American Elitism: The Ideology of Oppression

By Rodrigo Thomas

This book is a critique on the damaging effects of elitist thinking. The American Heritage Dictionary defines elitism as "The belief that certain persons or members of certain groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their superiority, as in intelligence, social standing, or wealth." It is a commentary on the convoluted logic and spurious interpretation of data gathered by researchers in a popular volume some 25 years ago. It is an incisive, psychological review of the volume (The Bell Curve) that facilitated the cruel and austere social policies of the conservative movement. There is currently an attempt to revive these dangerous albeit largely debunked ideas. We simply cannot solve the problems of today with yesterday's thinking, and the rhetoric of failure will no longer sustain us. Our book does not require the reading of the The Bell Curve in its entirety, we leave that option to readers. Readers are provided with segments and excerpts in continuity, and as they appear in the volume we're reviewing. The attempted revival of the book's dark motif was the impetus for our own writing. Our book is also predicated on the notion that we are currently at the turning point, or at the point of no return. We also believe that our freedom and democracy are fragile and by no means guaranteed; and they are now in jeopardy. We are at a most critical time in history. It will require a sincere and concerted effort to re-evaluate our values and re-think our priorities. It is also our contention that any significant and meaningful change must come from within, as well as from without. The darkness we see out in the world today is merely a reflection of what goes on inside of us. Our futile attempts to find outer solutions to inner problems are minimally effective, and end up harming us all. Those same problems have only returned to haunt us again and again. At this critical moment in history we have suggested that we may find that significant changes in the outer world must begin with a change within us. We sincerely believe that the time has come to face our fears and insecurities in order to heal and grow. And finally, in doing so, we may also discover that in facing our deeper truth, we are provided with a chance at the harmony and peace of mind that we all seek. In the end, the greatest voyage we will ever embark upon is the inner journey. "Come my friends,'tis not too late to seek a newer world." -Tennyson

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08GBHDVK3
• ISBN13: 9798674435990
• Release Date: August 2020
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"