Do you live in a Bubble?

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
I wasn’t insulted at all. I’m a proud Waffle House Patron and happen to know there is a special Waffle House song in every jukebox in every waffle house. I think that was the point. Most big city elites don’t even know what a Waffle House, dale jr. or outback is. They are out of touch, or, in the bubble. As stereotypical as it sounds there is no arguing the fact Applebee’s litter the landscape of middle class America. These questions much more represented everyday America than it did rednecks or white trash. I don’t remember seeing any questions about merrying your fist cousin or having a 3 tattooed on your chest. Won’t even get into the rougher side of this spectrum.

And for the record when you travel for a living and in every crevice across the county you welcome (sometimes) seeing an outback or Applebee’s opposed to stoping at a shady hole in the wall and catching something you wish you didn’t know existed.
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
I found the test pretty insulting and stereotypical. Question about Waffle House and NASCAR, as tough that is what life in rural Middle America revolves around. Not surprising, though, because public broadcasting in 2018 is the domain of urban elitists whose experience in fly-over states is probably limited to a college road trip to Boulder or some place.

The book this is from was written talking about how white America was being "left behind" by the city elites. The questions were designed to say how much you knew/understood white Americans. Not whether you were actually elitist.

From the author: http://www.aei.org/publication/lessons-from-the-bubble-quiz-1/

Some of the questions are ones that whites will get right more often than minorities, and that people who do not live in metropolises will get right more often than people who do. That?s because I am writing about the problems of the new upper class, the new upper class is overwhelmingly white and urban, and the readers of this book are overwhelmingly white and urban. Note, however, that had I included questions that would be more easily answered by minorities in working-class urban neighborhoods, your score would probably be even worse. (p. 102.)
 

robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
4,780
355
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And for the record when you travel for a living and in every crevice across the county you welcome (sometimes) seeing an outback or Applebee?s opposed to stoping at a shady hole in the wall and catching something you wish you didn?t know existed.

I used to travel quite a bit to high point and was so sick of chain restaurants towards the end of that gig that I probably ate several times at that exact shady hole in the wall
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
The book this is from was written talking about how white America was being "left behind" by the city elites. The questions were designed to say how much you knew/understood white Americans. Not whether you were actually elitist.

From the author: http://www.aei.org/publication/lessons-from-the-bubble-quiz-1/

Some of the questions are ones that whites will get right more often than minorities, and that people who do not live in metropolises will get right more often than people who do. That?s because I am writing about the problems of the new upper class, the new upper class is overwhelmingly white and urban, and the readers of this book are overwhelmingly white and urban. Note, however, that had I included questions that would be more easily answered by minorities in working-class urban neighborhoods, your score would probably be even worse. (p. 102.)

The author is a jack-ass. I like screwing with on-line quizzes, and that's no better than any other.

Likewise, the considerations behind it are pretty pig-headed.

It's a joke quiz. He can pretend it's got some science behind it all he wants, but in the end it's moron bait if you aren't just enjoying yourself.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
This statement can easily be leveled at rural/white America as well.

That working class Americas that live pay-check to pay-check just to afford shitty ass Obamacare and barely make ends meet are out of touch? Good luck with that one... Eyes wide shut.
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
Most big city elites don?t even know what a Waffle House, dale jr. or outback is. They are out of touch, or, in the bubble.

That working class Americas that live pay-check to pay-check just to afford shitty ass Obamacare and barely make ends meet are out of touch? Good luck with that one... Eyes wide shut.

No. That rural, white rural America doesn't know what it's like to live in the inner city, an urban ghetto.

To paraphrase you: "Most rural whites don't know what a crack den is, or having their neighborhood ruled by gangs, or getting hassled by the cops just because. They are out of touch, or, in the bubble."

That doesn't make one "side" better (or worse) off than the other. Just that they don't know what it's like to be the other group because they've never left (or explored beyond) their community (aka, bubble).

Sheesh...stop thinking that rural white America is the only group struggling - there are lots of people struggling every day.
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
No. That rural, white rural America doesn't know what it's like to live in the inner city, an urban ghetto.

To paraphrase you: "Most rural whites don't know what a crack den is, or having their neighborhood ruled by gangs, or getting hassled by the cops just because. They are out of touch, or, in the bubble."

That doesn't make one "side" better (or worse) off than the other. Just that they don't know what it's like to be the other group because they've never left (or explored beyond) their community (aka, bubble).

Sheesh...stop thinking that rural white America is the only group struggling - there are lots of people struggling every day.

Who said they are the only ones struggling? Not me. I just used them as an example. The elites have no idea what that's like either. I think the rural america discussion it prudent simply becasue of the number of votes being cast.



Shitloads.....
 

1920SF

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
2,705
1
NoVA
*The number of votes being cast within the electoral map

Let's be clear, rural vs urban is all about the electoral map. Good news is 2020 is the next census, which will change that map again. There is tremendous lore in America for what rural areas do, and don't do in terms of the economy (a GDP by county map is a great illustration to correspond to the electoral map)...but lore is just a story based in some facts that isn't necessarily true.
 

Paul Grant

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2004
3,180
0
CT
It's a joke "how red is your neck" quiz written by someone who likes big words. It doesn't take anything important into account.

If it is biased, I'd say it's biased against hipsters; since I would imagine living in a bubble isn't a desirable outcome. It's just a fun little quiz, though; nothing clever about it.

Cheers,

Kennith

Wasn't this test created by Charles Murray, you know, of "The Bell Curve" fame? You know, the guy who was chased off the Middlebury College campus a couple of years ago.
 

Paul Grant

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2004
3,180
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CT
If anyone is interested, Sam Harris had a good (positive) podcast with Charles Murray about six months ago. A lot of people on the left hear his name and lose their minds. In fact, most of what he had to say in "The Bell Curve" was based on good science.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Wasn't this test created by Charles Murray, you know, of "The Bell Curve" fame? You know, the guy who was chased off the Middlebury College campus a couple of years ago.

In a terrible fit of irony, Murray's education exceeds his intelligence.

He's got a perfectly good chicken that he'll never be able to coax all the way across the road, as a result.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

jim-00-4.6

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2005
2,037
6
61
Genesee, CO USA
I got a 25.
Probably because I don't watch TV.
Or have any friends.
And I prefer to cook at home than go out.

I suppose I'm "insulated" or "in a bubble".
I don't prefer to spend my time being lectured by people about how their opinion is the right opinion.
So I don't.
I have some finite but currently unknown amount of time remaining on this planet.
I spend it in ways that do not raise my blood pressure.

I goto work.
I'm at home with family.
And those two are as separate as church and state.
 

Rob371

Well-known member
Nov 29, 2016
150
1
Charlevoix, Michigan
65. So my bubble is thinner than others I guess? Who has time (or patience) for all those obnoxious TV series?

Chain restaurants?

If that's mainstream culture I'd rather be in a bubble drinking Michigan brews and keep the money local by eating local. Only time I eat at those places is cause the kids want to go after soccer or volley ball tournaments.

I do like that peach iced tea at Applebees though.