"Let them Eat Cake" in the Social Imagination!

Another tid bit from the insightful writing of Jonah Goldberg....


First a question - Has the quality of the product kept pace with inflation? NO!!!

"Let them eat cake" was a phrase that was supposed to have come from the mouth of Marie Antoniette, the beautiful princess in love with diamonds and wealth. The fact is, she never said exactly that. As far as we know, the saying came from another similar phrase put out by Rousseau's illustration of a princess who was indifferent to the plight of the poor. And so, because of her known attitude and or life loving liberal character, it became her 'hashtag'.

The saying in French means to let them eat buns-rolls.  The fact is, Marie Antoniette was probably not totally indifferent to the poor, she just did not understand economics. She thought if she could have so could everyone else. Its the limousine socialist liberal mindset. She was not the only one in France living the good life so to speak. But, eventually, being foreign born, she would take the fall.

As it was put forward during her time of limousine socialists, according to French law to feed the poor, the view and agenda was to subdue the profit making French bakeries. But, what happened as the law was followed was that bakeries went into financial ruin. No one was left to pay and the rich would not pay for poor quality bread/buns which no longer could be made by the bakers since they had no many to pay for any quality ingredients since there were so many not paying for their buns and those that could pay would not pay for poor quality.

The entire system was jeopardized. Hence, Marie lost her head... not necessarily by the rich and elite (though they gave the decree) but because of their liberal mindset. She was beheaded by the masses who demanded that the bakeries come back even if they could not afford to eat cake... at least the bakery was and something was in the bakery they could buy. And, someone higher up had to take the fall for poisoning the top positions in the French royalty.

As Goldberg writes on page 174, "Let them eat cake' has come to symbolize how rich do-gooders think rich conservatives see the world and how rich do-gooders screw things up by creating compassionate schemes that only make things worse for the poor. Goldberg asks us in his book [The Tyranny of Cliches...] to remember the housing laws put forward to combat homelessness. In Washington, D.C.  the city council passed an ordinance in 1984, guaranteeing shelter for everyone. Within tow years the number of homeless families living in government shelters rose 500 percent. One woman called D.C. authorities telling them she had just enough savings to cover the flight for her and her children and asked them to reserve her free housing.

Not that anyone wants a woman and her children on the streets but the point is that once everyone gets wind of a free house and who wouldn't want that especially when there will be fewer and fewer people able to pay for houses period as the quality goes down but the price goes up due to inflation. Which is not caused by the rich but by the middle class who start demanding their life style be like the rich and begin spending on credit for things they could not afford as 'true ' middle class. They want their cake too!

Who then gets the bill for those houses? Remember, the rich are really a minority and their money is kept under lock and key because they are a minority and know it. So, whose money gets used in the end - yours/mine. Yes, taxes for everyone and soon everyone will run out of money since only the elite minority are smart enough to not pay and get out while the getting is good. Somehow, liberal rich do-gooders seem to forget that. They seem to think that everyone will jump on board with their liberal do-gooder agenda. And, maybe many would but if the rich do-gooders are few then who pays? Again... you/me.

Yet, the rich do-gooders still claim to be the voice of the people so that they can control the politicians who will promise them to keep their minority money in hiding... a good place is in a foundation i.e.  And though the rich do-gooder feels guilty he/she feels justified in protecting his/her own. They feel better when they call out "Let them eat cake too". Little do they know that by doing so, they make matters worse. Why? Again, the government's money 'yours/mine' will be used not theirs.

Who are these rich do-gooders? Aren't they the rich cooperate executives? Some are and some aren't. The crop is really in Hollywood as Goldberg points. The people communicate to them that they are special though many may not even have higher education. They are treated like royalty by the people, and perhaps it truly is the people that want them to yell and like when they do yell... "Let them eat cake". It seems to make it right that their nobility speaks for them.

In fact, its all in the social imagination, isn't it? The rich, the middle class (wanna be rich) and the poor and those on their way down to being poor seem to be as much a part of their own problems as anyone and everyone. And, when the system looks like it will collapse, there will be a head to be lost, someone will be the scape-goat for all.

The people created an image ...
Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived. The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image would also speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed. And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,…Revelation 13:14-16.