Son of a ...

I agree with Kleiman, and I think we’d be well to keep in mind the words of another famous author, who greatly influenced Bellow Senior:

“Paternity is a legal fiction”

Posted by Stephen Dedalus on Oct 15, 2003 at 12:14 PM

A book like this was inevitable, what with all the offspring and family members of the original conservative leaders cluttering up the offices of places like “National Review” and “Commentary.” I’ve noticed that when a new class or influental group emerges, a book is written - by insiders or sympathetic outsiders - justifying that organization’s existance or activities (i.e., without the criminal Russian business class, no “Kapitalizm”; “Bobos in Paradise” is just a fictional account without rich hipsters.) What is funniest about “In Praise of Nepotism” is that it reflects not only the ingrown New York/East Coast conservatives, but also the gaggle of “legacies” running the country. We have seen the banana republic, and it is us…

Posted by Strelnikov on Nov 8, 2003 at 7:07 PM

Does this mean if I am born into money and privilege I have an inherent right of entry into any arena I choose?  I agree with stunned disbelief. I think this book is an apologia for all with privilege who can’t make on their own. They are rewarded for it by either someone else cleaning up their messes or someone else paying for their mistakes.

Posted by dolly on Nov 10, 2003 at 12:22 PM

You mean that I shouldn’t use my family’s name to further my acting career?

Posted by paris hilton on Nov 19, 2003 at 4:42 PM

When Eatons Department store folded in Canada in 99 a piece was done on the history of family businesses. The research said 50% of all successful businesses failed in the second generation and 50% of the remaining 50% failed in the third generation.
A much quoted line suggesting how to be successful is “Go west, young man” The speaker, who was a late 19th century American millionaire I believe, was asked what advice he would give someone who wished to succeed. His full reply was “I would say if your family has a business then take a job at the bottom, learn the trade and eventually you’ll run the company. If you’re not in that position then I would say ‘Go west, young man.’

Posted by frank colbourne on Nov 20, 2003 at 11:14 PM