

That Bright, Dying Star, the American WASP - grellas
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704414504575244622954114574.html?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLETopStories

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defen
I'm reminded of a scene from The Good Shepherd:

Joseph Palmi (Joe Pesci): Let me ask you something... we Italians, we got our
families, and we got the church; the Irish, they have the homeland, Jews their
tradition; even the niggers, they got their music. What about you people, Mr.
Wilson, what do you have?

Edward Wilson (Matt Damon): The United States of America. The rest of you are
just visiting.

For me that exchange captures a lot of both the good and the bad of the old
WASP establishment. On the one hand, it perfectly illustrates the "prejudice
and insularity" that have led to its decline. On the other hand, it shows what
we have lost - an aristocratic leadership class who really believed in the
"noble lie" as understood by Plato. Our elites these days only seem to be in
it for themselves and their transnational friends.

~~~
jackfoxy
It also illustrates how it was open season for a long time (roughly from the
late 60s into the 80s) to attack WASPism in popular culture without fear of
being labeled a bigot. Indeed it was a way of establishing credentials as not
bigotted.

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njharman
Nice of them to at no point define what the fuck WASP means.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Anglo-Saxon_Protestant>

~~~
starkfist
The star is now so dim people don't even know what WASP means anymore...

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theoden
Now watch the slow but steady slide of the US into third world status.

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zavulon
Actually, I think all the talent infusion from non-WASP places will be what
saves us. Even with all the faults of our immigration program, H1B problems,
etc, we are still getting a very healthy dosage of best foreign talent, which
are starting businesses, leading research, creating value, etc.

(full disclosure - non-WASP immigrant to the US myself, came here at 16)

~~~
DilipJ
yes, I agree! when you think about it, letting in highly educated people into
the U.S. is a form of foreign aid, except it's directed towards to the U.S.
The other countries use their resources and capital to educate the
individuals, and America reaps the benefit from their knowledge!

~~~
zavulon
First, that doesn't happen all the time. Another very common scenario is when
foreign students come to America, get the best education they can get in
American universities, and go back home.

And second, what's wrong with that scenario? I believe everyone has a right to
pursue a better life for themselves. If other countries would make better
conditions for their best people, they wouldn't leave.

