:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-03 06:21 am (UTC)Germany.
But the fascistic petite bourgeoisie is really universal for continental Europe, wether it's Poland, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Romania, .... All these countries had fascist governments at one time or another.