Those who have amassed significant wealth or advantage now aggressively assert their right to enjoy it unencumbered by any interference in the form of taxation or redistributive policy.
Heidi Blickenstaff (all the actors play characters named after themselves and the implication is that the stories are lightly fictionalized, if at all) says she came from money but she'd trade all her wealth and advantage if only her dad would not be so reserved and tell her verbally that he loves her.
Newspapers and tabloids were flooded last week with stories about the untimely death of Johnson & Johnson heiress, Casey Johnson, 30, whose privileged and wild life followed an old and tragic script: She was born into enormous wealth and advantage, and yet in her early twenties she emerged under the media spotlight looking tired, sometimes angry, and often disturbed.
An hour later, before House Democrats who are trying to burnish their image with the high-technology community, Mr. Gates fielded questions about the so-called digital divide between those enjoying the wealth and advantages that flow from access to computers and the Internet versus those who may be left behind in the race to improve their lives.
After taking command of The Post, however, Mrs. Graham used her starchy upbringing and family wealth to great advantage.
But he also bristled when attention, particularly in the news media, focused on his wealth and the advantage it might have given him in the campaign.
Given the shift in relative wealth and cost advantage away from the West, trying to make Spain, Italy or even Britain like Germany is improbable.
If "privilege" is spectacular wealth or unearned advantage, surely better examples could be found, even in 2012 alone.
The notion that wealth, education and advantage obligate one to do good was once taken for granted.
