"Rich Man's Burden": That's what Bloomberg has me thinking of

[Babel_17]

Though right off I'd like to get straight that in "White Man's Burden" Kipling gave "somber warnings of the costs involved". It's just that "imperialists within the United States of America understood the phrase "white man's burden" as justifying imperialism as a noble enterprise".

Bloomberg is a generous man who recognizes the virtue of serving in government, but it also looks like he inherited some of the institutional arrogance that so often comes with wealth and power.

He's held high office, has great wealth, and with his media has great influence. Nothing wrong with any of those things (they represent admirable achievements), but they leave one prone to not noticing what's going on in the trenches the vast majority of his compatriots are toiling in.

So when he speaks of not being willing to stand by while the hoi polloi make a Sanders presidency a real possibility, I think of him donning the mantle of the "Rich Man's Burden".

Anyone with writing skills feel free to use that title for an essay, though unsurprisingly it has been used before. Still, very appropriate in Bloomberg's case, imo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Man's_Burden

[Babel_17]

1. The War Prayer, by Mark Twain

(Cross posted from what I just submitted at the JMS/Babylon 5 forum. I'd post it in GD but it would be connected to this thread, and also the primaries.) http://jmsnews.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_Prayer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wa...28Babylon_5%29

http://warprayer.org/

The War Prayer
by Mark Twain

It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory with stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener.

Click the link for the whole thing. It's in the public domain but it would be nice for the site maintainer to get more confirmation that their work is serving a purpose.

I stumbled on it by looking into White Man's Burden by Kipling. I saw mention that Twain's War Prayer was, in part, a response to that. And yeah, White Man's Burden relates to B5 as well, imo. Apologies if this has been talked to death recently.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Man's_Burden

P.S.

"jms speaks

Correct; the title of "The War Prayer" is a nod to Twain's piece of the same name, which should be read by *everyone*. Given the growing problems with illiteracy, I try to refer not to pop society so much, as to literature...Tennyson, Twain, even writers whose last names don't begin with T."

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/007.html

JMS is very cool, btw. We've seen some quotes by him at DU before. I'll repost one of them at the end.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Michael_Straczynski

https://twitter.com/straczynski?lang=en

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/674833837185040385

"For all the folks who say Bernie Sanders can't win, a look back at the "Obama can't win" pundits: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/11/4/798696/- …"

[Babel_17]

2. lol, and now this

https://i.imgur.com/j85FrSy.webm

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0660216/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu

Jimmy: You know what's really, really wrong with this country? Nothing!

Bill: Your confusing thesis has captured my attention. Tell me more.



Dave: Sir, you know that I don't necessarily think you'd make a bad president, right? It's just that I think you'd be wiser to start out smaller.

Jimmy: Oh, come on, Dave. What am I going to do- run for prime minister of Cambodia and work my way up? No, that's not me. I'll tell you what- between you and me, I think I can WIN this thing.

Dave: Maybe. Or MAYBE, you'll just make an ass of yourself in front of the entire nation, uh, lose all your money and your credibility, and become known as that crazy old man that children taunt by shouting, 'how's it going, Mister President.'

Jimmy: I don't see Bob Dole complaining about it.

Dave: I just think you should slow down.

Jimmy: No. No David, if nattering nabobs like you had their way, NOBODY would run naked through the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.



Lisa: Did you lose a bet, sir?

Jimmy: Huh?

Lisa: You know, like with one of your rich friends- the loser has to run for president, ha ha.

Jimmy: No... See, last, uh... last time I made a bet with a rich friend, oh yeah, heh- I ended up streaking through the Chicago Mercantile Exchange at noon.

Dave: Ouch.

Jimmy: What do you mean 'ouch,' I was the winner on that one.



Dave: There has to be an ulterior motive.

Bill: I know what it is.

Dave: What?

Bill: Insanity. The man's going crazy, and we've got front row seats.

Jimmy James: I am a cipher, a cipher wrapped in an enigma, smothered in secret sauce...


Bill: That's my crazy man.