If you have been to chicken finger Thursday at Leo’s, you’ve seen Darwinism in action. The fittest Hoyas, in a blur of Nantucket red and backwards baseball caps, muscle their way past the weaklings to get to their golden reward. According to “survival of the fittest” theory, the remaining competitors will starve and die off. Or perhaps they’ll eat a sandwich.
The ominous social interpretation of Darwin’s theory, though supposedly shunned by society, is in some ways the law of our land. Being pretty and well-connected seems to carry more weight than the content of one’s character. This thing goes a whole lot deeper than chicken fingers.
I recently saw a teaser for an upcoming episode of Tyra Banks’ talk show (yes, the woman can act, model and host!) in which she dons a fat suit to experience what it’s like to be overweight in our society. When Tyra goes out shopping in swanky shops people giggle at her and salespeople are rude and unhelpful.
But leave it to George W. to invert a Darwinistic doctrine and instead embrace the well-connected even over the attractive. The Bush administration is not the first which has used personal connections as a prerequisite for job offers. JFK made his brother Robert attorney general, making the governance of the country a family affair (and as cool as Teddy may be, no way would he be a senator without that famous last name. Sorry Massachusetts.) But at least Robert was qualified.
As the cronyism of the Bush administration becomes more fully exposed, it is shocking to discover that many in the upper echelons of power come woefully unprepared to their posts. This was seen most glaringly in the case of Mike Brown, director of FEMA during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Mr. Brown previously served as the commissioner of judges and stewards for the International Arabian Horse Association. Doubtless, his days at the track prepared Brown for the task of managing a crucial government agency.
And, of course, lest we forget the most notorious member of the good ‘ole boy’s club, there is Mr. Bush himself. What does a shady career in the National Guard and a past cocaine habit matter when your father is the president of the United States?
As much as we claim the United States is the land of equal opportunity, the fact of the matter is, elitism is alive and well in the American political system. Take the Supreme Court. The Ivy League pedigree on the court is overwhelming, though they do let in some of the riffraff from Stanford, just for show.
Even the Washington Post caters to the lowest common denominator of superficiality. During the Harriet Miers Supreme Court ordeal, the Post ran a catty blurb about Ms. Miers’ liberal use of eyeliner and costume jewelry. Forget judicial inexperience and shaky credentials, the woman was ugly as sin!
Harriet Miers, a graduate of Southern Methodist University, was a departure from the standard judicial nominee. Her utter ridicule by Washington led me to question whether, personal politics aside, perhaps a prestigious seal on her diploma would have made Miers a more viable and respected candidate within influential circles.
Georgetown is not immune to the Washington cult of connections and snobbery. We are all aware, no matter how much the University denies it, that coming from a New England Prep school or a Jesuit high school makes admission to Georgetown a safer bet. The same goes for the coveted internships in this city???there will always be that kid whose father golfs with the Speaker of the House.
It’s not the wealth and connections of certain students that bothers me, it’s the entitlement that some seem to feel. The trashing of The City Tavern Club by a group of Georgetown students over homecoming weekend was an embarrassing manifestation of this sense of prerogative. Why shouldn’t I be able to urinate all over the floor of a nice dinner club if my parents will just pay for the damages?
There will always be a Darwinist element to our society, where favor is bestowed upon the pretty and the powerful. But there is hope. According to studies, the vast majority of Americans of all economic classes still believe that good old fashioned elbow grease and perspicacity are the surest and most noble ways to meet with success. Though skill with eyeliner is highly recommended.
