Do the elites look down at the common person?

[noname223]

The first title for this thread: Do the elites despise the common man? Maybe it is a little bit too populistic this version. I chose a different one.

I have listened to a video of a philosopher who argumented against the notion we lived in a meritocracy.
He said rich people should be more humble a lot of their success stems from the fact they had luck. He quoted people like Obama who said if you try hard enough you will have success eventually. I can remember Macron (french president) said to an unemployed man you just have to look for a job on the street and you will immediately find one. Something similar like that and it sounded very arrogant and pejoratively.

The philosopher argumented Hillary Clinton was arrogant. I can fully agree to that. (My opinion) Some liberals also in my counry (they often write exactly what they read in mainstream media in the US) argument sexism was a huge factor why Clinton lost. I think this is not a fully true. It might have been a small factor. I rather think her attitude towards average Americans made her unpopular. Her famous quote when she called the half of the Trump supporters a "Basket of deplorables" showed her hubris. "They're racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic". For me this contributed a lot to the fact she lost. But also the fact she is a war criminal and violated privacy rules with her e-mail server contributed to her loss.

I think many Trump supporters considered Trump one of them. Because he does not speak like other politicians. But for me most of his policies were gifts for the elites. Like the tax cuts for the mega-wealthy. This thread does not argument that Trump would fight for the common man. I think the opposite is true. But many liberals consider themselves superior (also morally) just because they went to an expensive college and now they enjoy their success because they deserved it so much. I think this philosopher made a very good analysis. Because this bias of the elites is the reason why the populists are rising in popularity. It is a dangerous hubris.

 

[makethepainstop]

Judging from their actions, I would definitely say yes.

 

[SarRy]

I mean, it's awfully arrogant to think that you deserve to rule over other people. Who is so perfect that they should make choices for others? If you can't be perfect in your own life, then what right do you have to lead others?

Yes, the rich tend to diminish the role that luck played in their success. Opportunities don't come to everyone. Even knowing the right people is luck. Nobody births themselves and nobody lives in a vacuum.

 

[newave3]

 

[wait.what]

Yes, they do. Most of the kids I grew up with were pretty insufferable that way. Please don't imagine that all people like that live in certain areas or vote a certain way, though. Where I live they vote solidly Republican. They are awful, though.

 

[Summer Child]

I think even the common person likes to look down on the common person, just likes thinking they're better in some way or the other. When you extrapolate that, it makes sense. It's a human thing, the rich just have the power for their biases to actually affect others.

Can't speak for the US, but I can speak from the point of view of a person from a small island country where it's really mostly people who already came from wealthy, or at least influential, backgrounds who tend to prosper. But, even the people who came from poorer backgrounds tend to forget where they came from after they gain influence. After that, it's mostly just looking after the interests of other rich people. Bit hypocritical methinks when the way they got there was by claiming to care about the less privileged. Every president likes to SAY they'll improve access to facilities in the more remote islands, but ends up just working on the capital city.

Forgive me, I'm not very eloquent or that smart, but it is an interesting topic

 

[earshurt]

The popular image of a cackling, openly malicious rich person getting off on screwing over the little man is culturally pervasive. But it's even worse than that; the rich don't think of us at all, ever. They are not concerned with our needs or what goes on in our tiny little worlds. They are concerned only with themselves and their own interests. Whatever little people do or say in their spare time, the rich don't care. Shit, they barely even care how we vote - just look at how many big companies lobby both parties to protect themselves no matter who's in power.

Democratic voters think the rich prefer Republicans because of the lip service they pay to fiscal conservatism. Republican voters think the rich prefer Democrats because of woke commercials and poorly implemented diversity initiatives. They're both half-right - the rich like both parties, because they know neither is going to do a damn thing to challenge their power. The more we bicker at each other over petty culture wars, the more we divert attention from the real villains, the rich.

Whoever you vote for this fall, just know they care far more about special interests than you or your ideological principles.

 

[Maudlin]

I have listened to a video of a philosopher

Aren't you gonna link to the video? I mean, here we are... almost 3 months later.
Gimme a link!!

Please?

I promise... I won't tell anybody.

 

[Meaninglessness]

The elites look down at the common person. The doctor has power over the patient. The rich look down at the poor. The employment agency looks down at the unemployed. The healthy don´t understand the sick. Those who have a home are afraid of the homeless. The beautiful look down at the ugly. Those who have friends look down at the lonely. Those who have a good life don´t understand what it is to suffer. But man is only an animal! Everything will change with the passage of time. He who is heathy will become ill. He who is young and beautiful will become old and ugly. We will lose everything in life with the passage of time.

 

[sserafim]

Everything will change with the passage of time. He who is heathy will become ill. He who is young and beautiful will become old and ugly. We will lose everything in life with the passage of time.

So true