Status Anxiety Pt. 2. (4 of 5)

[marcus3379]

"entitled to go to school"

More like forced to under compulsory laws.

[Terry1969ism]

dear alan:

que sera, sera, k?

[thejulescaesar]

that public school - lady talks. very. dramatic. it's. annoying.

[kaiserinaz]

Literally illiterate... as opposed to figuratively illiterate? Or functionally semi-literate, somewhat like the teacher?

[iamthe3rd]

alain de botton has an uncanny resemblance to danny elfman

[FleshMob]

This guy is awesome, and this is very good documentary, good documentaries are rare nowdays.

[nr900]

I find these teachers with high hopes for their pupils to be quite inspirational. I dont see the downside to this at all.

[fishfullness]

His point is more that there can be high hopes but by definition if you push all to achieve great things then there will always be some who just don't have the talent or natural gifts of others and will be left feeling like losers, and in the eyes of others - 'deserving' losers.

[iamthe3rd]

@fishfullness very, very well put

[jalandrita]

I do not agree with a meritocratic society. For those who think this guy is supporting that idea should look a the begining of this documentary. In order to acquire social equality we must get rid off whatever system that emphasices on status, financial acheivment etc.

[zcomecuca]

Blacks were by and large denied their unalienable rights after their ancestors were emancipated from slavery. If this was a true meritocracy we wouldn't have needed the civil rights movement. Can't believe this guy hasn't touched upon that yet.

[Sludgy9]

Meritocracy is closer than Divinty-there are schools of thought that beleive you are born and stay a pauper. The opportunity for self advancement is forever ther, Hake hendrix-he ws not born with an innate guitar ability-he just practiced his rear off. Many "luminaries" as they are so endeared, have merely hammered at a thing until they get it right. Humanity is best served to understand this, it is indeed true, that you reap what you sow-in this regard at this. Practice, Practice, Practice.

[EnduringRain]

I disagree that Orwell dreamt of a society like this one. Claiming that is simply madness.

[edewasseige]

Meritocracy rewards financially just a little fraction of people in our society. Meritocracy is made over the principle that we have all the same abilities and opportunities and this is simply not true. The fact is just the contrary: we don't have the same abilities and we don't have the same opportunities. Meritocracy is the world to legitimate those (perhaps less than 10%) who have succeed financially. Just one of many, many examples : meritocracy apply for mentally ill ???

[edewasseige]

Status Anxiety emerges today principally because of the unjust meritocratic society. Aristocratic society was not just, nor the meritocratic. The first rewarded financially almost the same families over the centuries. The meritocratic society rewards financially just a minor fraction of the population, those who have specific abilities and opportunities in life. The vast majority of people that don't have the abilities or the opportunities struggle with status anxiety.