It's Easy To Become a Snob- You Just Have to Apply Yourself a Little

One of the nicest things about the company Bruce works for is that they pay for a suite at the Energy Solutions Arena. Last night Bruce and I went to the Suns/Jazz game. We cheered for the Suns, even though Bruce accidentally wore a light blue shirt. Here is the Shaq, sitting on the bench where he belongs. This man earns $20 million a year, and he runs slow and can't shoot. So other than his God-given height of 7'1", there isn't anything about him that would warrant such a paycheck. But, I digress.

It is so easy to get used to being in the suites. We are at center court, so it's a great seat no matter if you are going to a game or concert. Here's the cycle of snobbery:

The first time in the suites I felt a little self conscious. I didn't know where to hang my coat or where to sit. That's how it goes the first time you experience something nice: "I hope everyone doesn't realize that I am a poser."

By the second or third time, I was starting to feel right at home, enjoying the hot appetizers, cold beverages, and homemade cookies. Now I was getting used to it: "Man, it sure is nice to watch a game and have my own private bathroom."

The last step to snobbery is a relatively easy leap: "Those nachos better be hot when I get there, or I'm having words with the staff," I said. "And if there's not Diet Coke in the fridge, I'm coming unglued." We have arrived at SELF ENTITLEMENT, the hallmark of snobbery.

AND THAT IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA TODAY.

We are in an economic mess, and it's because all the way down the line from the President to "Joe Six-Pack" (whoever you are) we all felt entitled to certain things. Our Congress passed laws deregulating certain industries, and I bet they did so because they felt entitled to whatever perks their banking lobbyists promised them. Perhaps the more altruistic ones (is there such a thing as an altruistic Congressman? I'll ask Ted Kennedy.) thought that they were helping out their constituents, but they certainly felt that they would be entitled to your vote because of it.
Then these deregulated companies, whose leaders felt entitled to make as much money as possible, used their new-found freedoms to allow insane home loans and other questionable business practices. Even now, after $38 billion in government bailouts, AIG executives spent $440,000 on a resort getaway last week. I would give anything to know how that came about in a board meeting.

Executive #1: Man, this derailing the economy has given me tension in my neck.
Exec #2: You know, me too, and for some reason I can't sleep at night.
Exec #1: I could really use a massage, and maybe a mani/pedi.
Exec #2: Let's do it, but invite the rest of the executives so we can call it a business meeting. Thank goodness we have money now.

Didn't ONE SINGLE PERSON at AIG think to themselves, 'This doesn't seem like such a great idea?'

Now we arrive at the millions of Americans who felt entitled to a big house, or a fancy car, and let's admit to ourselves, that while industry was peddling crap, we chose to buy it, at inflated prices and on an ARM mortgage with a balloon payment. Millions of us chose to believe that we could afford things that we couldn't, on logic that was no better than the President, no better than the Congress, no better than those business executives, and no better than Shaquille O-Neal's. "I deserve it," we thought. Well, we deserve what's happening now as well. We live in a capitalist society, a free market, and this free market wants to weed out those who can't manage sustainable business practices, and those who can't actually afford to be homeowners, and a giant government bailout is only going to impede the economic Darwinism that should be taking place about now.

Perhaps in the future instead of asking, "Do I deserve this?" we will learn to ask, "Can I AFFORD this?"