Status Anxiety

[carrie721]

I think this is very astute.

The US was (supposedly) founded on the idea of equality, but people misinterpret equality of opportunity (which is what we have, however warped it may be) for equality of circumstance. They think, "hey, we're all equal, so I should have everything Joe Smith has RIGHT NOW and I shouldn't have to pay for it!" Everyone feels entitled. No one is entitled. We all have the opportunity for upward mobility, but it must be worked for, which most people are reticent to do.

[amber]

Or they may not have the gifts to succeed in the way society tells people they should be successful. It's really good.

[DrummerDeanna]

I think you hit the nail on the head with the entitlement thing. There's a lot of that going around - people who think they're entitled to have all sorts of stuff but not work for it.

Anyway - that special sounds really fascinating!

[amber]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

I think you hit the nail on the head with the entitlement thing. There's a lot of that going around - people who think they're entitled to have all sorts of stuff but not work for it.

Anyway - that special sounds really fascinating!

There's a book it's based on by Alain de Botton, who is also the host of the show. I was wondering why he was so insightful....

[amber]

Originally Posted by carrie721

I think this is very astute.

The US was (supposedly) founded on the idea of equality, but people misinterpret equality of opportunity (which is what we have, however warped it may be) for equality of circumstance. They think, "hey, we're all equal, so I should have everything Joe Smith has RIGHT NOW and I shouldn't have to pay for it!" Everyone feels entitled. No one is entitled. We all have the opportunity for upward mobility, but it must be worked for, which most people are reticent to do.

Originally Posted by phoenix

wow, that was deep, and very true.

I know, right?

I'm glad I was able to explain it so that you could understand it, I had my doubts. I was paraphrasing as he was talking. Of course, you guys are hella, hella smart.

Now a show is on about how Jewish chicken farmers settled Petaluma (California). They weren't allowed to own land in Czarist Russia or Eastern Europe, so they were stoked. Weird. It's amazing how rural Petaluma still is. Jews in America till then had traditionally been city dwellers, shop owners, in textiles...
PBS, though not as free of corporate sponsorship as one would desire, still rocks.

[eclipse]

You just gotta love PBS
I hope everyone sends what ever they can, $$, to keep these stations going.
What a special resource we have in them.

Watching PBS shows are educational, entertaining, enlightling, sometimes funny, sometimes silly (Speaking of that, what the hell are the Teletubbies???)
My God, if you need to throw your child/children down in front of that goo, for entertainment ...you and your child need to take a walk and listen to the birds, or city street noise, or grocery store music... or anything
Political, factual, historical, did I mention educational??
Add to all that -
The fact that they are well produced, directed, written, edited, scored, acted... And just all in all-put together well!
And... I love my PBS too!

Thanks for bringing it up Amber