[lbo-talk] Planet Bulgari, Age of 5-Star Restaurants

[Wojtek S]

RE: "The kitchen staff at the Ledbury went beyond their call of duty
by rushing up from the kitchen with rolling pins, fry baskets, and
other dangerous kitchen tools and scared off the looters. Then they
provided well-needed glasses of alcohol including champagne and
whisky.  When word came that the looters were coming back a second
time, they ushered us into the bathrooms and told us to lock the
doors. A few minutes later, they led us into the wine cellar and told
us to lock ourselves in there."

[WS:] This reminds me of the scene in Bertolucci's flic "The Last
Emperor" in which inmates show deference to the ex-emperor (serving
time for collaboration with the Japanese) and perform various prison
chores for him.

This illustrates what many sociologists know - that mere inequality
will not led to the dissent as long as the subordinate classes
perceive that inequality as legitimate.  More than that, they will
often defend that inequality, seemingly against their own economic
interest.  Otherwise, the kitchen staff would have locked themselves
in the wine cellar, leaving their upper class customers to themselves.

Wojtek