Peak Oil is You
Donate Bitcoins ;-) or Paypal :-)
Page added on December 16, 2014
American Privilege
Limousine liberals are peddling the convoluted construct of “white privilege” to explain unequal achievement. This misguided notion fosters complacency and exacerbates inequality, preventing pursuit of something much more powerful – American privilege.
Maybe there are some remnants of white privilege, but it is subsumed by American privilege which entices the venturesome into our cavernous vaults of opportunity. There are no promissory notes inside guaranteeing equal outcomes, but the master key is available to all who work hard.
And most of us do. Consider the report “All Work, No Pay: The Impact of Forfeited Time Off” (pdf) by Oxford Economics, which promulgates that “Americans are work martyrs.” The report finds that U.S. workers annually forfeit 4.9 out of 21 days of paid vacation.” Other research corroborates these findings; indeed, a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for a career-oriented website presents even starker figures: U.S. workers only use 51% of their eligible paid vacation and paid time off.
American privilege is present, pervasive, and potent for all those workers. Even the poor amongst us can afford big screen TVs and fancy cell phones if they work hard. They also have unprecedented access to the Internet, which will dramatically increase with the Federal Communication Commission’s E-Rate program. The program helps schools and libraries access affordable telecommunications and information services.
Tim-Berners Lee, who was instrumental in creating the World Wide Web, insists that Internet access is a human right. In that case, Americans, no matter their heritage, are not only imbued with privilege, but relish more Internet access than most, as vividly demarcated in this map.
American privilege ensures that even our poor probably live better than kings and queens of yesteryear, and certainly better than most of the world’s population today. One business columnist – who is definitely not immersed in white privilege — put it this way:
“Even by modern standards, your life is “rich” compared to most of the world. With the global median household income estimated at less than $10,000 per year and 70% of the world population having less than $10,000 in net assets, the average American is very well off comparatively, even if it doesn’t always feel like it”
Choose whatever quality of life measure you will: lifespan, health, wealth, liberty… America is always privileged. Those metrics are apparent, but in addition to lifespan and liberty, we also aspire to the pursuit of happiness. So here’s a less obvious map that ranks (under U.N. auspices) happiness by nation. Again, the U.S. ranks well above the median, trailing only smaller and more homogenous nations who lack our vivid patchwork of cultures.
The United Nations Human Development Report ranks the world’s best places to live, and the U.S. is consistently in the top five — noteworthy for such a vast and diverse country. No wonder so many immigrants aspire to the American Dream. They are not uprooting their lives and flocking to the U.S. because of white privilege.
These are all compelling testaments to American privilege, but here’s something that will caress your conscience and eviscerate any lingering vestiges of invented guilt that American privilege is limited to whites. It’s the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) provided by the U.N. Development Program. The index measures how “achievements are distributed among its population by ‘discounting’ each dimension’s average value according to its level of inequality.” If you fully comprehend that U.N. mumbo-jumbo then you’re smarter than me, but the main point is we are in the category “Very high human development.” Only a very few, far less populous nations are higher.
Pandering politicians who espouse government aggrandizement to effect wealth redistribution exaggerate outmoded notions of privilege from a bygone era. African-Americans can also see the master key to our bursting vaults dangling within their reach. Recent calculations indicate that the GNP of black America would make it one of the richest “nations” in the world. With buying power over $1 trillion annually, if African-Americans were a country, they’d rank 16th. (Ironically, inequality in the U.S. has increased under President Obama’s vision of grandiose government.)
A majority of Americans also believe that race relations are worse under Obama. The racial atmosphere on campus is no less than pathetic. For example, next year Notre Dame will offer a course called “White Privilege Seminar: An Introduction to the Intersections of Privilege.” The course will help students become “more aware of injustices and be better equipped with tools to disrupt personal, institutional and worldwide systems of oppression.” That sounds more like community organizer-brainwashing than open-minded education.
The disruptive students may deride so-called white privilege, but I wonder how many took a spot on campus thanks to affirmative action. I suspect many are getting financial aid. Will they disrupt those institutions? And the tech gizmos that enhance their learning experience are affordable to the masses thanks to the great dedication, innovation and productivity of our lean corporations. You know, the ones that create wealth and jobs. Will they disrupt those systems?
They should anticipate travel to dubious countries because their planned disruptions to institutional and worldwide oppression will be far more impactful beyond the shores of American privilege. When they get locked up without due process because there’s no right to protest or peaceably assemble, maybe they’ll reminisce fondly about America the Beautiful, whose privilege is as bountiful as her amber waves of grain.
26 Comments on "American Privilege"
Dredd on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 2:13 pm
“American I Thinker” has no business puking on the American name.
Call it “American Racist” and get over it (Symbolic Racism: A Look At The Science – 3).
paulo1 on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 2:24 pm
For God’s sake, what is this doing here?
Just one point I want to actually comment on.
Re: “The report finds that U.S. workers annually forfeit 4.9 out of 21 days of paid vacation.” Other research corroborates these findings; indeed, a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for a career-oriented website presents even starker figures: U.S. workers only use 51% of their eligible paid vacation and paid time off.”
As Forest Gump best said, “stupid is as stupid does”.
penury on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 2:34 pm
Apparently written by a wealthy white man over the age of 40 who was born to wealthy parents and believes he earned all of this privilage by being smarter than the poorer people. Should be sent to Narobi or Manila with 10 dollars and be left there for six months.
Speculawyer on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 2:40 pm
What is this garbage doing here?
Davy on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 2:42 pm
Another example of the PO man behind the curtain posting articles showing the ridiculous side of America. This wizard of oz character has no interest in showing anything positive. This article is food for the propaganda bitches. Sir behind the curtain please someday post an article that shows something positive about Americans. I guess that is too boring it might hurt blogger traffic.
Apneaman on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 3:16 pm
The Apocalypsi Library at the End of the World
7 major scourges of Doom (and why their adherents squabble over the scraps rather than accomplish anything useful together whatsoever).
1. Peak Oil (rarely recognizes peak anything else, generally fixated on doomsteading)
2. Ecosystem Collapse (an ecological perspective about pollution, whole systems destruction)
3. Climate Change (yes, it’s real, it’s caused by humans, and it’s an existential threat)
4. Overpopulation (no, the world doesn’t need your offspring because you’re “special”)
5. Habitat Destruction (deforestation, mining, fracking, drilling, paving, etc)
6. Economic – (includes debt Ponzi schemes and inequality, social justice issues)
7. The death of the Oceans (from agricultural runoff, warming, overfishing and acidification)
http://doomfordummies.blogspot.ca/
JuanP on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 4:00 pm
No getting back my wasted time, I’m afraid. Skip this load of crap.
penury on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 4:27 pm
Davy, You wanted someone to post something positive about Americans. I am afraid that the majority of positive accomplishments of Americans have been over shadowed in the minds of the majority by the negatives which we have spawned. Our accomplishments, in the fields of medicine, engineering, and commuications have been largely dwarfed by the last 15 years. I am sorry to report that the world does not view the Estado Unitos Del Norte in a positive light.
dubya on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 5:01 pm
May I please have those three minutes of my life back?
jmb on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 5:03 pm
What does all this have to do with peak oil.com?
Northwest Resident on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 5:09 pm
“What does all this have to do with peakoil.com?”
Everything. This is a perfect example of the stupidity that the Age Of Oil has enabled by providing so much excess that Darwin’s Law has been temporarily put on hold, allowing the morons and the not-so-deep thinkers to prosper and propagate. If there is any “bright side” to the up and coming economic collapse and return to a world without gluttonous amounts of fossil fuels being burned, a winnowing out of the fools and morons that the Age Of Oil allowed to prosper might be it.
Davy on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 5:48 pm
Pen I don’t give a frig about those accomplishments you mentioned. Those are BAU accomplishments and part of the reason we are where we are at. I am talking about people talking about good ideas, decisions, efforts, and lifestyles related to post BAU. We are not all part of the den of thieves in DC & NY that have hijacked the country. IMA many foreigners are part of and complicit in this hijacking. Many of these good ideas are happening here and the reason is America is full of people that not part of the BAU bullshit.
This site and many participants are looking for a scape goat for their own issues. It is a projection of self-hatred. I am a flag waiver but that flag is inverted. But I am not going to listen to the multiple dumb asses from shit hole parts of the world bash America because it makes them feel great. They don’t want to look around at their own shit they want to blame it on America.
I have zero respect for any other dumbass country out there in this ugly BAU world. In fact I have less respect to many foreigners for throwing rocks when they are walking around with terds in their pants stinking like idiots.
Davy on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 5:55 pm
JMB do you realize what the outcome of PO is? It is pure unadulterated doom. It is systematic failure. It is depletion of energy intensity. It is financial failure. It is the tearing of social fabric. It is the end of complexity and growth and the beginning of descent and dysfunction.
If you don’t believe in the PO concept then give us your corn porn reasons for that. If you do believe in the PO concepts then you will chime in on all the various doomish scenarios we talk about here. PO is the fundamental basis for the end of BAU. The results of the end of BAU is as wide as life itself hence all the diverse conversations here.
Makati1 on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 6:17 pm
“…but the master key is available to all who work hard….”
What world does he live on? Certainly not 21st century Earth. If this is an example of American deep thinking…
Bullshit piled deep.
Makati1 on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 7:10 pm
Instead of reading this slop, maybe you should check out what your “the best money can buy” congress has done in your name last week:
“America on a War Footing: Three Members of Congress Just Reignited the Cold War While No One Was Looking”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/america-on-a-war-footing-three-members-of-congress-just-reignited-the-cold-war-while-no-one-was-looking/5420146
The world just took one more big step closer to nuclear war … and you never noticed because it was not in the MSM ‘news’.
Plantagenet on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 7:34 pm
To return to the topic —Americans definitely need to learn how to vacation from the EU. I’m off on my annual California trip—- now at the American geophysical union meeting in SF then tacking on a road trip vacation.
If peak oil is doom as Daver so eloquently puts it— then we’d better start our vacations right now!
Plantagenet on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 7:44 pm
I agree it was a terrible article but there was one thing I liked about it. The epithet “limousine liberal”. It’s just out that Hillary hasn’t driven a car in 20 years –for 20 years she’s been chauffeured every trip in a limo! Hill really IS a limousine liberal!
Apneaman on Tue, 16th Dec 2014 11:35 pm
And all the rest of the politicians are riding transit, right Plant.
Apneaman on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 12:28 am
Well the people have spoken.
About Half See CIA Interrogation Methods as Justified
http://www.people-press.org/2014/12/15/about-half-see-cia-interrogation-methods-as-justified/
Makati1 on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 3:28 am
Apneaman, most on here will not read this, but you might be interested:
“U.S. Gov’t. Seeks Excuse to Nuclear-Attack Russia” by Eric Zuesse
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2014/12/u-s-govt-seeks-excuse-nuclear-attack-russia.html
I can hear the screams from a few here that “America would never do that!” But, yes we would. We did it to Japan 69 years ago.
I will likely be called everything from a dog to a traitor by one or two I could name, but that does not change the facts and only proves immaturity. I see a nuclear war in the offing and not too far down the road.
America is run by insane, power addicted, fascists, that are worse than any Hitler or Stalin and most Americans don’t give a damn as long as they have their welfare checks, 600 channels of mind crap and their trash food trough to pig out of.
MSN Fanboy on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 4:24 am
Seriously Makati…ROFLHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Humanity = Insanity
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
I mean look at you, just a two faced twazzock like the best of them.
Seriously Makati…ROFLHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Humanity = Insanity
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAH
See what I did there, notice if I repeat my words it will get through that ignorance of yours
No wait you just got more entrenched … lol
The world is flat! The world is flat!
Keep up your exposition old boy, …
As for nuclear war, sigh…..
Makati1 on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 5:41 am
MSN, you need psychiatric help…lol.
Makati1 on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 5:50 am
“America on a War Footing: Three Members of Congress Just Reignited the Cold War While No One Was Looking”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/america-on-a-war-footing-three-members-of-congress-just-reignited-the-cold-war-while-no-one-was-looking/5420146
“Major Anti-Russian False Flag Coming?”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/major-anti-russian-false-flag-coming/5419963
“Ukraine Crisis: Playing Russian Roulette With All The Bullets In The Cylinder”
http://thebricspost.com/ukraine-crisis-playing-russian-roulette-with-all-the-bullets-in-the-cylinder/#.VJFtmnuPyAo
And on and on…
No one was expecting WW1 to happen either, but it did and for a reason even less important than the Ukraine.
Davy on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 5:58 am
Mak, you are a sick individual obsessed with NUK war. IMA something you have little understanding of as far as the mechanics and the science of a NUK winter. Please refrain from comments on this because it is nothing more than propaganda vomit mixed with you cat piss smell. No one here likes the smell of a vomit cat piss cocktail.
Davy on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 6:06 am
Funny how Mak is no longer crowing about his super heroes like he once did. I guess his fantasy has been shattered by reality yet again. America has no interest in possession of Russia only in a diminished Russia. America is well aware of the dangers of NUK war and the destruction of the wealth driven western system from a NUK winter.
Mak your usual Global research links are nothing more than a mirror MSM propaganda message that is not valid just as the US MSM is not valid. Unfortunately the US MSM is highly effective and dangerous so it needs to be combated at every level. Yet, using distortions makes you Mak no better than the people you hate. You are in the same league as far as the truth is concerned.
Makati1 on Wed, 17th Dec 2014 7:09 pm
DAvy, China and Russia are going to come out of this ahead. The USSA, not so much. Wait and see.