Hacker News Reader

Comment by maxehmookau | Hacker News Reader

It blows my mind that he's willing to complain about "elites". Does he genuinely not consider himself part of the "elite"? He owns most of the world's media and a sizable chunk of the planet's wealth.

What else could he need to consider himself elite?

View on HN

> Most of the media is in cahoots with those elites, peddling political narratives rather than pursuing the truth.

In this context of a conspiracy to control the media as a stepping-stone to control political systems, the word "elites" is a dogwhistle to deniably say "jews".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitic_trope#:~:text=one%...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_whistle_(politics)

That's his schtick. He pisses on your leg and tells you it's raining.

A strong sense of civil responsibility and decorum, maybe?

This is an old trick. Witness Boris Johnson and Donald trump also railing at the elites that they were so clearly born into.

> Does he genuinely not consider himself part of the "elite"?

You are imagining said """elite""" as being one single group, whereas the view presented is that of some powerful parties and agents which are countered by other reactive forces.

He absolutely is part of the elite as are basically everyone he associates with. In my experience when conservatives (rich or poor) start complaining about "the elites" they're almost always talking about Democrats and not always the rich Democrats. I'd bet that if polled a sizable chunk of conservatives in America wouldn't consider Trump to be one of the elites.

To be fair, many non-conservatives also don't think Trump is elite.

The same thing happens in the UK. I just don't understand how anyone can fall for it.

These unfathomably rich people pointing their fingers at the comfortable middle-class and calling _them_ the elite.

When Republicans refer to "Elites" it is short for "Coastal Elites", think overeducated upper middle class person with a lot of opinions and ideas for "simple" things that could be changed to "make the world a better place".

There is another brand of elite on the Republican side that I'm not sure there is a name for as evocative as "Coastal elite". There is "Religious elite" and maybe "Business elite" (but this group sometimes can be categorized as coastal elite)?

> lot of opinions and ideas for "simple" things that could be changed to "make the world a better place".

Something like "If we just got rid of all the regulation, the free market would be able to solve all of our problems"?

For the "coastal elite" it typically involves restricting freedoms with a sense of "knowing better".

Also I'm aware you somehow took offense to me explaining what "coastal elite" means.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com