re: Class issues

DG1

Charles Murray, who wrote The Bell Curve, has a new book out called Losing Ground: American Social Policy, 1950-1980.

The Time magazine article I read is online for subscribers only (I read it in a waiting room), but it was basically that all of the classes are isolating themselves and don't really cross-pollinate much, so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and kids whose parents make bad decisions only hang out with other kids whose parents make bad decisions, so there's never any way for them to learn how to make better decisions.

Per wikipedia, the book ultimately calls for the end of all social programs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Murray_%28author%29#Murray.27s_Law


I'm fascinated on many levels. Based only on what I read about the book (vs. reading the actual book), I certainly think he's right about some things. But IDK if eliminating all programs is a good answer.

The book:
http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Apart-State-America-1960-2010/dp/0307453421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335889727&sr=8-1

*Barbie*

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_re-class-issues?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:47Discussion:28e795fc-abcc-417c-8080-47ba6c74d126Post:4256c79c-6ba2-4a81-9fa3-4389f1642ef7">re: Class issues</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong> kids whose parents make bad decisions only hang out with other kids whose parents make bad decisions, so there's never any way for them to learn how to make better decisions</strong>.
Posted by DG1[/QUOTE]

as thoroughly documented on 16 and pregnant. some of them even sleep with each other - e.g. April and Butch.

MinM

The saying, opposites attract just really isn't true. If I am rich, why do I want to associate with poor people and vice versa.

DG1

Apparently he argues that this is a fairly recent phenomenon, that little leagues used to be full of richer people and poorer people (though perhaps not the very rich or the very poor), so the parents might easily have friends in, or at least associate with some people from, a different social class

I'm not sure I buy that. The time article interviewed some other people who brought up valid points about his math (lies, damned lies, and statistics and all that), but I think there IS a problem and we'll be in a lot of trouble if we don't stop the downward spiral.

NOLABridesmaid

I think it's important to be comfortable around all types of people. If I have kids, I don't want them to be standoffish of a person just because they live on the other side of town.

My little cousins act like this and I hate to see it.

hmonkey

charles murray is all racism and culture war nonsense.  fck that guy.

GBCK

I think some of this also has to do w/ community size.

I mean, there were 50 kids in my graduating class from high-school (and there weren't local private school optons--at least not many and not good ones).  The rich and poor played sports together becase there aren't enough 'rich' or 'poor' to isolate themselves.

But I'm trying to remember why, like HMO, I have reason to think this author is an assholio.  I can't remember the reason though.