"Filthy Lucre" - Molly Crabapple on priviledge and hard work.

[LollerBrader]

Meritocracy is America's foundational myth. If you work hard, society tells us, you'll earn your place in the middle class. But any strawberry picker knows hard work alone is a fast road to nowhere. Similarly, we place our faith in education. Study, and the upper-middle class will be yours. Except the average student graduates $35,000 in debt.

...

Those with money usually think they deserve it. But most people who make the world run—who care for kids, who grow food, who would rebuild after natural disasters and societal collapse—will never be rich, no matter how hard or well they work, because society is constructed with only so much room on top.



http://www.vice.com/read/filthy-lucre

[Sugarphreak]

...

[ZenOps]

It isnt all hard work, it isn't always the smartest either, sometimes its just... Zen.

Sometimes in the fight for survival, you get a lucky hit with one of your tusks when going for the jugular. Ok, maybe I've been watching too much of that Oasis nature channel ;)

If hard work got you ahead, the 24/7 garment workers in Bangladesh would be the richest people on earth, instead of making $38/month. If a rocket scientist just got canned from Nasa, what does it mean that he didn't pursue a career in football.

My suggestion for success. Outsource yourself to a guy from India, or a machine. When its time to bask in glory, make sure your name is known and face seen.

Baller.

[Antonito]

The article had a few good ideas sandwiched between a dump truck sized load of shit.

Her story about having an abortion and then going to a modelling gig is supposed to inspire sympathy for her plight, except she forgot to explain in any way how that relates to her economic standing so it comes off as her trying to make drama out of bad circumstances/decisions.

The opening paragraphs she talks about how people with money get treated with more politeness. Ok.....and? What does that add to the conversation? Should we make it illegal for people to be rude to poor people? Is it a big secret that money can buy better treatment? Making people with money feel like they should be sorry for having money is the quickest way to have them say "fuck this shit I'm out" and stop listening.

She was trying to point out how there will always be a class system because no economic structure can support a world full of CEO level ballers, and that clawing your way up from the bottom can be very difficult because you have no resources to start with. All well and good, except I had to read that in between a lot of complaining about forcing herself to be poor to be an artist and then her final solution of becoming a prostitute or selling your eggs or fucking rich guys.

Shit like this is why leftists get branded as retarded hippies

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by Antonito
The article had a few good ideas sandwiched between a dump truck sized load of shit.

That sums up Vice really well.

[ZenOps]

Suprisingly, when you have lots of money - the only thing you used to get was politeness.

Thats pretty weak compensation for the effort required to get it. Try to explain to a Bangladeshi factory worker or a South African gold miner that a $5 tip will at most get you a hint of a smile and thankyoumuchkindsir.

Nowadays, you might not even get the politeness. Try to get a California rapper to sing three songs at your house for less tha a million, or a Hawaiian welfare recipent to get an entry level job less than $80K/year.

Sing for that supper.

[Nitro5]

What is rich? I know that if I work hard I will have a shelter that keeps me warm. I won't starve, hell I will have protein with very meal, which is unheard of even a 100 years ago. My TV maybe only a modest 42-50", not a 70+" monster the rich have! but I guess politeness gets them something.