MONDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2004
Members of different groups look down on the so-called masses. There are those in positions of political power who see the masses as “children” for whom the political leader, as “parent”, should be responsible. Then there are some academic types who look down on the masses as often ignorant about matters not affecting their daily existence. A third example are some rich people who see the masses as petite bourgeoisie who live their small lives in ignorance of how good life can be – provided they are smart enough or lucky enough to break out of their small worlds.
Of course many people have a problem with snobbish individuals or with anyone who look down on their fellow human beings for whatever reason. I believe each case must be judged on its own merits.
There is one case though where contempt slips very smoothly and almost automatically from my mouth and that is for the grown children of some rich people, and the grown children of some politicians. Some of these individuals have done nothing, absolutely fuck-all, to earn their positions in society. They look down on the masses that struggle from day to day, and expect to be respected by the servants who clean up after them and who courteously serve them plates full of exquisite food … of which they did not earn one ounce!
They look down on people lower on the socio-economic scale, and then they have the audacity to expect to be respected by these people. Yet they did nothing to earn their own superior status!
I have nothing but contempt for these people. The politician who looks down on the general public … is a topic for another article. The intellectual who gains superior knowledge and understanding after years of study that distinguishes him or her from the so-called masses, is in a more justifiable position. And I can even say of the rich man or woman who have accumulated their own wealth that they may have worked for years to get where they are, even if significant degrees of luck were probably also on their side.
But the rich man and woman’s children?! The grown children of politicians?! I say if these people want respect, they must work for respect!
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