Elites At Work

Funny, but I doubt you will ever see this raised as an example of our elites at work, by our political class. That's the thing about our elites, they are masters of misdirection. While we are all howling for the blood of teachers and garbage collectors, they are quietly committing the nation to four more years of wasted resources and squandered lives.

Update: Steve V. postulates that people don't "give a shit' about politics. This is a good example of why that attitude has taken hold. The feeling in the land is that all of the decisions have been made by elite consensus, behind closed doors and our role in our "democracy" has been reduced to that of cheerleaders for various elite "teams". Since there are much better mass entertainments available these days, who can blame Canadians from tuning out? Our participation is not wanted. Our leaders don't give a shit what we think.

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Greg's Real Elite Quiz

Answer the following questions as best you can and score accordingly.

1. Did you attend public schools? (-30)

2. Did you attend private schools? (+30)

3. Do you have an MBA or a law degree? (+50)

4. Do you have a degree in the Arts? (-50)

6. Does your job title contain either "finance" or "international"? (+100) A bonus of +50 for those who have both.

7. Does your job bring you into direct contact with the public at large (excluding politicians)? (-100)

8. Do you work in the PMO? (+300)

9. Do you belong to a union? (-200)

10. Have you ever skied in Aspen? (+50 for each occasion)

11. Cottages. Rent (-50). Own (+50). Cottage? I can't afford to own a car (-100). Bonus of +100 if you own a cottage on Lake Rosseau or Lake Joseph

Add up you score. If you scored 200 or better, congratulations, you are a member of the ruling class.

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Elities

The term "elites" is being thrown around a lot by conservatives these days, but they never define what they mean. This is of course, on purpose, because it invites angry people to fill in the blank. The clerk at the bank who wouldn't break a twenty for me, because I didn't have my bank card on me. She is a member of the goddamn elite. The park ranger who told me I couldn't start a fire in a national park, even though I had the wood and everything. He was an elitist too. See, it's perfect. Anyone who doesn't do what I want them to and is a low level functionary for a big institution, is a member of the elite. That is who we should hate, according to conservatives. PM's and CEO's of banks are just too far removed from our daily experience to truly hate. It is like hating the moon. None of us will ever get there, just as none of us will ever meet a PM or a bank CEO. It is better for us to take out our frustration about the decisions these great people make, on the backs of clerks and park rangers. It gives our hatred something solid and within our reach. It is also completely bogus and therefore impotent, but never mind. Conservatives love impotent rage.

As a public service to the confused out there, I want to give you a simple definition of elite. A true member of the elite is a phone call away from getting face time with the king (or in our case, the PM) and/or he or she will always have his or her phone call returned by the king/PM personally. You're welcome and please leave the bank clerks and forest rangers alone. They are just folks like you, trying to make a living in a tough world.

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