Najah Farley
On October 22, 2011, the New York Times published “The Paradox of the New Elite.” In the opinion article, Alexander Stille, a professor of international journalism, discussed the paradox of the fact that as formerly oppressed groups, such as women, blacks and gays, have been accepted into the mainstream, economic inequality has increased. Stille posited that as these groups have been accepted into the mainstream, economic inequality has become more palatable, because the general public sees those economic gains as a part of the natural meritocracy. Specifically, he states that, “[r]emoving the most blatant forms of discrimination, ironically, made it easier to justify keeping whatever rewards you could obtain through the new, supposedly more meritocratic system.” Stille’s argument is that many groups have been nominally accepted into the mainstream. However, he also recognizes that even though there are more minorities accepted into traditionally elite institutions, these minorities were usually already members of the economic elite. As a result, Stille argues that although traditionally, Americans have seen equal opportunity and equality of condition as separate issues, now, given the growing inequality of wealth and the growing influence of money in Washington, there should be more of a focus on equality of condition along with equal opportunity. [Read more…] about Occupy Wall Street and Voter Enfranchisement: Possibilities for 2012?