Bourgeois Underground - Why Class Matters PART 2

Political Heretic

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Wed Nov-11-09 01:59 PM
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Bourgeois Underground - Why Class Matters PART 2

Edited on Wed Nov-11-09 02:06 PM by Political Heretic

Today I'd like to focus more deeply on context and specifics behind the generalizations, why it matters, what I desire to accomplish with posting on issues of class and how class shapes DU.

I wrote much of this before my OP which can be found http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6982965&mesg_id=6982965">here. But other things here come in response to the previous thread.

To restate the main assertion at issue: I believe Democratic Underground is maintained and managed predominantly by white upper middle class people, and populated in large numbers with white upper middle class members. I want to talk about some potential effects of that make-up.

If you're willing to consider this with me, let's move away from worrying about whether or not its 90% or 60% or 49% - the influence of privileged thinking over DU has grown over the years and is now pervasive. There is also the backlash to that growing sense of detachment from solidarity with the poor and working class, as evidenced by the 36 recommendations for the previous thread on this topic, despite nearly two hundred posts of insults and attacks against person rather than the argument.

Class is a State of Mind
When we think about class, and the conflict between class divides, its important to understand context. Just because someone is middle class, or upper middle class, or wealthy does not make them bad people. And just because someone is working class or poor does not make them good people. Thus, being someone that aligns lifestyle, beliefs and actions with rulers rather than workers is possible for anyone of any socio-economic status....

But its an easier trap to fall into the more privilege and comforts you have. This reality must also not be ignored.

It is hard to deny that there is a great temptation among the upper middle class to identify in actions and opinions with the rulers rather than the people. And its impossible to deny that ruling interests often rely on the upper middle class to function in roles of supervision, management, oversight, etc. to sever as a buffer between power and those whose lives are being marginalized for the benefit of those with power.

We should be honest about the fact that upper middle class persons face a special sort of challenge, and lots of pressures to be servants of privilege rather than partners in justice with ordinary people. It is easy to loose touch with the realities of the working class and poor. Privilege can breed complacency. It takes conscious effort to resist those forces.

Class and DU
Its very necessary to point out the class component that goes into DU's modern trend away from a place that reflects and views and interests of the working class and poor, and toward a place that reflects the views of the powerful and privileged.

It's different than some conservative place. Where some conservative place might completely cheer corporations, the insurance industry, etc. DUers unwittingly siding with power instead of with the people still speak form one side of their mouth against corporate exploitation of people. So we still see posts about the excess of Wall Street, or corporations run amok. But the same people speaking critically about corporate exploitation also reflect a timidity and unwillingness to stand in solidarity with the poor.

I believe the trend at DU today is that DUers criticize power and corruption, but only to a point. I know people mock the term bourgeois, and I know that it is dated, and easily ridiculed. But for the life of me I don't know what else to call the mindset that speaks of "change" but only ever supports "change" within the confines of what the elite consensus of the powerful allows.

Let's look at how the trend of DU today is to support and reinforce what the powerful and privileged interests in American politics and economics deem "allowable:"

Economics Trade and Globalization - The elite consensus on these issues is solidly to the right of public opinion. This is especially the case on the issues of trade and globalization. Support for supposed free markets, free trade and globalization are almost universal and unquestioned within elite circles. Here at DU, there is growing strong advocacy for economic neo-liberalism and ridicule of most criticism of free markets or capitalism, despite its server disservice to the power and exploitation of the working class.
Foreign Policy - elite consensus on this issue is center to right, discussion are allowed on the mechanics of running the empire and the management of the military industrial complex, but never regarding the reality of its existence, its necessity or usefulness to most Americans.
Social Issues - Elite consensus on the issues of race, sex and role of faith in public life are to the left of public opinion, the only area in which this is the case. Elite opinion is overwhelmingly secular, pro-choice, supportive of gay rights and hostile to overt displays of racism. Thus when people at DU speak rhetorically about woman's rights, or marriage equality they can "feel" as though they stand in solidary with the people without actually having to take a stand - because the financial elite who are the power in this country don't care about these issues and don't oppose people who do.

And yet, when the rubber really meets the road, and standing in solidarity with people would require true courage and go against the political party establishment, then we see why the word bourgeois still has to be used. It is a bourgeois mindset to treat women, minorities and gays as second class exploitable citizens all to maintain the status quo. The status quo is the back and forth of power between two parties, both of which bow to the interests of the financial elite. One party does so as part of that elite. The other party does so as an elite enabler, with its roots and history in solidarity with the people, but its current power and interests in capitulation to the will of the rulers.

I understand those last few sentences cause anger. But, please hear me out. Just think for a second:

I hear the arguments that the Democratic party tries to do more for real people than the Republican party tries to do. And that's true. But the point I want to emphasis is that the "bourgeois" attitude of supporting and reinforcing the status quo means that the establishment Democrats nearly always prioritizes the needs and interests of the elite over the needs and interests of working people and the poor.

Thus the health care bill being proposed, for example, is a massive billion dollar give away to insurance industries, giving them nearly every concession they have wanted so far (though they'll still say they don't like it as long as they think there's any chance they could get even more of what they want) How many concessions have Democratic made for ordinary people? That's how, even when passing health care, something technically "historic" its still a hollow victory, because its still deeply entrenched in the status quo.

I believe that same kind of "elite consensus" is at work at DU today. Perspectives at DU include a large amount of post reflecting the narrowness of white privilege, of male privilege, and of straight privilege. But most of all, I think the most serious imediment to DUs potential to function as a voice of the people, standing in solidarity with the poor and working class - that means putting justice and fairness and equality for the poor and working class first ahead of the agenda of the rulers and financial elite - the most serious impediment to that is economic privilege.

That's why class matters.

But to close, I'll give the caveat again: "Class" is a state of mind, not an income amount. But "bourgeois" thinking, the attitude that stands with privilege and enables the exploitation and injustice of the poor and working class - is a much easier trap to fall into the more privilege and comforts you have.

And I believe DU as a whole, has largely fallen into this trap in recent times.