Faced with the realities of fewer jobs, lower wages, more long-term unemployment, higher taxes and greater debt created by their fiscal policies, the liberal elite face a potential backlash from supporters frustrated with a lack of "success" in the business and financial world. Rather than re-examine the plans they have put in place, those on the left have instead launched an effort to just re-define the concept of "success" in America.
I stumbled across a New York Times article this weekend about a conference in New York City focusing on how to live a "new successful" life--which, you guessed it, involves less money, less financial security and of course, less work. The conference was hosted by Arianna Huffington--whose own success came from dating and marrying rich guys--and Mika Brzezinski--who comes from a family of wealthy European diplomats. Ms Huffington told the 200-people sitting in her LIVING ROOM that "The way we define success isn't working. More bigger, better--we can't do that anymore."
In other words, folks "I got mine--but you should learn to live without." Forget upgrading to a bigger house for the family, or the summer cottage on the lake, or the classic sports car, or early retirement. The things that our parents and grandparents worked hard for and were able to save up to buy in the past--will not be available to you in the future. Your money and resources will be better spent on the collective--in ways decided upon by the government.
Huffington and Brzezinski therefore believe that our focus should be on the non-material things, like getting enough sleep, meditation and "spiritual renewal". They believe a truly successful person will be well-rested and not stressed out about anything. Going through life with Zen would certainly be nice--but unfortunately, naps and meditation don't pay the bills. And they don't feed the kids and they don't put products on store shelves. They also don't put men on the moon or cure cancer either.
But those who decide to adopt this effort to redefine "success" in America will feed right into the liberal agenda. You're spending more time at home with the kids--but can't afford to take care of them? Don't worry, there are government programs that will feed, shelter and even babysit them. Don't work enough hours to pay for maintenance of your car? We'll provide you with public transportation and subsidized high-speed rail to get you around. You'd rather paint landscapes than balance the books in an office? We'll pay for your health insurance. Being happy never put any money in your retirement accounts? We'll provide you an income and pay your medical bills when you are old.
If this is going to be the new definition of "success" in America--I guess I'll dream to be a "failure" who works hard and provides for himself.
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You are right that Arianna Huffington is a ridiculous figure, a hypocrite, and all around boil on an inappropriate body part. You may or may not know that she didn't "just" marry/bed her way to wealth, she also rode a wave of (now very angry) unpaid bloggers to mega-profit. She exploited the work of people who had no other outlet for their wares, who went along with it in hopes of some day having Arianna's success and cash "trickle down to them. As ca n be expected, the cash gushed, not trickled into HER bank account, when people freaked out at her, the response was that they were "paid" with "attnetion". They should be grateful, because without her, they'd be unknown and poor. Now some had online posses (and we all know how being "famous oon the Internet" helps pay for those kids and those bills).
ReplyDeleteShe maximized her profits by channeling them all to herself, and then berating labor, and taking credit for having tapped a public resource first. I arrived 5.5 minutes ahead of the next guy here in the Wild West. All your base are belong to me. I 'm here. I see it I own it.
Now, I have had both liberal and conservative friends, co-workers and even parents that were one of each persuasion. So I know not to over-generalize when it comes to real breathing individuals. BUT (according to the current branding put out by Republicans themselves - isn't Arianna's behavior a PERFECT model of exploitative, anti-christian greed-based capitalism?
So I don't know if that all makes you change your mind and ADMIRE her, or what. But IMO she's a real stinker. re: her living room, I believe she also puts on the affectation of holding "salons" of the beautiful and the intelligentsia, like some Edwardian lady. So that's probably what's going on there. More Conspicuous Display of wealth and competition. A new decorating scheme to show off. Very sahib, very upper-class. Not very "leftist".
I guess it doesn't really matter if you and I dislike her for wildly different reasons, since that is just further testimony to her stinkiness.
And now (as is so often the case) you last paragraph(s) - Where are all these benefits? I want 'em. I'm a lazy miserable cuss and I want all this stuff.
Or, put another way, I grew up very low income, had to used public transportation which sucked unless you were going from a main outlying point to the exact enter of Madison. I have gone w/o medical care because deductibles are sky high, doctors change location, and give flippant diagnoses etc and my sister-in law is employed at high income to find ways to DENY claims so I know how all that goes. People at Free Clinics try really hard, but that's nothing to really rely on. I myself had two kids and could never find a babysitter ever. Jim Doyle did not volunteer. I stayed home for a couple decades and my husband worked 50+ hours a week doing stuff you (I guarantee) would NEVER do. For very low wage. Honest, he was a garbage man for a long time Private company, no "public sector" stuff. Look up "Chinese overtime", where your hourly wage actually goes down once you work past 40 hours, that's what they do. Overtime pay is a bad thing, not a good thing. And so on. I can tell you've never been poor. Maybe don't talk like you know about it. They always say "write what you know". Word.