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A thread like this always bring out the 'perfectly content philosopher' in everyone.
Not that everyone is lying, but there is a not so secretive contempt for the wealthy that causes many people to feel the need to pontificate about how much more enlightened and happier they are than wealthy people when provoked.
To me, it's mostly bs, but I don't ever expect anyone to ADMIT to such a thing.
I think the fact that we sweep class under the rug so much in this country that people like you think others engage in "class envy". What is reall going on is that people are trying to articulate the best way they can how this free market we have is literally making the country's wealth flow from one group that feels neglected (teachers, nurses, social workers) to bankers, movie stars, athletes, etc.
Any opinions about this wealth gap are considered "class envy", "class warfare" or whatever else people who do not analyze or examine the deeper meaning behind people's grievences.
It's no different than the ridiculous rich girl in high school who has a horrible personality and then turns around and says, "they're all just jealous, tee hee".
I agree that there are some that do try too hard to act like celebs are just normal people and that they're no different than you or I or sometimes regular people are better, etc. This is projecting but at the same time, there is a subtle humble arrogantway in which celebs themselves try to (or at least the media will) have their regular joe moments and glam moments to remind people that they're still a member of the 1%.
Many people do not care about making a tangible influence in the world. I would rather have fleeting fame and the glitz and glamor than to make an impact on the world. I think for most people, making a difference isn't a priority but rather enjoying their own day to day lives.
I think you are mistaken by assuming that people even care about making a difference... I think many are fine as long as they have money and are living the high life. For some people that is enough.
Real actors who work on their craft would not say all the superficial stuff you just said. The glam/fame is just an added perk to the fact they're lucky enough to work in a field they love and make gobbles of money doing it.
I think they care more about respect from their peers than just glitz.
You sound like you just want to be famous for famous sake. A reality star. You sould like the girl that when asked what her favorite movie is, it's some mainstream movie and when pressed about what theatre classes she is taking, what method is her favorite, she just replies, "I don't know, I just want to be an actress/famous".
I think a lot of actors start off wanting just the "high life", especially the bad ones (like Ashton Kutcher) but then when they enter higher circles they realize they're no so relevant and start to create a name for themselves in other fields.
A thread like this always bring out the 'perfectly content philosopher' in everyone.
Not that everyone is lying, but there is a not so secretive contempt for the wealthy that causes many people to feel the need to pontificate about how much more enlightened and happier they are than wealthy people when provoked.
To me, it's mostly bs, but I don't ever expect anyone to ADMIT to such a thing.
I'm sorry you find it hard to believe that so many adults aren't throwing a snit about not being Big Time™ like a bunch of insecure little children.
I think the fact that we sweep class under the rug so much in this country that people like you think others engage in "class envy". What is reall going on is that people are trying to articulate the best way they can how this free market we have is literally making the country's wealth flow from one group that feels neglected (teachers, nurses, social workers) to bankers, movie stars, athletes, etc.
Any opinions about this wealth gap are considered "class envy", "class warfare" or whatever else people who do not analyze or examine the deeper meaning behind people's grievences.
It's no different than the ridiculous rich girl in high school who has a horrible personality and then turns around and says, "they're all just jealous, tee hee".
I agree that there are some that do try too hard to act like celebs are just normal people and that they're no different than you or I or sometimes regular people are better, etc. This is projecting but at the same time, there is a subtle humble arrogantway in which celebs themselves try to (or at least the media will) have their regular joe moments and glam moments to remind people that they're still a member of the 1%.
BarcelonaFan,
The contempt is real. Someone rich can make negative comments about the poor, and they're seen as insensitive douchebags who are out of touch with reality. Someone poor make negative comments about the rich? They'll get head nods of agreement from the world over.
Why can't rich people have an opinion about the poor?
Go to youtube and type in 'The World's Most Expensive ________* and read the comments on the videos. I've seen people wish death; people go on long rants about how the wealth who spend globs on material possessions are the real poor; and all sorts of long pseudo-spiritual rants that ultimately lift the poor/broke to saint status and the rich to demon status.
The question that always begs to be asked ... "Why are you HERE?" Why are you watching a youtube video about the world's most expensive house/car/meal/blouse/boobjob? These types of videos always have hundreds of comments, and EVERYONE is talking like they're some enlightened Buddha.
Yet, the lottery can get as high as 400 million dollars and people all over the country are playing it and praying and wishing upon a star in hopes of winning. They even do news reports on the long lines of people purchasing their tickets.
C'mon, man.
To deny the obvious bugs me. I'm not saying EVERYONE wants to be famous. I sure a hell wouldn't want that. However, to deny wanting to be rich is a bit ridiculous.
Remember: Being rich =/= Buying expensive possessions.
I have a friend who always RIPPED into rich people every chance she got about their greed, and buying things they don't need. However, she met this guy when she moved from Indiana to Miami who was very well off. He bought her a very expensive necklace, and I said, 'Why would he buy YOU something like that? You hate pricey crap like that."
Her response? " Well, every girl needs a trinket!"
Nowadays, she is a kept woman who makes excuses for all the material crap she piles up in her bedroom.
To tell me that you DON'T want to have enough money to provide all of your needs and wants is to insult my intelligence.
I know people who aren't willing to 'sell their souls' for it, but if they could have it without doing so?
The contempt is real. Someone rich can make negative comments about the poor, and they're seen as insensitive douchebags who are out of touch with reality. Someone poor make negative comments about the rich? They'll get head nods of agreement from the world over.
Why can't rich people have an opinion about the poor?
Go to youtube and type in 'The World's Most Expensive ________* and read the comments on the videos. I've seen people wish death; people go on long rants about how the wealth who spend globs on material possessions are the real poor; and all sorts of long pseudo-spiritual rants that ultimately lift the poor/broke to saint status and the rich to demon status.
The question that always begs to be asked ... "Why are you HERE?" Why are you watching a youtube video about the world's most expensive house/car/meal/blouse/boobjob? These types of videos always have hundreds of comments, and EVERYONE is talking like they're some enlightened Buddha.
Yet, the lottery can get as high as 400 million dollars and people all over the country are playing it and praying and wishing upon a star in hopes of winning. They even do news reports on the long lines of people purchasing their tickets.
C'mon, man.
To deny the obvious bugs me. I'm not saying EVERYONE wants to be famous. I sure a hell wouldn't want that. However, to deny wanting to be rich is a bit ridiculous.
Remember: Being rich =/= Buying expensive possessions.
I have a friend who always RIPPED into rich people every chance she got about their greed, and buying things they don't need. However, she met this guy when she moved from Indiana to Miami who was very well off. He bought her a very expensive necklace, and I said, 'Why would he buy YOU something like that? You hate pricey crap like that."
Her response? " Well, every girl needs a trinket!"
Nowadays, she is a kept woman who makes excuses for all the material crap she piles up in her bedroom.
To tell me that you DON'T want to have enough money to provide all of your needs and wants is to insult my intelligence.
I know people who aren't willing to 'sell their souls' for it, but if they could have it without doing so?
Where do they and everyone else sign up?
People are more concerned with security, not so much wealth or fame. They "envy" the security and freedom in which lots of money can provide.
Because of the total lack of discussion of class here in the States, people tend to react in ways that may seem like pure class envy. They just cannot fully articulate the notion they have that there is some uneven distribution of wealth, that nurses, teachers, and social workers get paid so little in comparison to actors, bankers, athletes. They see it as unproductive work vs productive work that sustains society.
And do not for a second think that people just rush to these things and it creates a supply and demand curve for more entertainment. Hollywood saturates the market with socialite glam stuff to create a demand. If not there wouldn't be a need for relentless advertising and overwhelming entertainment "news".
Again, this is more "they're just jealous" talk from the spoiled rich high school girl who can't face up to the fact that people do not like her because of her personality.
"Haterz" gonna hate mentality of ridiculous rappers who cannot flow. Same thing.
People are more concerned with security, not so much wealth or fame. They "envy" the security and freedom in which lots of money can provide.
Because of the total lack of discussion of class here in the States, people tend to react in ways that may seem like pure class envy. They just cannot fully articulate the notion they have that there is some uneven distribution of wealth, that nurses, teachers, and social workers get paid so little in comparison to actors, bankers, athletes. They see it as unproductive work vs productive work that sustains society.
And do not for a second think that people just rush to these things and it creates a supply and demand curve for more entertainment. Hollywood saturates the market with socialite glam stuff to create a demand. If not there wouldn't be a need for relentless advertising and overwhelming entertainment "news".
Again, this is more "they're just jealous" talk from the spoiled rich high school girl who can't face up to the fact that people do not like her because of her personality.
"Haterz" gonna hate mentality of ridiculous rappers who cannot flow. Same thing.
I've seen these situations before.
Here is the thing: The hate is intensified because she is a rich girl. However, strip away the wealth, and people wouldn't care as much, or the hate may not be as strong.
Let's remove wealth from the discussion and replace it with physical beauty.
When I was in high school, a girl came to my school that was world class beautiful. The boys loved the ground she walked on, and the girls scrutinized her every move. If she answered a question incorrectly in class she was the dumbest person that ever walked the face of the earth. They envied her beauty so much everything else about her that may have gone unnoticed if she weren't so attractive, or not fixated on to the same extent, became extremely annoying and infuriating.
Wealth, or anything that is greatly desired by most people, will create a lot of envy. I know a guy that went to Princeton, and he was a very, very, bright guy, but people would ask him questions just to prove he didn't know everything. He was actually a pretty regular guy...
...now if people acted that towards him and he was a fairly humble guy, imagine what would happen if he was the type that bragged about his accomplishments all the time?
THIS is why people hate to see wealthy people buy expensive things. It's like rubbing their lack of financial resources in their faces. This is why you often hear people talk so positively about wealthy people who don't flaunt their wealth. They can deal with THAT.
It's like, you can HAVE it, but don't rub it in my face.
Liken it to a friend winning first place in a competition that you entered, and rather than keeping quiet about it, he rubbed it in your face?
THAT'S the issue with the wealthy, the beautiful, the intelligent, the talented, etc., etc., etc....
...who WOULDN'T want to be those things? However, when you are not, there is envy - and god forbid those people don't exhibit anything less than Saint like humility, they will be viewed as the spawn of Satan.
Here is the thing: The hate is intensified because she is a rich girl. However, strip away the wealth, and people wouldn't care as much, or the hate may not be as strong.
Let's remove wealth from the discussion and replace it with physical beauty.
When I was in high school, a girl came to my school that was world class beautiful. The boys loved the ground she walked on, and the girls scrutinized her every move. If she answered a question incorrectly in class she was the dumbest person that ever walked the face of the earth. They envied her beauty so much everything else about her that may have gone unnoticed if she weren't so attractive, or not fixated on to the same extent, became extremely annoying and infuriating.
Wealth, or anything that is greatly desired by most people, will create a lot of envy. I know a guy that went to Princeton, and he was a very, very, bright guy, but people would ask him questions just to prove he didn't know everything. He was actually a pretty regular guy...
...now if people acted that towards him and he was a fairly humble guy, imagine what would happen if he was the type that bragged about his accomplishments all the time?
THIS is why people hate to see wealthy people buy expensive things. It's like rubbing their lack of financial resources in their faces. This is why you often hear people talk so positively about wealthy people who don't flaunt their wealth. They can deal with THAT.
It's like, you can HAVE it, but don't rub it in my face.
Liken it to a friend winning first place in a competition that you entered, and rather than keeping quiet about it, he rubbed it in your face?
THAT'S the issue with the wealthy, the beautiful, the intelligent, the talented, etc., etc., etc....
...who WOULDN'T want to be those things? However, when you are not, there is envy - and god forbid those people don't exhibit anything less than Saint like humility, they will be viewed as the spawn of Satan.
Good lord, this reads like the Cliff Notes version of Atlas Shrugged. Apparently, according to your Randian outlook people are just envious of the rich, talented and beautiful out of some innate spite to see them fail. What brilliant psychoanalysis!
Not only is this patently absurd but it fails to take into account the socio-economic realities people face everyday and their common reactions to people associated with wealth. In your libertarian world, it's their shortcomings being projected in the form of hostility toward those who deserve admiration for their hard work that made them rich. It has nothing to do with the fact that they aren't able to fully articulate the disparities they see in wealth, the uneven distribution of wealth and rat race they face everyday because of a social order that clearly favors the rich over the worker.
Because discussion of class has been amputated from the national discourse, people vent in superficial ways.
Your argument LAMaybeMaybeNot, is trying to rationalize the spoiled rich girls attitude toward her peers. Her delusional assumptions about her school mates being jealous of her because of looks and wealth are tossed aside according to you in favor of giving her the benefit of the doubt that it's something wrong with poorer people, not the rich girl.
This mindset in America is due to the fact that people in this country see things in way too much of an individualized, atomized form. People do not think that there are deeper reasons for the way things are. They do not systemically analyze their social surroundings and instead just make assumptions based on what they immediately see. Then they reinforce these assumptions because they believe them to be "obvious". "People love wealth, duh, it's obvious. They're jealous".
It's the same way people back during the days of slavery would say, "blacks can't be free, they can't think for themselves, it's obvious", but it was only "obvious" to those who lived during an era where African Americans were robbed of their history, barred from school, enslaved to work long terrible hours, and denied every facet to improve themselves.
That was an issue of race but in this country we do not see the same situation with class. Apparently, that is not given the same careful consideration as race was during the time of slavery and Jim Crow.
Workers in this country, especially since the late 70s, have been underworked, underpaid and undereducated. Then some elitist douche bag sticks a camera in their face and asks them what the capital of Liberia and laughs at them when they get the question wrong.
People deny class as a social stigma in this country because unlike race, gender or sexual orientation, it's a position in which you can change, even though many reports have statistically showed that under the current economic/social conditions this is vastly becoming a pipedream.
Good lord, this reads like the Cliff Notes version of Atlas Shrugged. Apparently, according to your Randian outlook people are just envious of the rich, talented and beautiful out of some innate spite to see them fail. What brilliant psychoanalysis!
Not only is this patently absurd but it fails to take into account the socio-economic realities people face everyday and their common reactions to people associated with wealth. In your libertarian world, it's their shortcomings being projected in the form of hostility toward those who deserve admiration for their hard work that made them rich. It has nothing to do with the fact that they aren't able to fully articulate the disparities they see in wealth, the uneven distribution of wealth and rat race they face everyday because of a social order that clearly favors the rich over the worker.
Because discussion of class has been amputated from the national discourse, people vent in superficial ways.
Your argument LAMaybeMaybeNot, is trying to rationalize the spoiled rich girls attitude toward her peers. Her delusional assumptions about her school mates being jealous of her because of looks and wealth are tossed aside according to you in favor of giving her the benefit of the doubt that it's something wrong with poorer people, not the rich girl.
This mindset in America is due to the fact that people in this country see things in way too much of an individualized, atomized form. People do not think that there are deeper reasons for the way things are. They do not systemically analyze their social surroundings and instead just make assumptions based on what they immediately see. Then they reinforce these assumptions because they believe them to be "obvious". "People love wealth, duh, it's obvious. They're jealous".
It's the same way people back during the days of slavery would say, "blacks can't be free, they can't think for themselves, it's obvious", but it was only "obvious" to those who lived during an era where African Americans were robbed of their history, barred from school, enslaved to work long terrible hours, and denied every facet to improve themselves.
That was an issue of race but in this country we do not see the same situation with class. Apparently, that is not given the same careful consideration as race was during the time of slavery and Jim Crow.
Workers in this country, especially since the late 70s, have been underworked, underpaid and undereducated. Then some elitist douche bag sticks a camera in their face and asks them what the capital of Liberia and laughs at them when they get the question wrong.
People deny class as a social stigma in this country because unlike race, gender or sexual orientation, it's a position in which you can change, even though many reports have statistically showed that under the current economic/social conditions this is vastly becoming a pipedream.
Learn to analyze correctly, LAMaybeMaybeNot.
Translation: Come to the same conclusion that I have.
Sorry, but denying class envy is like denying the sun is hot. If given the choice between being rich, middle class, or poor, most - if not all - will choose to be rich. That's not even debatable. In a world that puts a price tag on EVERYTHING you need and want, who would want to struggle to acquire those things?
Give me a break.
As I said in an earlier post, OF COURSE, people will never admit to it. It's like admitting your own shortcomings, and god knows the human ego can't take too much of that.
You speak from the perspective of a victim. You keep mentioning people that are underpaid, and it's clear you think people with those occupations should be paid more. Fine.
However, that is not the real world. If I'm going to school to become a HS English teacher, and then get upset because Lebron James makes more money than I do, whose fault is that? Lebron can't make what the market won't bear. You know your job would underpay you but you took it, anyway. Hell, before you declared the major that would allow you to become a teacher you knew. Once again, WHOSE fault is that?
Yours.
A victim mentality does nothing but make you bitter, because you've placed the blame at everyone's feet but at your own. So, you feel entitled to your bitterness, and hold on to that as tenaciously as a pit bull.
Are there rich douches? Of course - just like there are poor ones, but as I said before, the wealth just intensifies the contempt.
At the end of the day, we're worlds apart in how we perceive the world, and going back and forth about this won't make you less of a bitter victim and me any more compassionate towards those without the courage to strive for what they TRULY wanted, rather than settle.
when pressed about what theatre classes she is taking, what method is her favorite, she just replies, "I don't know, I just want to be an actress/famous".
Anyone who has half a brain would know what type of method is being taught in an L.A class if they are paying for it; Meisner, substitution (Chubbuck, Howard Fine etc) and some emphasize on using your imagination. Someone who doesn't like substitution would obviously not go to a Chubbuck class. Why would be retarded enough to pay for a class that utilizes a particular method that they know doesn't work for them?
It's possible to have a brain and not be a dumbass but still be superficial.
It's possible to have a brain and not be a dumbass but still be superficial.
Yeah, they're called posers. Winners forget they're in a race, they just love to run.
i.e. real people do it for the love of the craft.
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