[thechat] Re: Tony Blair

[Erika Meyer]

Martin wrote:

>And to a certain extent, money is looked down upon - it's *breeding* [sic]
>(which means starting off in that class) which counts.

Aha.  "Old" vs "new" money.

In the US, I hear that in East Coast contexts... but my impression of 
the US overall is that our "class" system is based on:

1. money
2. race
3. breeding

with everything else equal (within an economic class, or within a 
race or community) it seems that "breeding" is more of a factor. 
What kind of people do you come from, all that.

But in the general population, everything relates to money.
Money=Power=Status.  You can expect your ass to be kissed.

Phil Knight.  Charles Hurwitz.  Bill Gates.

There's a certain respect for those who have clawed their way out of 
the dregs to fantastic wealth... protestant work ethic, any child can 
be president, pie in the sky, all that American mythology.

>* The Sun is read by the people who don't care who the country is run
>    by as long as she has big t.... [sic] (The Sun has a topless woman on
>    Page 3 and has had for 20 years)

aha.  Like Bildzeitung.  My favorite fun periodical when I was 
learning to read German.

Erika
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