Comments on: The Quandary of Elitism http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/ Freelance Writing, Personal Development, and Making Money with Freelance Writer Michael Kwan Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:38:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dumbocracy: 10 Questions with Marty Beckerman || Beyond the Rhetoric || http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-62535 Dumbocracy: 10 Questions with Marty Beckerman || Beyond the Rhetoric || Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:07:09 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-62535 [...] people. Guess what, Sarah? The president of the United States should not be a regular person; he or she should be an exceptional person with exceptional intelligence and exceptional [...] [...] people. Guess what, Sarah? The president of the United States should not be a regular person; he or she should be an exceptional person with exceptional intelligence and exceptional [...]

]]> By: What Freelancers Can Learn from Barack Obama || Beyond the Rhetoric || http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-62211 What Freelancers Can Learn from Barack Obama || Beyond the Rhetoric || Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:33:34 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-62211 [...] accused of being an elitist, but somehow he has been able to overcome that. This has to do with the quandary of elitism, but I’d feel more comfortable with a person who is “better than me” to run the [...] [...] accused of being an elitist, but somehow he has been able to overcome that. This has to do with the quandary of elitism, but I’d feel more comfortable with a person who is “better than me” to run the [...]

]]> By: Three Great Men (And Sources of Inspiration) || Beyond the Rhetoric || http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-61303 Three Great Men (And Sources of Inspiration) || Beyond the Rhetoric || Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:28:08 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-61303 [...] do you find your inspiration? It doesn’t matter what kind of job you have or what your hobbies may be, because there will [...] [...] do you find your inspiration? It doesn’t matter what kind of job you have or what your hobbies may be, because there will [...]

]]> By: Speedlinking - Educate Yourself » Derek Semmler dot com http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-60586 Speedlinking - Educate Yourself » Derek Semmler dot com Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:38:08 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-60586 [...] think you are full of yourself? Over at Beyond the Rhetoric, Michael Kwan recently discussed the quandary of elitism as we look for our leaders to be better equipped than us to make the difficult decisions but want [...] [...] think you are full of yourself? Over at Beyond the Rhetoric, Michael Kwan recently discussed the quandary of elitism as we look for our leaders to be better equipped than us to make the difficult decisions but want [...]

]]> By: Ken http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-60483 Ken Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:08:05 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-60483 Obama is a sellout, mclame is a sellout, The only one's losing in this election are the american people. You have two different factions of a management team fighting for control of the company "Usa" which is a registered coporation. America is not a democratic society, nor was it ever intended to be, It is a republic we cant have 51 percent of the people voting away the right's of the other49% It also wasnt meant to be, what it has turned into. Our founder's are rolling over in there grave, The fat lady is singing. Get ready The fun is just about to begin. sINCE SH!T roll's down hill I think you canadian's will be allright. Just peer over the fence and say those crazy fckr's are at it again. Obama is a sellout, mclame is a sellout, The only one’s losing in this election are the american people.
You have two different factions of a management team fighting for control of the company “Usa” which is a registered coporation.
America is not a democratic society, nor was it ever intended to be, It is a republic
we cant have 51 percent of the people voting away the right’s of the other49%
It also wasnt meant to be, what it has turned into.
Our founder’s are rolling over in there grave,
The fat lady is singing.
Get ready The fun is just about to begin.
sINCE SH!T roll’s down hill I think you canadian’s will be allright.
Just peer over the fence and say
those crazy fckr’s are at it again.

]]> By: Derek http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-60149 Derek Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:40:35 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-60149 What is that you said? You need to speak louder, I cannot hear you from way up here. ;) What is that you said? You need to speak louder, I cannot hear you from way up here. ;)

]]> By: Nick http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-60144 Nick Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:06:55 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-60144 I agree that there can certainly be a bit of a double-edged sword, however, depending on how you look at it, it could be looking at two seperate things. First is the person's skills, abilities, etc and the second is their personality. For example, there could be two highly successful bloggers that have similar traffic stats and incomes from their blogs and post roughtly the same amount. One of these bloggers might reply to emails and comments as well as visit other sites and participate on those sites. The other could write their posts and that's about it, no responses to comments, no visits to their visitor's sites, no reponse to emails, etc.... In this hypothetical situation, which of the two would you rather vote for in a "my favorite blogger" contest? It would likely be the one who participates, is reachable, and "one of us" rather than the one who acts better than everyone else, even though they are otherwise equal..... I agree that there can certainly be a bit of a double-edged sword, however, depending on how you look at it, it could be looking at two seperate things.

First is the person’s skills, abilities, etc and the second is their personality.

For example, there could be two highly successful bloggers that have similar traffic stats and incomes from their blogs and post roughtly the same amount. One of these bloggers might reply to emails and comments as well as visit other sites and participate on those sites. The other could write their posts and that’s about it, no responses to comments, no visits to their visitor’s sites, no reponse to emails, etc….

In this hypothetical situation, which of the two would you rather vote for in a “my favorite blogger” contest? It would likely be the one who participates, is reachable, and “one of us” rather than the one who acts better than everyone else, even though they are otherwise equal…..

]]> By: dcr http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-60140 dcr Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:31:34 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-60140 Isn't it also amazing how those wealthy Congressmen are always eager to give themselves pay raises too? Yeah, "tax the rich" and then vote yourself a nice pay raise to cover your own assets... Isn’t it also amazing how those wealthy Congressmen are always eager to give themselves pay raises too? Yeah, “tax the rich” and then vote yourself a nice pay raise to cover your own assets…

]]> By: dcr http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-60139 dcr Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:28:48 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-60139 <i>We look to people who are especially skilled or well-educated, because they may be better suited to make the right decision for everyone. You wouldn’t want an ignorant person to make all of your decisions, would you? You want solutions that are well-researched and explored, right?</i> A truly enlightened leader would recognize that he (or she) is not the best person to make the right decisions for everyone. Anyone who thinks he or she is capable of making the right decisions for everyone is actually the ignorant one. I think the person in the best position to make the right decisions for me is, well, me. I think that "The best government is that which governs least," which was the motto of <i>The United States Magazine and Democratic Review</i>. Ironically, the magazine promoted Jacksonian Democracy, from which the modern day Democratic Party has its roots. So, as far as elitism goes, if someone thinks they are better able to make decisions for others than the people can make for themselves, that is exactly the type of person that should never be elected to public office in any capacity. Here in America we've long been the champion of self-government, where each person is among the elite and self-rules. We look to people who are especially skilled or well-educated, because they may be better suited to make the right decision for everyone. You wouldn’t want an ignorant person to make all of your decisions, would you? You want solutions that are well-researched and explored, right?

A truly enlightened leader would recognize that he (or she) is not the best person to make the right decisions for everyone. Anyone who thinks he or she is capable of making the right decisions for everyone is actually the ignorant one.

I think the person in the best position to make the right decisions for me is, well, me. I think that “The best government is that which governs least,” which was the motto of The United States Magazine and Democratic Review. Ironically, the magazine promoted Jacksonian Democracy, from which the modern day Democratic Party has its roots.

So, as far as elitism goes, if someone thinks they are better able to make decisions for others than the people can make for themselves, that is exactly the type of person that should never be elected to public office in any capacity. Here in America we’ve long been the champion of self-government, where each person is among the elite and self-rules.

]]> By: James-DigitalKeyToInfo http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/08/05/the-quandary-of-elitism/#comment-60138 James-DigitalKeyToInfo Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:15:59 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=1860#comment-60138 I made a long comment but deleted it because I don't want to make a political statement. There is some real truth to the statement "Everyone is equal, some are just more equal than others" in the way many politicians act and vote. I think it is fair to point out that many how claim the rich CEO's need to be taxed more are also senators with 6 figure incomes and million dollar pensions who can't pass an already unbalanced budget without adding billions to it. Sorry, it still got political. :) I made a long comment but deleted it because I don’t want to make a political statement. There is some real truth to the statement “Everyone is equal, some are just more equal than others” in the way many politicians act and vote.
I think it is fair to point out that many how claim the rich CEO’s need to be taxed more are also senators with 6 figure incomes and million dollar pensions who can’t pass an already unbalanced budget without adding billions to it.
Sorry, it still got political. :)

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