Will Mitt change people's view of the wealthy?

[hedgehog]

I think the American myth is that the wealthy earned their money by being smarter than the rest us, working harder, taking more risks. Since Mitt failed on all three, will people begin to realize that often it's as much a crap shoot as winning the lottery? (to mix a metaphor!)

[nanabugg]

1. It's mostly a matter of inheritance, connections, and corruption. Not all, but mostly. The wealthy

actually frown on work and especially scorn true workers.

[arbusto_baboso]

2. The "culture" of the wealthy is actually much like the culture of the poor.

Let me explain.

The middle class believes that people get on in life by their merits (which is why it's so tough to convince voters that the wealthy don't deserve it).

The poor, on the other hand, get by on their interpersonal connections. As a speaker on The Culture of Poverty at my human services agency once told me, "If you're poor and your car breaks down, you don't call AAA, you call Uncle Ray". Not saying the poor don't work very hard, but frequently, they simply can't afford the things that the middle class take for granted, so have to rely on their social networks.

The wealthy are in a similar boat, but for different reasons. If they want something, it isn't a matter of applying for new jobs, or working overtime. They use their personal connections to make it happen. Need a good plastic surgeon, yacht broker or real estate agent? Start flipping thropugh daddy's Rolodex and start making calls...