Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The Republican Ignorance of the Human Condition
In Gail Collins article " Only the Good Get Rich", (The Times, Sunday, September 2, Page A23) the Republicans announce that they are a party with a "positive optimistic view where any American who works hard, dreams big, and follows the rules can achieve anything he or she wants." On the one hand this shows a complete lack of understanding of the wide variation in human assets and capabilities as well as an arrogant assertion that their own success , and this attitude is usually proclaimed by very successful people, is due to their own personal and admirable decision to achieve. This attitude seems to assume that anyone can rise to the level of acceptance to Harvard University if they only decided to do so. Such nonsense! Human intelligence varies from the mentally retarded to the genius--- which is genetically determined. Then comes the early family experience, (which can be a one-parent, two parent, bad parent, or no parents ) which is also crucial in human development and future capabilities. And don't forget about just plain luck. They are saying, in effect, that anyone can be the CEO of a giant corporation, a billionaire hedge fund manager, a successful politician--such as a state governor, Supreme Court justice, ---up to and including the presidency of the United States. What they are also saying is, that being rich and successful is the greatest virtue---where it is often pure greed and self-aggrandizement. Not only are the current republican candidates out of touch with the middle class,--- for which they are criticized,--- they are of touch with everyone but the rich and "successful" elite.
In Gail Collins article " Only the Good Get Rich", (The Times, Sunday, September 2, Page A23) the Republicans announce that they are a party with a "positive optimistic view where any American who works hard, dreams big, and follows the rules can achieve anything he or she wants." On the one hand this shows a complete lack of understanding of the wide variation in human assets and capabilities as well as an arrogant assertion that their own success , and this attitude is usually proclaimed by very successful people, is due to their own personal and admirable decision to achieve. This attitude seems to assume that anyone can rise to the level of acceptance to Harvard University if they only decided to do so. Such nonsense! Human intelligence varies from the mentally retarded to the genius--- which is genetically determined. Then comes the early family experience, (which can be a one-parent, two parent, bad parent, or no parents ) which is also crucial in human development and future capabilities. And don't forget about just plain luck. They are saying, in effect, that anyone can be the CEO of a giant corporation, a billionaire hedge fund manager, a successful politician--such as a state governor, Supreme Court justice, ---up to and including the presidency of the United States. What they are also saying is, that being rich and successful is the greatest virtue---where it is often pure greed and self-aggrandizement. Not only are the current republican candidates out of touch with the middle class,--- for which they are criticized,--- they are of touch with everyone but the rich and "successful" elite.
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