LOSERS

STANSELL (2005) NEW REPUBLIC, 8/8, 32-35.

Ralph Waldo Emerson thought that Henry David Thoreau was a loser. He was an idler and he did not get that much done. They both went down in history.

Success is elusive. Say you graduate from a top university with a PhD in an area where there are many doctorates with the same specialty. You end up in a so-so school teaching. Well are you a success?

You get that good teaching position and become teacher of the year. Your colleagues do okay at teaching but have numerous publications and grants. Are you a success?

You had a great company. It got great reviews from business critics. When the tech bubble burst your company went into the toilet. Are you a success?

Sandage’s BORN LOSERS is a description of how success got to be so narrow and harsh in American culture. Starting with Calvinism, this theological premise and especially its disciples said God loves winners. Further, it is a sign that one would get to heaven as only about 1% will find heavenly bliss. The rest because they are so damn filthy in nature deserve hell. So in the scheme of things, most of humanity is born to suffer on earth and then be tormented for eternity in hell.

Previous to this Protestant ethic, individuals had a calling from God. Each was to do their best in their station of life. Heaven was just a whisper away when one was good and yet poor.

By the 1850’s, most of America bought into a secular version of Calvinism. You’re the destiny of your own ship. You really control your own life. Self reliance was supreme. If you lose, it’s your entire fault.

Surely, being the president of the United States is success. Right? Well no. How great a president are you?

In the late 1890’s, Rockefeller received thousands of letter from successful businessman who lost their fortune in an economic downturn. They pleaded for a loan to save their good name. Rockefeller saved many of the letters, but did not send money.

One hundred years later, the hippie movement tried to put a dent in the Success machine. It was overwhelmed by the greed decade of the 80’s.

Sociologist will especially enjoy this book by an historian. Max Weber’s PROESTANT ETHIC AND SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM and MERTON’S PARADIGM help explain the angst of constant success. There is also a wing of Catholicism that dates back to the 8^th century that was quasi- Calvinist.

At any rate, America is filled with millions upon millions of people who feel that they have lost in life. There are also some who are so ignorant that they don’t realize that they lost out. Further, the scariest of all are those who know about success but ultimately don’t value it.

What is this country coming to? It’s a nation of losers.