Deformed by a Sociopathic Society
Sociologist Charles Derber, who wrote a book on the subject, tells us that America is a sociopathic society in which people, regardless of their socioeconomic status, care only about themselves. 1 For instance, I doubt that among the power elite neither parents and therefor neither their children have any sense of compassion for the war dead left by America's military aggression. In any case, that America is a corpocracy ruled by its power elite is evidence enough that we live in a psychopathic society.
Derber argues that it is the corrupt collusion between big business and big government, which defines the corpocracy, more so than people in the society that is sociopathic. I disagree. I would argue that blaming structures more than the structure builders and operators puts the cart before the horse. But that simple fact didn't convince the corrupt US Supreme Court in their infamous ruling that corporations are persons. Even pilotless drones bombing away are guided by people thousands of miles away.
Deformed by Socioeconomic Status
Rich children become rich adults, and, because wealth usually confers power (i.e., the usually unrestrained capacity to decide ends and means), they also become powerful adults, partly, of course, by the positions they come to occupy. Beyond that simple truism is another one; while socioeconomic status clearly deforms the youth of the powerless, their counterpart among the power elite are also affected, and the effects are mediated by the upbringing of youth by their wealthy parents.
Deformed by Upbringing
The family is like a foundry that casts metal into desired forms. The forms desired by wealthy and powerful parents are children who grow up to be replicas of their parents. Parents are role models, deliberate or not, good or bad, for their children. A deformed role model of antisocial attitudes, opinions and behavior produces a deformed copy.
The children of the power elite are expected to become wealthy and powerful adults, and expectations are one of the most potent influences on future behavior. I have often written that "Behind every great performance is a great expectation;" unfortunately, in the case of the powerful the expectations are usually ignoble and the performance exploitative and worse.
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