Are you living in an elitist bubble? (neighborhood, movies)

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by greg42

I know it. I read it. But I am still protesting the overused "Lighten up" which here at best means something like "Hey you wrecked my idea of what this thread should be" and at worst means something more like "Stop thinking so much you elitist".

Greg42, I thought you seemed overly upset by it and that you shouldn't let it get to you. Again, you made excellent points. I don't think you're an elitist. And even if you were, so what. Nowadays it seems that anyone who sees the complexities of issues/life is branded as an elitist. I guess I did think it was a funny quiz and was surprised that others seemed to be taking it so seriously. I meant "lighten up" as in "don't let a stupid quiz *iss you off. It's not worth it."

Besides if I didn't have a close friend who's a born again Christian conservative Republican and I hadn't gone to a smoky sports bar to watch football not too long ago, I would have scored in the very elitist category. That and I used to work for a general contractor so I know a lot of people with pick-up trucks.

[jay5835]

I hate the phrase "lighten up," too. Also "get a life."

Each is straight out of the "How to Sound Condescending" chapter of the Condescension 101 textbook.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

I've rarely held a job where something didn't hurt at the end of the day, and owned multiple pickup trucks at the same time. But I'm not into NASCAR, rarely drink, don't hunt or fish, and if Hopes can claim "factory" credit for rat feces, well, I worked at the Zoo, so I've shovelled a greater variety of feces than probably 99% of the population. I don't think I'm part of the new upper class, as much as I am a failure as a redneck...

You might be a failure as a redneck, but you're one heck of a funny guy and a talented writer!

[Hopes]

Greg,

Loved your use of the word happenstance. It perfectly describes most of my answers. My evangelical friend is happenstance. She's a childhood friend who moved to Florida and became born again. I wouldn't be able to stand being friends with her if she pushed her beliefs in my face.

I own a pickup truck because my husband happened to find one on Craig's List for practically nothing. He took me with him to see it. You could tell he was sure I'd protest. I squinted my eyes at it and wrinkled up my nose as if it were putrid. He was surprised when I said okay, whatever, if you want it.

I initially voted that I participated in a parade, but I realize it was my son who was a boy scout. My participation extended to making sure his uniform was clean, driving him there, and watching from the sidelines.

I rode a greyhound when I was 14. My mother put me on one and sent me off to West Virginia to stay with relatives for the summer. She did this to my siblings and I often. Seemed perfectly normal back in the 70s. If I sent my children away, people would have thought I was a terrible mother.

The last one made me laugh. Voluntarily hanging out with people who smoke. Voluntarily? I guess I'm really a hostage living with my husband. I should find a women's abuse shelter.

You're right. It's more than a silly test. I'm surprised elitist means not being an uneducated rural conservative Christian.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by juliegt

"don't let a stupid quiz *iss you off. It's not worth it."

Oh, of course not. I just typed what came to mind. That wasn't pissed off. It was more of a surprise, given I had looked at what the site was about and it appears they are being quite serious posting that. Supposedly they are right out of the book although a subset of a larger number of questions. (I haven't read the book.) Which means they perhaps picked out a subset that looks rather ridiculous on its own. It just made me want to pick it apart. Easy pickins.

I don't really care if you or anyone think I'm elitist anyway. As you said:

Originally Posted by juliegt

Nowadays it seems that anyone who sees the complexities of issues/life is branded as an elitist.

Ain't that the truth.

[SteelCityRising]

I worked at Lowe's for years, which is why I knew that NASCAR driver's name. My most strenuous job was when I worked as a "loader" for Lowe's and primarily assisted our clients with lifting heavy appliances and building materials into their vehicles. I was also extremely fit back then with a six-pack (to be young again!) I don't drink beer. I've eaten at TGI Friday's in the last year, as much as it pains me to admit that. Nobody in my family has ever been in the military. My dad owned a truck until just recently switching to a fuel-efficient car, but I've never owned a truck and never plan to.

[greg42]

Wait wait wait, Lowe's, I used to get email which talked about the NASCAR stuff (just as a customer). So, it's Tony Stewart then, I think? Hm.

I could look it up sure, but that wouldn't be any fun.

Nah, couldn't take it, had to look it up. And that's wrong. It's Jimmie Johnson. Bad memory of the silly emails. It was never Stewart looks like. LOL

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by greg42

So answering them as is I'm at between 5-8. I didn't count actually how many. "In other words, you can see through your bubble, but you need to get out more."

And while of course it looks defensive to go "Okay, here's what's wrong with this quiz" I really think the whole thing is pretty much BS. Some examples:

I grew up watching NASCAR and my dad will still watch it from time to time. My mother's husband likes it too. I know a number of drivers names. But no I can't place a name to the guy pictured there. Put Danica Patrick up there fer chrissakes.

I have family that is evangelical Christian. But that wouldn't count and I would answer no for close friend.

The movie is arbitrary. They picked one megahit movie I haven't seen. It's certainly not because I eschew all megahit movies.

Domestic mass-market beer should not have a picture of neo-hipster PBR.

Why only those three particular chain restaurants?

I saw some references to "mainstream" above in the thread, but this is not so much about mainstream as it is about class divide. Apparently they think lower classes are more likely to see Transformers vs other megahit movies? Maybe that's true but I don't think it's significantly so if it is. The cigarette smoking is probably true. But only about 20% of people smoke these days so that can't be mainstream and don't see how that would be important if you voluntarily hung out with them. NASCAR really is pretty darned mainstream and cuts across class lines almost as much as NFL or similar.

I tend to think it's rather sheer happenstance that I never ended up riding a Greyhound bus. Heck I checked possibilities for it even RECENTLY when I was making a trip to Florida and trying to avoid flying. (I drove.)

Is it mainstream or lower class to participate in a parade that's not a protest?

Does a pickup truck indicate lower class? They've been very popular with everyone, sure, but so? That seems out of place to me. Never owning a pickup doesn't signify anything else. I drove a lot of damn pickups and a dump truck and operated heavy machinery.

Kiwanis and Rotary? This seems like an age divide to me but if you want to hold that up as an example of culture in 2013 then I readily admit I've spent a 42-year life knowing only that they exist and put up signs along the road about where they meet. I'm not buying that it says anything about being in a bubble.

And one that should backfire the other way, body parts can and do hurt at the end of a long day driving a computer at a desk. But I've had the other kind of hurting jobs too.

I'm not really sure what it's all getting at. Because I haven't hunted or fished in the last 5 years (never hunted, rarely fished in my life, though I have shot guns a couple times) I can't relate to people who do? Because I've never owned a pickup truck I can't relate to those who do?

Which isn't to categorically say I'm not an elitist. Because, well, I probably am in some ways at some times. But that quiz doesn't demonstrate how and when.

And if you want to insist upon a bubble, how can you say that people who answer yes to all 20 and no to a bunch of questions like "have you stocked your fridge with microbrews" and "do you have a close friend who is atheist" is not also in a bubble?

I scored the same as you. I have some of the same concerns as you, plus I thought it was biased towards men. For ex, the questions about NASCAR, and hunting and fishing. I know, I know, women do those things as well, but the ratio is probably skewed in favor of men. Same with that movie. It doesn't look like a movie DH and I would go to together, thought he of the PhD might like it. I also don't stock my fridge with ANY beer; we don't drink that much beer (though when we do it's not Bud, or even Coors). I agree too about the pickup truck issue. One sees a lot of pick-ups in the doctor's parking lot where I work.

Originally Posted by greg42

Well no, not a thesis obviously, but the article it is attached to did appear to be quite serious and tied into Murray's book. It's a bit more than "for entertainment purposes". It's meant to be serious thinking exercise, and I believe it fails at that.

Reading the comments to the article, clearly I'm not the only one who is thinking the questions are BS. Some interesting stuff.

I agree it seems to be quite serious. It's amazing what people can concoct and then come up with some sort of a "score" that is supposed to mean something.

Originally Posted by jay5835

I hate the phrase "lighten up," too. Also "get a life."

Each is straight out of the "How to Sound Condescending" chapter of the Condescension 101 textbook.

In addition to "you need to get out more", which is what the quiz told me.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I worked at Lowe's for years, which is why I knew that NASCAR driver's name. My most strenuous job was when I worked as a "loader" for Lowe's and primarily assisted our clients with lifting heavy appliances and building materials into their vehicles.

Funny, I had the same exact job at Lowes - worst part (for me anyways) were 'assisting' old people in loading their vehicles who acted as if your only goal was to somehow mess up their car and showed zero appreciation that we didnt have to help them out. And secondly, upon getting new shipments of concrete, had to unload all of those hundreds of sacks from the truck.

As for the other questions in the quiz:
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes

[sskink]

I got the between 9 and 12 score and might've scored higher because I've wanted to buy a pickup but the wife won't let me :-) I've been to Elks/KofC clubs quite a bit, but they weren't mentioned. I have a ton of friends who are Christian and heavily involved with non-mainstream churches, but not a single evangelical.

I could pick apart the test quite easily as some of it is pretty silly. I'd consider myself 'elitist' in several areas, particularly food politics/security (I'll eat at Outback but would never consider TGIF or Applebees). I discount out of hand political opinions of anyone who hasn't traveled overseas. I've voted for candidates from as many as four different political parties in the same election. I own three fishing poles but haven't been fishing since 2003. Don't own a gun, but enjoy shooting. Grew up poor, got to upper middle class, went back down to lower middle class - and for a brief period was even below that.

That's not Tony Stewart btw. He and Jeff Gordon are probably the only current NASCAR drivers (other than Danica) I'd recognize by sight, only because of the number of fights they've been in.