On Sun, 12 Jan 2003, Doug Henwood wrote:
> Brooks may be a conservative, but I'm afraid he's mostly right about
> this argument. That Time poll, which has 39% of Americans either
> thinking they're in the top 1% or will be someday, is just as
> revealing as Brooks claims. It uncovers a fundamental fantasy about
> American life. Even though we've got the most unequal distribution of
> income in the rich world, the highest poverty levels, the greatest
> persistence of low-wage pay, and only moderate levels of mobility -
> that all doesn't matter. Most Americans just don't care. You could
> recite the facts over & over and it won't make a dent in that
> fundamental fantasy. I'll be damned if I can think what to do about
> it.
>
> Doug
>
I agree with Doug about this. To me, this is a very effective ideology (right up there with the divine right of kings). The most frustrating thing is how little the economic realities seem to influence people's perceptions (it's kinda like how all gamblers think they're the special ones who can beat the house).
Chalk up another one for the importance of culture--
Miles