David Brooks' "Blame the Bobos"

 

DAVID BROOKS’ – BLAME THE BOBOS

This article, which appeared in the September edition of The Atlantic recycles the thesis Brooks (and others) have advanced, Brooks in a book close to the same title, over a decade ago.

 

He brings an abundance of secondary research to demonstrate the sharp contrast of attitude between classes--the “elite” feeling superior based on wealth acquired through merit (as they see it) and openness to diverse views—in contrast to “others” of lesser means who feel looked down upon (to some degree they are) for their less informed and idealistically pure attributes, as they believe the elite class improperly construes them. 

 

I have written elsewhere about how I see multiple forces coming together, building on each other, to increase inequality.  These forces include differences in education, starting at the very earliest age, differences in the neighborhoods in which they live, differences in the social circles in which they circulate, differences in their marriages (with today, more and more couples marrying with the same educational and cultural background).  None of these factors, of course, are truly new but they have been exacerbated by the increasingly reinforcing systems in which we live. 

 

In my view, however, Brooks over generalizes and deals in stereotypes with some of the sub-groups he describes.  He emerges for this reason being too pessimistic about the possibility of change going forward.  I, of course, am forever hopeful, optimistic.  I have often been proved wrong.  But sometimes right, too, for I have seen advances many would have predicted would take far longer or not come at all.  For example, the recognition of not only the legitimacy but the beauty of same-sex marriage and parenting. 

 

I believe Brooks is particularly off-base in his discussion of two classes.  The first is what he calls “the blue oligarchy:  tech and media executives, university presidents, foundation heads, etc.”  While he acknowledges that these executives tend to be in favor of higher taxes, redistributive welfare policies, universal healthcare and concern for the environment, he goes on to say they “tend to oppose anything that would make their perch less secure:  unionization, government regulation that might affect their own businesses, anti-trust policies.”

 

While that is true of some, it is not true of many others.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the leadership of many major corporations, including P&G.  I believe for example that many more executives than in the past are ready to take on restrictive voting rights.  Most of all, I believe they see their responsibility to society as being greater than they have before.

 

The other group I believe Brooks underestimates is what he calls the “offspring” of the elite class.  He notes that many of them are driven by “moral contempt.”  He says they look up and see the generations above them “talk about equality but drive inequality.”  I have experienced the truth of that.  I believe many of these younger so-called offspring will do more to change the environment in which they live than Brooks predicts.   We need to count on that.

 

Brooks is right in saying that the victory of Trump and other populists has come from a large number of people who feel they are looked down upon, and for good reason.  This has to change and I believe a program like National Service, which Brooks (and Biden) supports, is absolutely key to the future.  

 

I agree with Brooks in his belief that Joe Biden's character and belief in people and the programs he is advancing through the infrastructure bill and his family support proposal, including universal pre-K and free tuition for community college, strikes at the heart of what we need to thwart the current widening inequality. 

 

These initiatives are importantly economic in nature.  But they’re more than that.  For the availability of these economic opportunities will lead people to think differently about themselves and about how they are regarded.  And as they advance, it will lead all of us to regard them differently, too, at least so I hope. 

 

An element which Brooks’ article seems to fail to take account of is race and particularly the challenge African-Americans face.  Brooks talks about a sense of ease which the elite class has in fitting into situations, knowing what to say and what not to say to advance in the system.  He has a key point here, and there is a racial as well as a class aspect to this.  I have found that African-Americans who have been accorded the benefits of quality education and have had the benefit of empowering relationships with one or more individuals, are much more likely to acquire that sense of ease than African-Americans who have not had these benefits.  This makes the formation of intentional positive relationships within corporations and any organization so important, especially with minorities.  But it also enhances the value that I am confident will accrue from better education starting in the very earliest years, preschool and Kindergarten.  It also calls for schools of higher education to reach out more affirmatively to bring in more young men and women from lower income, racially diverse backgrounds.