> At 07:48 AM 6/17/2009, Chris Doss wrote:
>
> >The complaints don't relate to economic stagnation and/or political
> >repression. They relate to the individual's desire to be able to gain
> >material or social priviliges he or she perceives as deserving due to his
> >or her special accomplishments/characteristics.
>
> because wanting to take your ten year old son swimming, name your child a
> name of your choosing, listen to music of your choice, or make your way
> through a day without having to pay a bribe is kinda silly stuff. @@ yeah.
> just like the soviet middle class.
Those of us from middle-class first-world backgrounds can identify with all this quite easily.
But suppose you've come from a family where nobody has ever swum, or named a kid anything unusual. Suppose the music you like is the music you've been hearing since you were born. And paying bribes is seen in the same light as we see paying taxes -- a nuisance, but part of life.
This describes most of humanity, doesn't it? We're the exceptions.
--
Michael Smith mjs at smithbowen.net http://stopmebeforeivoteagain.org