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:
Feb '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
I'm sorry, the card says Moops.
Jun '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Do I get any bonus points for having eaten at both Cracker Barrel and Waffle House despite the fact that neither has franchises in California?
Apr '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
I scored a 71. My father work for the defense department but he wasn't considered management and did not have a college degree. He was very good at taking test. During WWII he took the navel aviation test and out of 600 applicant only six passed, he was one of them.
Nov '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
But that is my point and Bryan's. I know a lot about how average citizens live, and those who are really off the bottom of the economic ladder, and I don't see how the quiz reflects much of what I know. I agree that it is bad if people who live in a serious bubble are making policy for the rest of the country. I just don't think the quiz captures whether you are in a bubble or not. After all, Diane, whose mother was a nanny and her father a house painter, got one of the lowest scores on here.
Dec '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Diane Ellis, Ed.
In no way is The Cheesecake Factory on the same level as Applebee's or The Waffle House.
Ok, you got me there, but if you know the menu as well as my husband and I do, you can eat there just as cheaply!
Jun '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Palaeologus: Another question:
Have you ever paid to join a website to avoid & complain about obnoxious liberals?
If yes, subtract 10 points.
Being in a bubble ain't so bad, sometimes. · 6 hours ago
Funny how low the price (3.67) is to buy a little peace and civility.
Jun '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
As Bob Dole would say, the FG got a 72. Folks brought me home to a house across from the Old Colony projects (Whitey Bulger's stomping grounds), but we moved quickly out of there. Dad was first w/ 4-year degree, Mom an immigrant (straight off the farm).
Curiously, my score is much higher than my folks, who are retired civil servants (my dad was a minor diplomat). While I can pass for "respectable", my score is high for a few reasons:
May '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Yep.
Lucy Pevensie
But that is my point and Bryan's. I know a lot about how average citizens live, and those who are really off the bottom of the economic ladder, and I don't see how the quiz reflects much of what I know. I agree that it is bad if people who live in a serious bubble are making policy for the rest of the country. I just don't think the quiz captures whether you are in a bubble or not. After all, Diane, whose mother was a nanny and her father a house painter, got one of the lowest scores on here. · 34 minutes ago
Jul '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
32. In disgrace because I blew one of the military ranks despite having worked with military for many, many years. And, of course, television as a scheduled broadcast experience is toast. My days of setting Thursday nights aside for Cheers and Night Court are toast. Though I still make time to watch the old Dick Van Dyke Show on Netflix. I am also conflicted in that I hate cigarette smoke and cigarette Nazis each with a purple passion.
Jul '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Joseph Stanko
Do I get any bonus points for having eaten at both Cracker Barrel and Waffle House despite the fact that neither has franchises in California? · 1 hour ago
Do I get any points off because I cannot even enter a Cracker Barrel because there is some allergen that pervades the store next to the restaurants? While I avoid scent and candle stores for the same reason, this is the only chain restaurant where I run into this.
Jul '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Muleskinner
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... · 2 hours ago
That makes for quite the mental picture.
May '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
60.
Tired and sore at the end of each day; never driven anything other than a pickup; most of childhood was in a two bedroom apartment.
But...married to an editor and don't have TV.
Interesting quiz. Murray gives neat stats on some of those questions.
Jun '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Exactly...it's the connectedness. In my case, I don't have all sorts as clients or sit the next pew over from them at worship. I also coach their sons in basketball (and vice versa), I lead them in Scouts (and vice versa), we go camping/fishing together.
One other point: Parents often build the bubble: My mother came from across the pond (one of 10+ on a farm), and was much more class conscious than my dad. She avoids the lower/lower middle class "mentality" at all cost. However, I still played sports and did Scouting and worked my way through school. But once my folks had a few $$, my siblings were ushered into "the bubble" as quickly as possible.
Jul '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
And double your score if you made Chucky sneeze. Sounds like the go-along to get-along Pseudo we've all come to know and love. >achoo<
This kind of thing is usually meant more as a thought piece/ice breaker rather than a scientific metric.
Jul '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
59
Without the television or watching movies.
Edited on January 29, 2012 at 12:39amJan '12
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Interesting. Scored a 60, could have been a bit higher. Dad worked for the Federal Gov't, accountant without a degree, mom was an immigrant and worked in the school cafeteria. Seems to fit right in, paid my way through college and my kids will answer as being in the upper middle class.
Jul '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
The fine print states that You don't have to take the test if You have a mullet.
We'll All know Yer story already.
"Business up front, party in the back."
Edited on January 29, 2012 at 12:55amOct '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
My score is 39.
Having read through this thread, I see that my score puts me firmly in the elitist camp in comparison to other Ricocheteers. At times, I've described myself as an anti-elitist elitist. That score plus my overall attitude would seem to confirm it.
Jul '11
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
Jimmy Carter, that line is from a David Allen Coe song which if known, might make you a redneck to quote Foxworthy
Oct '10
Re: How Thick Is Your Bubble?
"Mona Lisa lost her smile, the painter's hands are trembling now..."