[lbo-talk] Re: Radical Left Critique Of Nation Article

[Brian Siano]

Dennis Perrin wrote:

>>"Instead of the comforting rationale that merit breeds success and the
>>successful have merit, a more rational approach would be to speculate that
>>in our society wealth and power tend to accrue to those who are ruthless,
>>cunning, avaricious, self-seeking, lacking in sympathy and compassion,
>>subservient to authority and willing to abandon principle for material
>>gain..." --Noam Chomsky
>>Watch the docu "Born Rich" on HBO and C's words ring even clearer.
>>    
>>
I just finished reading _A Natural History of the Rich_ by Richard 
Coniff, and y'all might get a kick out of it as well. Coniff decides to 
examine the rich as a naturalist would, by noting behavior tactics, 
mating rituals, displays of status and power, and the like. Of course, 
it's far from a scientific survey, nor is it a careful scrutiny of 
everyday life among the ultraprivileged. Conniff contents himself with 
anecdotes of outrageous or excessive behavior among the Ted Turners and 
Donald Trumps, and drawing parallels with things like peacocks and 
throat warblers. It's closer in tone to Thorstein Veblen than Jane 
Goodall, of course, with a lot of _Vanity Fair_ thrown in as well.

Personally, I'm more fascinated by the less extravagant aspects of life 
among the wealthy. How are people shaped, when their materials needs are 
more than met, and they have the wherewithal to do pretty much whatever 
they like? How do they view others? How do they view themselves? People 
can grow up rich-- or very affluent-- and develop social consciences. 
They can even do this while carrying with them the same sense of class 
that others of their social strata share. And then there are the 
aristocracies within the Left, like the Boudin family. (It's always a 
weird experience for me when I encounter people whose families have long 
histories of left-wing activism. They seem to know one another, notables 
are referred to by their first names, they have the best lawyers ready 
when Civil Disobedience is called for. It's a bit like the scene in 
_Quiz Show_, where Rob Morrow enjoys a picnic with the Van Dorens and 
"Bunny" Wilson.)

(By the way, when wotzisface came out with _Bobos in Paradise_, did 
anyone else get the feeling that he'd mined Veblen? Didn't even mention 
the guy in his index.)