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This is only semi-related, but it seems like the subtext behind a lot of these articles is that America was better in the 20th century, when elites made all the
by chis 9y ago
This is only semi-related, but it seems like the subtext behind a lot of these articles is that America was better in the 20th century, when elites made all the decisions, and the internet has resulted in too much democracy.
This is another problem that boils down to short-sighted politicians voted in to cut spending everywhere and kill regulations. Maybe things were better when a group of elite New Yorkers controlled the entire media and the range of political discourse.
- peatmoss 9y agoI'm not sure I buy the implication that elites no longer makes decisions because the Internet democratized the things. I do think that we've metrics-ed our way to forgetting that some things can be a good idea because we value them, not because they satisfy some tacitly accepted value of efficiency.
- mhneu 9y ago>This is another problem that boils down to short-sighted politicians No, it's worse than that. It's not short-sighted politicians. It's politicians who are purchased by the very wealthy. Politicians who are selected for their desire to destroy public institutions to cut taxes on the very wealthy. It's not that the politians are just stupid or feckless. They actually have bad intentions because they're paid off. Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Scott Pruitt at EPA are good examples of this kind of politician.
- jorblumesea 9y agoA big part of the issue is the ruling elite are no longer tied to the long term outcome of any singular county. That was the realization at the end of the 20th century. With enough money you can become a citizen of any country, go wherever you want and do whatever. You are a global elite who has more in common with someone of similar social status in another country versus a citizen of birth country. Once this country declines they'll just move somewhere else laughing all the way to the bank. So why not pilfer the richest nation on earth for short term gain? Why support politicians that might not act in your interest? When things start going downhill it's off to Europe or Asia.
- eecc 9y agoThat’s what I’ve been thinking in a while... basically the fall of the USSR and the end of Real Socialism experiments across the world have taken the fear of revolution away. All the social achievements of last century are seen as bonuses tipped off to keep the proles from revolting, and now it’s time to take them all back
- eli_gottlieb 9y agoThen the answer is simple and logical: we need a revolution. Make capitalists afraid again!
- dv_dt 9y agoElites are still making all the decisions in the past and now. Actually I think this is a shift of elite thinking from a rounded "greek classics" education, and value of the foundations of civilization line of thinking, to everything has to pay it's way type of thinking.
- Spooky23 9y agoGreat description. Old school leaders weren’t as transactional as the people running things today.
- matt4077 9y agoThe elephant in the North Korea shop is the obvious exception from that idea. Yes, he's "elite" in economic terms, but he was never, and will never, be part of the social and intellectual "elite" traditionally holding power.
- jccalhoun 9y agoWith cuts to funding at all levels and an increase in vouchers and for-profit charter schools, I am starting to think that it isn't short-sighted at all. I am starting to think that maybe it is a plan to keep the masses uneducated.