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phantom power

(25,966 posts)

2. somewhere along the line, that saying got perverted...

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 12:51 PM

Sep 2012

it has been improperly perverted into its contrapositive: "if you didn't achieve everything, you didn't work hard." Of course, the reason for the perversion is that it provides a convenient rhetorical excuse for telling the 99% to fuck off, and not lift a finger to solve any macro-economic problems.

It also makes it really easy to demagogue. If you try to point out that this saying doesn't really constitute a reason for throwing the 99% under the bus, it's very easy to make lazy arguments like "What? you don't believe in hard work?" or "Why do you resent my success?"

It's going to be hard to deconstruct this framing, since we baked it into the American Mythology(tm), but deconstruct it we must.

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I'm so tired of the Republican meme, "if you work hard, you can achieve anything" [View all] Terra Alta Sep 2012 OP

Read "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell... porphyrian Sep 2012 #1

I think too of Michael Sandel, the philosophy professor... CBHagman Sep 2012 #30

From a NYTs review of the book Outliers... Kurovski Sep 2012 #32

somewhere along the line, that saying got perverted... phantom power Sep 2012 #2

it's ironic. Terra Alta Sep 2012 #35

Horatio Alger is peddled so much so Republicans can say that if he/she can do it, so can you.... AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #3

ah, give em a break. That used to be true, back before Reagan. librechik Sep 2012 #4

I was a fetus when Reagan was sworn into office Terra Alta Sep 2012 #36

it is one of their more popular ones quinnox Sep 2012 #5

That's true if you are some reasonably rich person who can get gov't grants thecrow Sep 2012 #6

Some claim it is the health care costs treestar Sep 2012 #17

The typical GOPer is living in dreamtime, totally delusional and in denial of what others go through reformist2 Sep 2012 #7

The GOP is the Worlds Largest Cult n/t AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #13

That's code for n..rs are lazy and worthless. ananda Sep 2012 #8

I know what Republicans would say to some of those people AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #9

I followed every rule and failed spectacularly anyway. hifiguy Sep 2012 #10

Republicans would say: "It's your fault you have aspergers" AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #12

Repukes would tell you Asperger's is just a made up disease Terra Alta Sep 2012 #37

Agreed. it's dishonest, patronising, and contemptuous bullshit. Kurovski Sep 2012 #11

Singers had to be discovered by the right people, actors had to star in the right movie.... AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #19

Yes. It is almost cruel to tell young people it is an automatic outcome. Kurovski Sep 2012 #23

I agree. And mostly they are from the older generation who came of age in the 1950s treestar Sep 2012 #14

Well there are various ways to look at this dmallind Sep 2012 #15

or if you know the right people quinnox Sep 2012 #20

Yep - working hard is indeed not the ONLY way to increase chances of success dmallind Sep 2012 #27

The US has the lowest upward mobility of all industrialized nations nichomachus Sep 2012 #16

if you work hard enough, one day you can make other people work hard BOG PERSON Sep 2012 #18

Republicans seem to have a unwavering inability to look beyond their own personal experiences Proud Liberal Dem Sep 2012 #21

Hard work doesn't guarantee success most of the time it's about opportunity and connections. craigmatic Sep 2012 #22

My dad worked hard, but he also worked in a job before that got him the social skills... AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #24

Sounds like "The Secret" longship Sep 2012 #25

you forgot to mention "and if God believes you are worthy" MariaM83 Sep 2012 #26

The harder I work the faster the rich pull the rug out from under me. liberal N proud Sep 2012 #28

I have some questions about the meme mazzarro Sep 2012 #29

So what's your meme? "Don't bother working hard, you'll still be a loser" ? crazyjoe Sep 2012 #31

Well it does not seem to be... Kurovski Sep 2012 #33

"I've got mine, so FU" is thier Motto. The system is rigged and they like it that way. /nt MatthewStLouis Sep 2012 #34