Genuine challenge for elite pols: Keep us from ‘coming apart’
It appears that, come November, Americans will elect as president either a wealthy member of a narrow elite or … another wealthy member of that narrow elite.
Of course, I mean the prospect of Barack “Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and seen what they charge for arugula?” Obama facing Mitt “[My wife] drives a couple of Cadillacs, actually” Romney, in a contest to seem more in tune with Americans who gravitate toward iceberg lettuce and Fords.
This would be true even if Charles Murray hadn’t just published “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010.” And while Murray does not discuss presidential politics in his treatise on the growing gap between the New Upper Class and the New Lower Class, his book’s arrival is timely — and ought to inform the 2012 debate.
“Coming Apart” has been one of the most talked-about books in the commentariat in the past couple of months. But in case you have not come across any reviews of it yet: Murray focuses on “white America” to control for divisions rooted in America’s cruel history of race. “Don’t kid yourself,” he warns, “that we are looking at stresses that can be remedied by attacking the legacy of racism or by restricting immigration.”
That admonition alone would improve our political dialogue. But the trends Murray describes go much further.
He argues that, while our nation has always had disparities of wealth, for almost 200 years Americans shared common cultural experiences. In part, this was because the rich, the middle and the poor interacted. They were not isolated by religious practices or educational attainment; they consumed similar culture in terms of music, television and cinema; they had similar tastes in food and bought different models from the same auto makers.
Over the past 50 years, he says, this has changed. A critical mass formed of highly educated, well-to-do people with jobs of great cultural and/or political influence. There were enough of them, and they were sufficiently mobile and connected, for businesses to cater to their tastes. Think craft beer, espresso, sushi (and arugula).
By and large this New Upper Class is, Murray notes, politically liberal. Yet, in their private lives they behave more traditionally. For example, they marry before having children, and most of them stay married, even as out-of-wedlock births and divorce have risen among all white Americans. Perhaps surprisingly, they are more likely than members of the New Lower Class to attend religious worship services regularly.
Religion and marriage aren’t the only social institutions weakening among the New Lower Class. Its members are less likely to participate in sports clubs, the Elks Lodge, scout troops, elections.
Murray devotes little of “Coming Apart” to identifying the causes of this stratification. But he suggests one reason is the crowding out of social roles by government programs. Another is the New Upper Class does not preach what it practices. Lest they seem judgmental, our elites stay mum about behaviors they deem essential in their own lives. Murray calls them the “founding virtues”: marriage, industriousness, honesty, religiosity.
The reference to the founders is instructive. The people who practice these virtues — increasingly, the elites but not the lower class — are more likely to say they are happy. That is, they are succeeding in “the pursuit of happiness.”
A presidential election that explores this malign neglect of virtue would be worthwhile. Certainly moreso than a contest to see whose theme songs make them most “authentic.”
– By Kyle Wingfield
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292 comments Add your comment
GT
March 10th, 2012
9:11 am
One thing never to forget, Obama is black. No matter what quote you draw from him you cannot misrepresent his hardship in a matter of a blue blood disconnect. Any disconnect is from the white race to him. They have misrepresented his birth, education, religion and political positions when their real problem with the man is he is black. The problem with this country is there are people being born on third base who think they have hit triples. Romney is defiantly one of those as was both Bushs. Clinton grow up poor as did Obama. Now I want to hear more about the rich being liberal. It seems to me unless they have blood test for such there is no hard evidence of this conclusion. Also the rich is not a race into itself. You can be rich today and poor tomorrow.
The white race is “coming apart” by its own hand no one else. They have gravitated to the lowest denominators of our society in my lifetime. Instead of being an Obama or a Clinton and lifting themselves above their class of birth, there has been a mass demotion of the white race self imposed. Religion has become far less important in this crowd, as has education, tradition, and formality. Churches now days are bluejeans and tshirts, cigarettes and tattoos. Radio personalities have become gurus, drama a way of life, watch Jerry Springer and tell me where you see any separation in conduct between the races. Media instead of raising the bar find it more lucrative to lower it. Media has become the classroom of the 20 and 21st century.
When people become educated they may become more moderate. They open their minds more and see the world differently. This is not a rich, poor, equation it is a educated, uneducated equation. It benefits the Republican Party to keep the country uneducated. There is evidence in the position of such states like Georgia or Mississippi or Alabama as to their educational ranking and how they vote. These are Newt states and he plays them like a fiddle. The country will gravitate towards a national personality, it always has. What we have today are fear merchants leading this country who will not speak out on our real problems. We have just gotten to be a bunch of sorry people who want to blame our sorriness on other people instead of taking ownership of it ourselves.
tiredofIT
March 10th, 2012
9:15 am
Bottom line is Rush is a drug addict and you will never see him debate an issue, because he can’t. He has been successful indoctrinating weak minds with a warped view of the world, but hey, it’s America.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
9:17 am
Looks as if my previous post has fallen on deaf ears.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
9:28 am
“One thing never to forget, Obama is black.”
Thank you, Captain Obvious!
Looks like Tech is giving away degrees these days.
Making race the issue regarding people’s dislike for his POLICIES is the least intelligent argument anyone can make, GT.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 10th, 2012
9:30 am
We have just gotten to be a bunch of sorry people who want to blame our sorriness on other people instead of taking ownership of it ourselves.
———————
Why did this make me think of the 99%-ers?
Lil' Barry Blowhard (Revised Upward)
March 10th, 2012
9:32 am
Lil’ Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 10th, 2012
5:56 am
The economy once again outperforms expectations
—————–
Thanks to public schooling general ignorance, and a bottom-feeding entitlement mentality, Democrats think three years worth of 8-10% unemployment, record numbers of people on food stamps, $1.5 trillion deficits, the loss of our AAA credit rating are characteristics of an economy outperforming expectations.
Yeah, these days of 3% GDP growth, quarter-million jobs created per month, decreasing jobless rate, and increasing wages are sure horrible. Let’s go back to the good ‘ol Bush days. You know, when GDP was CONTRACTING. -8.9%. When we were losing 750,000 jobs per month. That’s what we want!
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 10th, 2012
9:34 am
There’s one political persuasion working really hard to destroy the institutions that bring us together, such as the churches, the traditional family, the military, and private businesses. I don’t even have to name it–you know who they are.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 10th, 2012
9:36 am
Yeah, these days of 3% GDP growth, quarter-million jobs created per month, decreasing jobless rate, and increasing wages are sure horrible. Let’s go back to the good ‘ol Bush days. You know, when tax revenue was increasing, unemployment was 5%, the deficit was $160 billion, and we had a AAA credit rating. That’s what we want!
———————
Fixed.
And oh, by the way, wages are falling under Obozo.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 10th, 2012
9:40 am
Hourly earnings growth over the last year of 1.9% is running a full point below inflation, a cost-of-living squeeze that is getting tighter with higher gas prices.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204781804577271690951886740.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_AboveLEFTTop
——————————-
Why are workers falling further behind on Obozo’s watch?
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
9:52 am
What really gripes the leftists is that “Rush Limbaugh is a drug addict, but he could run the country better in a drug daze than have the leftists since January 2007.” And those early posters who affirm that Limbaugh is not a comedian, and that Maher is, have never listened to Limbaugh nor watched Maher.
tiredofIT
March 10th, 2012
9:52 am
Back to unfunded medicare Part D, 911, needless war and losing 750,000 jobs a month and the DOW near 8000. That’s called selective memory.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
9:56 am
I know Chauncey has been lost ever since Magna Sarah mocked his proposed re-election slogan, “Winning the Future” as just more “WTF.” I can alleviate the leftists concern – they cannot think without a bumper sticker, you understand – with this spin on a classic:
Arugula in every pot, and pot with every arugula.
GT
March 10th, 2012
9:59 am
Bad news and ignorance favor the Republican Party. Now bad work if you can get it, just hope for the worse and you can be elected. No contributions required. Now as the ground is falling beneath your shoes you try so hard to keep your troops in check by comforting them that the world is not getting better this is an allusion. Allusion was an economy living off easy credit, politicians cooking the books to make America believe we were living in high times. Notice we are having a recovery now without smoke and mirrors, no easy credit, no Erons or MCIs cooking the books, giving huge contributions of stolen money to the Republican Party, nope this one is for real. And independent money scares the hell out of the Republican Party. You got Romney buying an election, Newt staying in one because of super-pack money. Obama couldn’t stop it and lost a case in the Supreme Court against super packs. I can promise if you want to get rid of it he won’t fight you just like the Supreme Court case. It will be the Republicans fighting to keep it so minority rules.
Lil' Barry Blowhard (Revised Upward)
March 10th, 2012
10:10 am
Lil’ Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 10th, 2012
9:40 am
Hourly earnings growth over the last year of 1.9% is running a full point below inflation, a cost-of-living squeeze that is getting tighter with higher gas prices.
Let’s go back to 2008-2009 when American’s average wages decreased, which hasn’t happened since the great depression. Let’s reinstitute all the trickle down policies that benefit only the wealthy, which has allowed the richest after-tax incomes to rise 281% since 1979, while everyone one else has averaged 16-25% over that same time.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
10:12 am
Dear GT @ 9:11. your thesis does not conform to the facts. Democrats control the votes of those who are high school drop outs. Beyond that basic level, affinity with conservatism grows until we get to the doctorate level, which is again over-represented among leftist voters.
Reason that is likely true: least educated are most in need of “safety net,” always championed by leftists. Most educated see themselves as overlords, with an obligation to control the rabble. Those in-between – the average working stiffs – see themselves as the ones who have to pay the bills and make the country work.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
10:14 am
Dear GT @ 9:59. notice that there was no recovery until we had a “do nothing” House of Representatives. The leftists always pick at the wound, preventing recovery – the conservatives are smart enough to let the market find its floor.
@@
March 10th, 2012
10:17 am
I read some of the reviews of Mr. Murray’s “Coming Apart”….looks interesting. I’ll have to check it out. Comparisons were to “The Bell Curve”. From there I dug deeper and ended up at “Mises” wherein I read an article entitled “Stealing Assets, Insuring Poverty”.
Let’s face it, our representatives always conform to the minimum expected standard. Some voters are willing to tolerate it, others not.
Too many in the “workforce” have followed “the suits” thinking themselves favored by the government….placing their future in the hands of government. It’s that lowest common denominator thingy at the directive of politically liberal elites.
Are we going to let America crash and burn or will we pull up at the last minute by raising our own personal standards?
Here’s hoping we’ll choose the “ladder” as opposed to the government’s catapult.
Unconscious in America.
@@
March 10th, 2012
10:25 am
An interesting exchange between Peggy Noonan and John Boehner. Boehner revealed it’s not the Tea Partiers within his party who are standing in the way of progress. It’s Obama, the dems, and a few old guards within the GOP.
The three legged dog.
@@
March 10th, 2012
10:27 am
Hopalong to get along.
schnirt
MarkV
March 10th, 2012
10:30 am
Kyle degraded everything he would write further in this commentary by his silly dig of characterizing Obama by the “Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and seen what they charge for arugula?” quote.
If Kyle wanted to make us aware of Charles Murray’s “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010” and encourage us to read it, he could have done it in a much simpler way. But to submit this complex sociological study, which has been subject of both praise and strong criticism, for a blog discussion? The only justification might be that this trivialization of the subject would be in tune with what is happening on this blog every day. Anybody can see the evidence of that in the arugula vs. lettuce, spinach and collards debate as well as other comments.
Payback is a Bill Maher
March 10th, 2012
10:33 am
Oh now it is the Republicans who play on economic bad news?
Gee… In 2008 when Oblamer did nothing but trash a bad economy daily, then the leftwing nutjobs loved it and he was considered so intelligent – for p-ing in his own coffee cup!
Now that Oblamer has only made that bad economy he couldn’t stop talking down all the worse these leftwing nutjobs decry… it’s those old Republicans talking down the economy and looking for more bad news daily.
Karma: Did somebody say something early of worrying it would come back around full circle?
Rafe Hollister
March 10th, 2012
10:34 am
Having taken the time on this pretty day to read some of the inane comments, I have the following to say before returning to this beautiful day outdoors.
I don’t throw the stupid word around, probably as much as I should, but the comments that some make to justify their position, that there is no difference in Romney and Oblamer, is stupid. I think people say this to justify doing or not doing what they know they ought to do. If they are slackers they know that taking of the dole is wrong, but to justify it, they say, well there is no difference in the two parties, so why change anything.
Well, here is the difference between the two on just a few issues.
Oblamer wants to raise taxes, Romney wants to cut taxes.
Oblamer says oil is the fuel of the past and he is not worried about rising gas prices, Romney said it is absurd that we are developing our resources and using all our energy options.
Oblamer wants to grow government, Romney wants to free the private sector to grow non government jobs.
Oblamer wants to appoint liberal justices to the Supreme Court, Romney wants to put more conservatives on the Supreme Court.
Oblamer wants more government control over your life, like Obamacare, Romney wants to repeal Obamacare.
Oblamer wants the government to be in control of the economy, Romney wants economic freedom.
I could go on and on. Idiots that think they are one and the same, need to turn off American Idol and Dancing with the Stars and come out from your TeeVEE induced coma and do some investigating. I think if you look you will quickly find that this economic downturn is the second longest in USA history. Do you think that it is coincidence that Oblamer is in charge.
People who say, he inherited all these problems and he can’t fix them overnight, need to study Harry Truman. Think Barry got a short straw, check ole Harry’s plight at the time he first stepped into the oval office. Never heard Harry blame anyone. “The buck stops here”, he said.
Rafe has left the building. Thanks for reading my rant.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
10:35 am
Dear MarkV @ 10:30, you err in your slams against Kyle’s essay. You first affirm that he “lost all credibility” via some particular assertion – “credibility” of a particular speaker does not affect the quality of the argument. You then affirm that Kyle “degraded everything he could write further” because he inserted a humorous comment – as if the argument hinged on the validity of that particular “dig.”
“Logic” is arraying facts into a co-ordinated string of thoughts, sometimes leading to a conclusion. Kyle did it, but you did not.
@@
March 10th, 2012
10:50 am
Kyle could’ve used The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare
Eight things we can do to improve health care without adding to the deficit..Whole Foods to support a more conservative argument.
Liberals attack their own.
Liberals attack Whole Foods
Case in point: The current boycott of Whole Foods because John Mackey, the CEO, has his own opinions about health care and expressed these in the Wall Street Journal.
The result: a nation wide, well publicized campaign of nasty phone calls and e mails to local stores. Ironically, if you’ve ever been in a Whole Foods, you know that 99.9% of the employees are mega Obama fans. And when Obama was campaigning in Iowa, didn’t he wax rhapsodic about the arugula there? (He’s such a man of the people.)
Off to do yardwork.
claire
March 10th, 2012
10:52 am
Surely the difference in lifestyle between the high IQ elite and the lower IQ underclass is largely explicable purely by the different prospects in life ensuing from their different intellectual levels. It’s OK for a clever, well educated lawyer with a high salary to talk about the virtues of marriage as he/she won’t struggle to find a partner but many low ability men who can’t find a job and by nature aren’t full of scintillating conversation have no selling point for marriage.The fact that the IQ- rich have now pulled apart so those talented people who used to enrich communities and provide role models to others have now separated themselves and associate only with one another leaves many communities which used to be mixed full of only low prospect, low talent people with low chances of marriage. There used to be many couples, too, where one marriage partner was significantly brighter than the other but society’s polarisation has been increased by intelligent men and women being able to find and marry one another so that many couples are either both intelligent (the married ones)or both unintelligent.Generally, there’s far less of a middle ground in society. Perhaps the church should urge talented and well off people to move into less fortunate areas and enrich them with their lives rather than throwing money at them. The problem is that so many politicians have themselves come from elite and very sheltered backgrounds.
MarkV
March 10th, 2012
10:53 am
ragnar danneskjold @10:35 am
If “Logic” is arraying facts into a co-ordinated string of thoughts, sometimes leading to a conclusion,” then your post fails that test. When somebody writes a commentary on as serious subject as the Murray’s study, and starts that commentary with silliness, the quality of the argument may not be affected, by the overall article is degraded.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
11:03 am
And once again MarkV focuses on the inane, rather than the topic at hand.
‘Cause he’s got nothing else in his playbook.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
11:11 am
The consistent identifying mark of leftism is “humorlessness.”
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
11:14 am
Dear MarkV @ 10:53, the best way to measure the validity of my argument is to re-read Kyle’s essay but omitting the one line you find objectionable. If the essay stands as sound without it – and it does – the injection of humor is irrelevant, and your objection is a mere diversion.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
11:14 am
The consistent identifying mark of leftism is “unwilling to have a serious discussion”.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
11:18 am
Dear MarkV @ various times, I fully understand that leftists prefer fire and brimstone and sniff at humorous asides, but we normal folk like the sermon leavened with humor.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
11:18 am
Dear Tiberius @ 11:14, taste great, less filling.
Gator Joe
March 10th, 2012
11:23 am
“Coming Apart: The State of White America”, why the concern about a segment of society that enjoyed privelge throughout the history of this country. The concern should be about segments of society that still suffer the effects of slavery, racism and bigotry. Additional attention should focus on why poverty and hunger still exicst in this country.
For the record, I’m a 65 year old white Hispanic.
PS
Much of the problem lies with insecure whites, especially men, who see the country continuing to diversify.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
11:25 am
Dear Gator Joe @ 11:23, we disagree. I am an old white guy, and I object to the mind control compelled by leftists – believe people ought to be able to think whatever they wish, even if they are “wrong.” Leftists are intolerant of a divergent view.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
11:27 am
Leftists require regimentation of society, a la “ObamaCare,” or “Dodd-Frank” or any other business law or regulation. That mandatory goose-stepping is objectionable to all who prize freedom. Other than those narrow areas that constitute a fraud on the market – “collusion” and “fraud in the inception” – there is no need for bureaucratic control of the decisions of free individuals.
Gator Joe
March 10th, 2012
11:33 am
Dear Ragnar @ 11:25 you confuse “disagreement” with “intolerance”. Disagreeing with you does not mean I’m intolerant of your views, however misguided they may be. The only mind control I see is the brain washing occuring on the part of those who depend on Fox, Limbaugh, Hannity, Boortz, etc. as their only sources of information.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
11:34 am
“For the record, I’m a 65 year old white Hispanic.”
Gator Joe just made my argument for me. Thanks, Gator!
Unless you’re just visiting here, Gator, you’re a 65 year-old AMERICAN.
ragnar danneskjold
March 10th, 2012
11:38 am
Dear Gator Joe @ 11:33, you err. Obama will not tolerate Catholic hospitals refusing to perform abortions, or refusing to provide abortifacients to their employees. Conservatives disagree, but leftists use the guns of government to mandate their preferences – the latter is “intolerance.”
Gator Joe
March 10th, 2012
11:39 am
Tiberius @ 11:34, I forgot to add in my post, I’m also a veteran (USMC). As for your comment, I am what I choose to be, not as you, or anyone else, defines me.
I’m a 65 year old white Hispanic who served honorably in the Marine Corps. Is that better?
MarkV
March 10th, 2012
11:40 am
ragnar danneskjold @11:14 am, @ 11:18 am
ragnar, again you are failing your own test of logic.
radnar: “the best way to measure the validity of my argument is to re-read Kyle’s essay but omitting the one line you find objectionable “ Would you enlighten me about what argument you made in your post @ 10:35 am, so that I can “measure the validity of it”?
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
11:45 am
“Is that better?”
No, Gator, it is not. And you missed by point entirely. I suggest you read (or re-read) my post at the bottom of page 2 on this thread.
But to summarize, you’re the problem, regardless of your age, history or service simply because YOU CHOSE to define yourself as Hispanic rather than American.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
11:46 am
More obfuscation from MarkV, I see.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 10th, 2012
11:47 am
And btw, Gator Joe, before I forget – thank you for your service.
tiredofIT
March 10th, 2012
11:58 am
” mind control compelled by leftists” ? Looks like you have typo, didn’t you mean to say “right-wingers” e.g. Rush, Shawn, Marc ….
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
March 10th, 2012
12:02 pm
Drop out, Newt.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
March 10th, 2012
12:26 pm
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 25% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-four percent (44%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -19 (see trends).
Now all we need to do is rid ourselves of our little Blow Up “Conservative” Doll Romney.
After you get all the squishes off of it, of course.
ew
rightwing troll
March 10th, 2012
12:27 pm
Lots of blather hot air and lies here from the rightwing nut sax, but nary a supporting fact to be found… just like always…
Maybe you pervs can go youtube some college coeds having sex with pillbo…
rightwing troll
March 10th, 2012
12:30 pm
“Leftists require regimentation of society, a la “ObamaCare,” or “Dodd-Frank” or any other business law or regulation.”
And rightists require a decimation of society in favor of corporate subsidies based on disproved, discredited, and failed policies…
getalife
March 10th, 2012
12:30 pm
Yeah, lets go back to “did not see that coming” gop failed policies.
Another collapse is the ticket.
Not on my watch.
Paul Deen
March 10th, 2012
12:40 pm
Here’s a sweet photo of one of Kyle’s buddies and the guvna himself:
http://abovethelaw.com/2012/03/lawyer-of-the-day-non-consensual-sex-drugs-and-a-smokin-ex-wife/