As a former teacher I have been well-indoctrinated with the concept of teachable moments. Recent exchanges on this forum presented the possibility of two different teachable moments. Blogging is often an impulsive activity. On an impulse I picked the wrong teachable moment.
I attempted to goad a future exchange that would uncover further the literal meanings of “free market” and “liberty” and the legislation that has been harmful to both literal pursuits. Such an exchange would have been superfluous, in my upcoming deconstruction of Liberty and Tyranny I will be satisfying that same goal, and probably would have resulted in a pissing match.
The other teachable moment evolves around the notion that people become middle class because they have failed at becoming wealthy. Ironically, such an allegation tends to have a pacifying effect on me, and postponed a “challenge to a duel.” I know anyone who truly believes that has a totally different worldview from my own and attempting a discussion with such a person would be fruitless. However, I understand why people might believe that in today’s society, which leads us to a teachable moment.
For a long period after World War II studies revealed that people overestimated being in the middle class. Some of the poor would claim they were in the middle class, as would some of the rich. Middle class was cool! That attitude no longer exists. Recent studies have shown that 20% of the population believe they are in the top 1% of income. This means that most well-to-do people are misinformed about how rich the top 1% are. It also means that middle class is no longer cool for these folks. In such a climate I can understand why someone thinks being middle class is only a fallback option.
I’ve written elsewhere (and perhaps here, but I can’t remember), that the quality of life depends on social cohesion and responsibility, not materialism and ideology. Consider that my worldview, the lens with which I view the world. Consider the opposite, valuing wealth and ideology over social structure, as a different worldview or lens. Since they are so contrary only one of these lenses can be “prescription glasses” that allows the wearer to see clearly. The other must be “shades” at best or, perhaps, blinders.
My view, of course, is that social cohesion and responsibility as a normative goal are the prescription glasses for viewing the world. Yet in our society everyone has been forced to wear the shades of materialism and ideology. I know what wearing those shades are like; there is no one with my amount of education who has not tried on those shades. The shades can provide a pleasing view for some, yet they fail to see what truly matters most. There are many who have never tried on the prescription glasses for social cohesion and responsibility, since those lenses are not provided by the paternal institutions of corporations, political parties and interest groups. People only know that materialism and ideology can be pleasing, and in their pursuit of ever darkening shades they become blinded as to the real quality of life.
There will be no more pissing matches on The Middle Class Forum, either publicly or privately, between people that wear prescriptive glasses and people wearing shades.
Tags: Middle Class Culture
