Wealth is Bad

Have you ever noticed that in today’s age of class consciousness and liberal decrial of the monied class (who often are conservative, at least fiscally), one can subtly slam another by drawing attention to their wealth? Just happened to pass by the Weekly Standard and saw a headline alluding to GOP strategist Ralph Reed’s “lucrative” career. It may seem strange, but I think that in today’s age, a way to cast a shadow across another is to draw attention to wealth and privilege. Witness the 2004 presidential election. How often did President Bush’s opponents make reference to his privileged background? Ironically enough, the liberal elites often emerge from such monied backgrounds and achieve great wealth in doing what they do. The quiet stigma passed on to conservatives as rich and unconcerned somehow escapes similar attachment to those on the other side.

It’s funny. Think of the last time you heard somebody apologize for being wealthy or from a wealthy background. Sure, some part of that impulse has long existed, but I think that there’s a special consciousness of status that exists today that is employed as a weapon–and that, not equally.