• Flying Squid
    link
    323 days ago

    At some point in my 47 years, because it sure was not like this when I was younger, Americans adopted this idea in huge numbers that the richer you are, the better you are, and that if you support the right rich person, you get to be rich too.

    I don’t know how America got there and I did not notice it happening.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      142 days ago

      Uhh, nah that’s not new. Charles Dickens explicitly talked mad smack about how greedy and self-enamoured Americans were, and their general worship of the wealthy. It was a severe kick in the head to his previous conceptions of America being a place of prosperity and opportunity.

      • Flying Squid
        link
        -22 days ago

        Sorry, I didn’t realize Charles Dickens was raised in the U.S. like I was and told these things by his parents.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          92 days ago

          He wasn’t, Charles was born and raised in Britain, but later in his career he visited the US for his journalist work.

          • Flying Squid
            link
            -32 days ago

            Then possibly I would know a bit more than him about being raised in the U.S. and being told such things by parents? Especially within the lifetime of everyone on the planet currently?

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              62 days ago

              Having also been born and raised in the United States and having met a variety of people from various walks of life, I am of the opinion that he hit the nail square on the head. I’ve met kind selfless people, sure, but that is the exception to the rule most often.

              • Flying Squid
                link
                -32 days ago

                There is a vast gulf between being a kind and selfless person and thinking you could be rich someday if you worship the right plutocrat.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      92 days ago

      I think it really took hold somewhere prior to social media, equating business success with greatness, and with social media people became vaguely more aware of these masters of business. But as social media matured they became more active and the populace largely learned that they’re no more intelligent than anyone else, just lucky and often have less morals.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        42 days ago

        The first part came about because the second part actually is true. People are glazing billionaires in the hope they get noticed and get a job out of it. That won’t happen if you’re constantly shit talking them.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          52 days ago

          I’d like to think I’d laugh at their job offer, but musk could totally buy me off for a few million. I could use a few million.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            22 days ago

            Yeah, it’s understandable. If you can scumbag your way far enough into their good graces you’re set for life. I personally don’t think the odds of that happening for me are worth selling out my beliefs but I think most of these people’s beliefs are already most of the way there anyway and it isn’t a big leap for them.

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              28 hours ago

              Right, Elon wouldn’t have to look far to find my criticisms, and I’m ok with that, better odds of winning the lottery anyways

    • Prehensile_cloaca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      52 days ago

      American Christians deepthroated the “prosperity gospel.” We’re just realizing a few decades of indoctrination as the average person can no longer parse fact from fiction. Which is the inherent cognitive dissonance of religion.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      143 days ago

      Wasn’t it always like this in America? Just with enough growth of economy so that everyone felt like they made progress?

      • Flying Squid
        link
        7
        edit-2
        3 days ago

        No one ever told me when I was growing up that I could get rich if I just wanted it hard enough and worshiped the right people.

        And no one ever told me that wealth was the same as virtue.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          103 days ago

          Guess you grew up in a place with a chunk of nice people 😌 other man weren’t that lucky and were pushed by parents and people around that only money is the goal, ghat with money you can buy it all. As woman you get told to look pretty so you can get rich by fucking a billionaire.

          Many have developed psychological disorders due those pushing, that start even before school

          I think it is a major reason for suicidal teens.

          • Flying Squid
            link
            03 days ago

            You guess wrong. I grew up around a bunch of bigots who didn’t like me because of my ancestry and let me know it on a regular basis.

            But you’re right, I was never pushed by my parents that money was the only goal, nor was anyone I know. It is quite possible you’re younger than me, which would explain that. I’m 47.