if you work hard enough you'll get ahead - subsequently everyone who is poor is because the do not make the effort, and are living with your parent at 30 and your evangelical - its becasue god is punishing all but those who are saved - or someone underserving like those catholic mexicans and buddhist asian, and those muslim mid easterners have stilen it from you
On Sat, Aug 18, 2012 at 4:33 PM, William Conger <[email protected]>wrote: > The idea that grace is complemented with wealth is an old one and I wonder > if > it's still believed and preached? > > wc > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: saul ostrow <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Sat, August 18, 2012 3:12:20 PM > Subject: Re: Subjective - Objective > > One I guest may generality extends to the rest of the world - and I think > that the logic of capital is punitive - or at least the Darwinistic version > that has developed in the Protestant world - in which grace is measured by > wealth > > On Sat, Aug 18, 2012 at 3:10 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > In a message dated 8/18/12 1:25:45 PM, [email protected] writes: > > > > > > > I would like to point out that we are not all created equal and that > most > > > of us are further penalized for not only race, gender, and class but > also > > > for education and ability - seemingly the deck is stacked against most > of > > > us > > > > > 'Penalized' is the wrong word. > > > > I'd suggest that 'restricted' might be better here, but even that is too > > gloomy, too focussed on the morose possibilities in life. Freud had an > > interesting phrase: "Anatomy is destiny." I won't try to grapple with > what > > he > > had > > in mind in the essay where the phrase appears, because he too focusses on > > the > > bleak. > > > > The fact is we can also be ADVANTAGED by anatomy. We see that regularly > in > > great athletes. We see the advantages of an attractive appearance, a > strong > > immune system, of stamina mental and physical. The many aspects of high > > intelligence are the lucky advantages of anatomy within our skulls. > > > > Don't reply by pointing out that many athletes, entertainers, and smart, > > healthy, rich folks have been "unhappy". That would trend toward saying > > none > > of us has a chance to be contented. And it would be as unconvincing a > > response as asserting that no black female born into a poor family has > ever > > eventually led a satisfying "happy" life. > > > > The sweeping "seemingly the deck is stacked against most of us" is too > > morbid a generalization. And, without qualification it's useless. It > > becomes > > useful for many when it's modified to something like "seemingly the > deck > > is > > stacked against most of those who elect to forego higher education". > There > > are many things that are beyond our electing for ourselves -- being > taller, > > smarter, impervious to germs. But some things yield to effort, and to > > abandon > > effort because of a belief "the cards are stacked against me" is > > self-confirming pessimism. > > > > > > > -- > S a u l O s t r o w > > > *Critical Voices* > 21STREETPROJECTS > 162 West 21 St > NYC, NY 10011 > [email protected] > > -- S a u l O s t r o w *Critical Voices* 21STREETPROJECTS 162 West 21 St NYC, NY 10011 [email protected]
