"If you look at writers and sociologists and people who think deeply about social class, some claim that you can never really ascend more than a step or two beyond your class of birth. That’s simply because you adopt the mannerisms and the habits and the mindset and the worldview of the class you’re born into so much that even if you find yourself moving up or down, it’s hard for you to fully become or join that class."
Like Rob, my life is an example there this lack of class mobility claim is bunk.
However, my life experience moving from low-income class to being in the 1% shapes my worldview and politics.
The point of privilege isn't so much family wealth as it is individual childhood modeling for successful behavior... training by simple observation of parents and other adults for what is expected, normal and achievable. Yes, people can break of that and ascend, but it starts to be too much of an exception in a mature global economy because of the massive competition it has injected. I used to pay guitar in a cover band. I would learn the songs repeating a cassette tape. People around me gave me feedback confirming that I was talented and capable. Today turn on YouTube and watch people playing complex individualized interpretations of popular American songs with demonstrated capability that would have made them a sensation 30 years ago... and put my meager capabilities to shame. And, these are often people from foreign countries.
When I think back on my childhood, the modeling I got from the adults around me was below my capability. My family being uneducated and blue-collar could only envision the same for me. I know too that their own insecurities played a part. Unfortunately, there is this human tendency to hook and pull people, so they don't ascend... I think, because it makes the insecure feel worse because they are not capable. The worst of this is when it is parents. The parents don't even need to actively squash ambition. If they lack it themselves their kids will model it.
This is why I have two things I advocate for in the final years of my life.
Education reform.
Economic reform focusing on jobs and careers.
The first I have to leave to others because it is not my domain. However, I will keep advocating for us to change the 200-year-old lecture model to a modern marvel, School of One, that adopts the mission "to advance every student to his/her next step toward an economic self-fulfilling life." The primary way to combat the low-achievement, low-ambition, modeling from lower class adults is to have an education system that serves to clear that fog. The unfortunate situation is that public education as designed tends to harm the majority... does the opposite, and it isn't until the student launches into the working world (military too) that the lightbulb comes on.
This why I advocate for the second item and why I work in an industry with a mission to create more jobs in areas and with demographics where good jobs are in too short a supply. If class mobility is all about life experience, then giving people a path to higher class existence through work experience is a way to bridge that gap.
Now, Olive Garden is not a fine dining experience no matter how much it is debated. However, it serves reasonably quality food at a good price and 80% of the population needs places they can go to get a quality meal and a good price.
"If you look at writers and sociologists and people who think deeply about social class, some claim that you can never really ascend more than a step or two beyond your class of birth. That’s simply because you adopt the mannerisms and the habits and the mindset and the worldview of the class you’re born into so much that even if you find yourself moving up or down, it’s hard for you to fully become or join that class."
Like Rob, my life is an example there this lack of class mobility claim is bunk.
However, my life experience moving from low-income class to being in the 1% shapes my worldview and politics.
The point of privilege isn't so much family wealth as it is individual childhood modeling for successful behavior... training by simple observation of parents and other adults for what is expected, normal and achievable. Yes, people can break of that and ascend, but it starts to be too much of an exception in a mature global economy because of the massive competition it has injected. I used to pay guitar in a cover band. I would learn the songs repeating a cassette tape. People around me gave me feedback confirming that I was talented and capable. Today turn on YouTube and watch people playing complex individualized interpretations of popular American songs with demonstrated capability that would have made them a sensation 30 years ago... and put my meager capabilities to shame. And, these are often people from foreign countries.
When I think back on my childhood, the modeling I got from the adults around me was below my capability. My family being uneducated and blue-collar could only envision the same for me. I know too that their own insecurities played a part. Unfortunately, there is this human tendency to hook and pull people, so they don't ascend... I think, because it makes the insecure feel worse because they are not capable. The worst of this is when it is parents. The parents don't even need to actively squash ambition. If they lack it themselves their kids will model it.
This is why I have two things I advocate for in the final years of my life.
Education reform.
Economic reform focusing on jobs and careers.
The first I have to leave to others because it is not my domain. However, I will keep advocating for us to change the 200-year-old lecture model to a modern marvel, School of One, that adopts the mission "to advance every student to his/her next step toward an economic self-fulfilling life." The primary way to combat the low-achievement, low-ambition, modeling from lower class adults is to have an education system that serves to clear that fog. The unfortunate situation is that public education as designed tends to harm the majority... does the opposite, and it isn't until the student launches into the working world (military too) that the lightbulb comes on.
This why I advocate for the second item and why I work in an industry with a mission to create more jobs in areas and with demographics where good jobs are in too short a supply. If class mobility is all about life experience, then giving people a path to higher class existence through work experience is a way to bridge that gap.
Now, Olive Garden is not a fine dining experience no matter how much it is debated. However, it serves reasonably quality food at a good price and 80% of the population needs places they can go to get a quality meal and a good price.
What an irregular interview style. Like atonal music. What color M&Ms do you like? Random yet accessible.
So you're just a regular guy like anybody else.