Meritocracy vs. Aristocracy?

Modern Day America (England) vs. 18th Century Britain

Meritocracy - anyone can be anything, its up to you "I should be so much more than I am"
Aristocracy - you are what you are "I am what I am"

If you want to become ‘rich’, just try restraining your desire instead of raising the bar all the time. Native tribes are morally better and happier than modern society - materially simple, psychologically more rewarding. Don't we have something fundamentally wrong these days?

Nowadays we're anxious to buy everything, anxious for our kids, anxious that they be good at sports, good academically, better than our neighbours. Do we want them to win sports day for them? Or so that we can hold our head high in the local pub?

Self Esteem = Success / Expectation

.... and everyday expectations rise through the media, society, advertising, and therefore our self esteem falls. Everyday we want more, we are told we want more, and we feel more worthless as a result. There are no excuses any more. In a meritocratic society if we fail, or if we are less successful than our neighbour then it's our fault. In a meritocratic society poor people are failures whereas in an aristocratic society if you were poor that was your lot - you didn't get anxious, you just got on with it. In a meritocracy those at the top are there because they have been successful, therefore those at the bottom are there because they failed, money = proof of superiority.

I'm not saying Victorian values are better, I'm just questioning if modern society (meritocracy) is the way forward. We’re not more advanced, people are less happy now than they were two generations ago.

I'm growing tired of being pressured to be successful. If modern life is a bus I’m pressing the bell, I’m off at the next stop.

 

mid life crisis - here i come........

get a motor bike......
.......

'nice post'.... i just quickly comment as i have to dash... i'll be able to do justice to it later, when things get quiet....

 

RE: mid life crisis - here i come........

F'ckall to do with a midlfe crisis, forget the bike, get a life instead.

 

If you're still up mate...........

......YHM.

 

The difference between now and in Victorian times is that we are far more materialistic.

 

Emile Durkheim

You might want to read this guy's work on anomie if you haven't already with regard to this issue.

"I feel so old when I am so young/I just can't grow up to meet the demands" (The Jam - Funeral Pyre).

 

No, you can't.

In order to do that you have to actually exist.

 

RE: Existential angst

I refuse to converse any longer with a mythological being.

 

He's not a mythological being

He's a lager shy ******.

 

I have no proof

That he has existed for the past year for it is that long since I've seen him. He either doesn't exist or he doesn't like me.

 

RE: I have no proof

He actually dpesn't like any of us.

And I thought your impression of his diminutive moral-free mate on Setdi neet was a cracker.

 

I didn't know I did one

I can't imagine it was very complimentary

 

RE: I have no proof

She with the silent G?

 

RE: I have no proof

In the middle of the Blah Bar, Jay pretending to have a hair lip. I giggled like a teenage girl on film.

 

RE: I have no proof

ff

 

That was only the second pub

I guess I must have been drunk already.

 

RE: I have no proof

There are many individuals, Durkar and Bright Red to name but two, who can testify that it is possible to have sexual intercourse with a mythological being on a regular basis but I find the concept of intellectual intercourse with such a creature deeply disturbing.

Mass hysteria perhaps?

 

The majority of this thread is flying well over my head

I just like sitting down and that.

 

Actually while we're on about Nat.............

....would you apologise to her for me?

The silent G gag just slipped out before I could get my hand over my mouth. Tell her I've got tourettes or something.

 

Speaking of Avatars

What is your bloke drumming with? Carrots?

And Windy's is excellent. It looks more like him than it does G Dubbya.