It occurred to me that there exist numerous of cultural-studies types who could write about phony patriotism or male chauvinism or the rightness of bastardy, and not a few wordsmiths in the common room or coffee house who could put some pointed and topical couplets together.
Issue after issue, however, the essayist of the fevered brow is Katha Pollitt, and the rhymester is Calvin Trillin.
We know from history that when economic disparities reach extreme levels, as we have in the US today, nations collapse.Discuss.
1 comments:
Simplistic, of course. Disruption/collapse happens only when the disparities (a)aren't accepted a part of a legitimate order of things (as in the middle ages), (b)cannot be overcome, or are almost impossible to overcome, via individual effort, and (c)represent a downward movement for individuals, compared either with their prior situations or with their expectations. Also, the likelihood of disruption/collapse is greatly increased when the haves treat the have-nots with open contempt and when the haves no longer are performing obviously-useful social roles.
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