Of course, not all or most or even many Americans...

Thursday June 14, 2012

“Of course, not all or most or even many Americans necessarily ‘hate’ the rich. The Occupy movement’s purpose was hardly to complain that rich people are bad; those who argue otherwise are being disingenuous or simply ignorant. However, the common claim that Americans are fascinated by the wealthy people and aspire to be like them, so therefore cannot dislike them, is equally foolish. As any adolescent girl blacking out the teeth of a Neutrogena-ad model can tell you, being drawn in and repulsed often happens in the same beat. We desire while we resent our desire, despise those we want to imitate.”

— From my essay on The New Inquiry, “The Ways We Don’t Talk About Wealth”