But the New York Times is excited to report (at great length) that now a slightly larger small minority of the super rich have come to agree with most social scientists and 60% of the American public that income inequality is a problem.
This is considered newsworthy because the NYT's attitude toward CEOs and hedge fund managers is disturbingly similar to a 14-year-old fan's attitude toward Justin Bieber. The fascination is just as all-consuming and just as annoying.
One of these days, I want to do a serious thread on the paper's increasingly bizarre combination of class insularity and old-school liberalism, and how it creates fertile ground for silly narratives, distorted coverage, and roughly every third column from David Brooks. For now though, I'm just keeping a tally.
Mark:
ReplyDeleteIs this the NYT's attitude, or just an example of a general wealth-worshipping attitude in our culture?
Yes.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, folks...
DeleteHere's the straight answer: The NYT is the epicenter of a deep and I would say unhealthy attitude toward extreme wealth. Add in the paper's extraordinary reputation and influence and the fact that it's supposed to represent the "liberal" viewpoint and you have a worrisome situation.