How Thick Is Your Bubble?
In his forthcoming book, Coming Apart, The State of White America, 1960–2010, Charles Murray writes about the perils of the upper-class elite setting policy that affects regular Americans, with whom these elites have little to nothing in common. Because their bubble is so thick, the elites are vulnerable to making huge policy mistakes, despite their best intentions.
To help you determine how thick your bubble is, Murray has produced a quiz whose score will place you into one of the following categories:
- A lifelong resident of a working-class neighborhood with average television and moviegoing habits. Range: 48–99. Typical: 77.
- A first-generation middle-class person with working-class parents and average television and moviegoing habits. Range: 42–100. Typical: 66.
- A first-generation upper-middle-class person with middle-class parents. Range: 11–80. Typical: 33.
- A second- generation (or more) upper-middle-class person who has made a point of getting out a lot. Range: 0–43. Typical: 9.
- A second- generation (or more) upper-middle-class person with the tele- vision and moviegoing habits of the upper middle class. Range: 0–20.Typical: 2.
Three of the Young Guns crew have thus far taken the quiz, and I was shocked to discover that with my score of 26, I have the biggest bubble. When I protested to the group that Californians need a separate quiz, Meghan Clyne responded, "No, I think that's the point--to live in California (at least, northern California) is to have separated oneself from the mainstream of the rest of the country." Touché.
Take the quiz here (questions begin on page 103), and report back with your score.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Definitely lots of flaws with this, as is usually the case with these things. I scored 49. Both of my parents had college degrees and one of my grandparents did. However, I grew up in a small city in South Texas, which probably accounts for much of my score. The fact that I don't watch much new TV or Movies actually drug my score down a bit.
Edited on January 28, 2012 at 8:19pmSep '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
There's nothing wrong with a bubble that enough air wouldn't cure.
Aug '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Diane Ellis, Ed.
The thing is, I don't think it matters if a conservative scores low on the test. Conservatives aren't the ones who want to impose government on people...or at least that's true most of the time. So if I don't know how someone in the Midwest lives, it's not especially dangerous if I'm not trying to impose my agenda on him.
That's how I console myself over my low score. · 35 minutes ago
Diane--no apologies necessary. This isn't a contest. It's about understanding that there are a lot of ways to live your life in this country and preserving that freedom is important.
Come to the eastern shore of Maryland next November and we will go to punkin chunkin! That should increase your total score by 50 or so.
Jun '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
~Paules: With the help of a few bonus questions I was able to score 137.
Have you ever used an outhouse that wasn't portable or drawn water from a well? Score +10 for each yes.
...
9mm or .45 ACP? Score -20 if you didn't understand the question. Score -10 if you answered 9mm. Score +20 if you answered .45 ACP.
Yes, I have used a real out house. In fact, on Halloween when we were in high school we stole one and set it on fire on main street. Gotta be worth 40 points.
So what's wrong with a 9mm? I have one, but my son has a .45 ACP. Does that add to my score.
Jun '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Do cats actually consume air? They don't appear to.
Nov '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Bryan G. Stephens: Now, I work with the underclass every day, and I have done so for 19 years. I have been in their homes, I have helped them get the basics of life, I have helped get them off the streets. This test tells me I am in a bubble because I don't like 2nd hand smoke and NASCAR?
. . .
This whole test is just the same as the whole liberal guilt "privilege walk" crap. The upper middle class helps out the underclass by creating jobs.
Exactly my point, but better said. Hey, it's been a few years, but I've been into houses in the worst parts of Philly, been into the Philadelphia projects to talk to teen moms, etc. I work, always, in a hospital and in a radiology department, which means I work with techs and transporters, who are working class at best. I go to a church full of people who are educated and poor--students, young idealists, and so on--people who struggle to pay the rent and feed their families. I know how all kinds of people live, and who cares?
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
I scored a 60. That's about 10 points higher than I would've guessed - I watch little popular television - but as it happens, I have very average restaurant and movie tastes.
Sep '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
I don't want to take the test, just have a national conversation about what the score might be.
Sep '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
tabula rasa
Do cats actually consume air? They don't appear to. · 13 minutes ago
Only on Tuesdays.
Mar '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
33 for myself. An interesting exercise, I do believe it has earned Mr. Murray a sale.
Sep '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
I was feeling pretty good about my solid 51 until I saw the other scores here. I expected Dave Carter to beat me, but not so many others. Apparently, I'm an arugula eating, elitist RINO-squish.
But at least I don't live in California!
(Even more embarrassing: I knew what Branson was, but only because I'd read Donald Westlake's mystery Baby, Would I Lie?)
Mar '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
That's a quick 20-point pickup.
I need an adjudication or two here, ~Paules.
1) Is Hunter Orange a uniform?
2) Does it matter if the trigger-happy fool doing the shooting didn't understand the concept of a "backstop?"
May '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Lucy Pevensie
Exactly my point, but better said. Hey, it's been a few years, but I've been into houses in the worst parts of Philly, been into the Philadelphia projects to talk to teen moms, etc. I work, always, in a hospital and in a radiology department, which means I work with techs and transporters, who are working class at best. I go to a church full of people who are educated and poor--students, young idealists, and so on--people who struggle to pay the rent and feed their families. I know how all kinds of people live, and who cares? · 1 hour ago
I think most of this gap would vanish if we stopped paying people to be poor, and got the government foot off our necks.
Jul '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
I think many have been missing the point of the scoring. It is not a test of how conservative or liberal you are but just a rough scoring of how connected your life experiences are to those of the average citizens in the country. A low score does not make you a bad person but tends to indicate that your life experiences are quite different from most citizens. This is not an issue for a stay at home mom because the realm of influence is small. The same could be said for a computer programmer, office worker, etc. A teacher or professor would be more of an issue because the sphere of influence is larger. A reporter with a low number is more of a problem since they are now reporting their impressions to a larger number of people. The worse of course is a low scoring policy maker or politician since they are influencing policy with little or no life experience in common with the citizenry. Take away: If you scored low and are a teacher, professor, reporter, policy maker or politician please go experience the life of an average citizen before inflicting your values on them.
Dec '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
tabula rasa
Yes, I have used a real out house. In fact, on Halloween when we were in high school we stole one and set it on fire on main street. Gotta be worth 40 points.
Someone did that to my granddad once. So next Halloween he slid it three feet closer the the house.
It never happened again...
Mar '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Scored a 56, which seems to be on the higher end of all of the other test takers here. Dad was a phys. ed. teacher. Mom was a stay-at-home piano teacher. Hometown: 5,000 people--Leechburg, PA. Public high school, graduating class--71 students. Yes, small. Lived in Vegas for 13 years where most people don't have college degrees. Didn't know the military ranks. I don't drink so the beer question was a "no." Have had a multitude of jobs so I've ached and worn a uni. Not an Evangelical. Never in a parade--not my style. Never rode a bus, never hitchhiked--my mother would kill me. Knew Jimmie, knew Branson. Never watched any of those sitcoms or talk shows. Saw 3 of the films.
So, I guess my bubble isn't very thick. I can live with that. Oh, and it doesn't surprise me the Young Guns' numbers are so low: they often seem out of touch.
Jun '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Who's Michael Schumacher? Seriously, I've don't recognize that name at all.
Dec '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
I scored 61.
Jun '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Also interesting is the default assumption that being in an upper-middle-class bubble makes one liberal while a blue-collar or redneck background makes one conservative. How is it then that the Democrats have convinced so many people they're the party of the working poor while Republicans are wealthy elites only interested in low taxes for the rich?
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
GOVICIDE:
So, I guess my bubble isn't very thick. I can live with that. Oh, and it doesn't surprise me the Young Guns' numbers are so low: they often seem out of touch. · 9 minutes ago
Actually it was just mine that was low. The others were quite average for Ricochet.
I do have to admit that I had a different formative experience that I expect most Americans have. My mom was a Mexican immigrant nanny who raised rich peoples' children alongside her own and my dad a house painter. Mom got her citizenship in the 90s. But having a large Mexican extended family means that our gatherings and traditions are different.