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The Cargo Cult of Wealth
Dennis Hof is a 71 year old winner of the Republican nominee for a state assembly seat in Nevada. He also owns seven brothels. He was backed by Christian evangelicals because “… he is a wealthy businessman and can’t be bought ….”
This is a very similar belief to much of President Donald Trump’s voter base. He’s already wealthy. He can’t be influenced. He’ll drain the swamp of career politicians sucking at the teat of government udders filled with our money. Not.
I’ve noticed many of my friends that voted Republican over the years did so because they thought rich people knew more and were more capable. These were people barely getting by, dependent on government programs instituted mainly by Democrats. They voted against their pocket books because of this entrenched belief in the infallibility of the wealthy.
Like the cargo cults of Melanesia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many people feel that paying homage to aspects of wealth will somehow make them wealthy.
The wealthy don’t dissuade this line of thinking. They encourage it. Now that they have direct access to news channels, they spew this idea constantly on TV, radio, and the internet. They would have us believe trickle down economics is real and they are the engines of employment so long as the government doesn’t take their money.
Many wealthy people are nice, but a lot of rich people in the cafeteria of life have ordered up a helping of power to go along with their wealth. Many find it much more tasty than wealth alone and are willing to give up a portion of their wealth for a hefty second helping of power. It doesn’t help that a much greater percentage of these people are afflicted with personality disorders such as psychopathy, narcissism, and egomania than the general population. Unfortunately, at this point in our history, there is a surfeit of such people in charge of the country. As proof of that, where is the stringent psychological testing that should be a requirement of holding high positions of government such as a senator, congressman, or the President? Non-existent.
Don’t you have to be really smart to be wealthy? That’s what the wealthy would have you believe, discounting the luck that propelled nearly every one of them to their lofty positions. Look at Donald Trump for…
