I saw this on Twitter and it's great to see it reposted on here. Nassim Taleb is onto something. The only thing is, he's speaking about British people.
We need to write about people from the U.S. who fit Intellectual Yet Idiot archetype. These people are everywhere in the Washington D.C. area.
They lecturing on equality and whiteness while living in the whitest of white areas. They send their kids to all-white private schools and treat their (illegal) foreign maids and gardeners like servants.
They're also the type to wax nostalgic about the freedom they had in childhood but then micromanage their own kids lives, forcing them into a grueling schedule of camps, lessons, sports, and "recreational activities" that makes the kids burn out by about age 14.
They claim they're not prejudiced, but see EVERYTHING through the lens of race and/or ethnicity. I have an Italian-sounding name but (as you all know) I'm very American. However, these people act like I'm fresh off the boat -- even though I'm third-generation and grew up on barbecue, the beach, and Bruce (Springsteen).
We should compile a list. The D.C.-based writer George Will comes to mind as do some political bloggers. But since I can't stand their blogs and don't read them, I won't name them.
We need to write about people from the U.S. who fit Intellectual Yet Idiot archetype. These people are everywhere in the Washington D.C. area.
They lecturing on equality and whiteness while living in the whitest of white areas. They send their kids to all-white private schools and treat their (illegal) foreign maids and gardeners like servants.
They're also the type to wax nostalgic about the freedom they had in childhood but then micromanage their own kids lives, forcing them into a grueling schedule of camps, lessons, sports, and "recreational activities" that makes the kids burn out by about age 14.
They claim they're not prejudiced, but see EVERYTHING through the lens of race and/or ethnicity. I have an Italian-sounding name but (as you all know) I'm very American. However, these people act like I'm fresh off the boat -- even though I'm third-generation and grew up on barbecue, the beach, and Bruce (Springsteen).
We should compile a list. The D.C.-based writer George Will comes to mind as do some political bloggers. But since I can't stand their blogs and don't read them, I won't name them.