Admiration?

Admiration of exercises of privilege? Not hardly. As a matter of fact, my attitude is one of ” Yeah? Show me what you really can do if we knock the props out from under you.” People who make easy sledding of hard things backed up by daddy or mommy’s money or privilege don’t attract my attention.

The terms bootstrapped, mustanger, and “the hard way up” come to mind. I am not in awe of the privileged who manage to fail despite their advantages, but I do admire anyone who lands in the mire and pulls their way out – that’s real determination. And I can be thunderstruck by the native talent and determination of that person.

I don’t just feel this way because I bootstrapped, well, Ok, that’s a part of it. But because many climbers are opposed by those who haven’t had to. Privilege doesn’t always welcome the self-made woman or man into the “Elect.” They oppose it.

I wrote a song about it called the High Society Rag. Here is a verse:
“ Well, I tried to join high society, but every way that I turned, somebody had staked out an angle which guaranteed that you could not join. Well, they said there isn’t any prejudice, it’s a free country, can’t you see, but if you’re not in the Social Register, buddy, don’t bother me!

( Louis Carreras, copyright)