bogarde73 wrote on Jun 27
th, 2015 at 12:24pm:
Marla, I think you might be shooting the messenger here with one of your big guns.
I didn't think she claimed to come from a poverty background, though she did claim some hard times. She also acknowledged that she had prospered from her career as an activist/commentator.
Right. "Hard times." Nothing harder than having a hamburger thrown back in your face because you did not prepare it to the customer's orders. Why what's homelessness or being diagnosed with cancer when
compared to that?
bogarde73 wrote on Jun 27
th, 2015 at 12:24pm:
However, it did seem to me she delivers a strong message about inequality in the US particularly.
True. Just not a original one.
bogarde73 wrote on Jun 27
th, 2015 at 12:24pm:
What I liked about her thoughts - that's if you can ever trust a socialist (sorry Pansi) - was the point about the so-called "progressives" always having to immerse themselves in every element of the left philosophy. They can't just concentrate on economic improvement, it has to be combined with gay rights, abortion rights, climate change rights and all the rest of it.
Think back to the
Occupy Movement back in 2011 or whenever it was. While the heart of bringing global consciousness to to the world was a modest one, I found much of it to be an embarrassment for my so-called "Millennial" generation. Little of it was about rights, equality or even social justice. Many showed up (at least here) hoping to get laid, be on camera or stir with police only to run and cry foul foul when the police stirred back.
What I remember about those days were people not so much complaining about inequality but complaining about being told what to do by a supervisor, or boss or some authority figure. Tirado has her work handed back to her and calls that meritocracy. America has no meritocracy. Much of my generation is lazy. Many do not want to work, or, when they do, want a job that pays them well with little involvement their part required.
bogarde73 wrote on Jun 27
th, 2015 at 12:24pm:
Naturally, they are going to be opposed when they come along with an all or nothing campaign because a lot of poor people don't subscribe to all these ideas.
Not sure I understand that
bogarde73 wrote on Jun 27
th, 2015 at 12:24pm:
The more commentators there are in the area of economic inequality the better as far as I'm concerned. Raging inequality does not make economic sense any more than it makes social sense.
Unfortunately, commentary is just another word for talk. I have nothing against Tirado unless activism starts to become social media like fame for those who purport it. I have never read her book or even care to simply because I already know how many Americans go to bed hungry each night, how many are living in cars, on the street or place into prisons for non violent crimes, mental institutions, beaten and murdered by police.
The struggles and uncertainties so many in America face in their inner world arise naturally in weary times of moral, political and social instability also brings about an uncertainty in the outer world to the point it is often not possible to tell which is primary. The term "meritocracy" that Tirado speaks of is incomprehensible to me in these days and times. Maybe Tirado is equating the America's plutocracy as the rich being the only ones with an education archetype but this is highly unlikely. Many of those with a lot of power, money and clout in this country have achieved little in the way of higher education.