Comments on: I wonder whether Jewish culture grants too must prestige to the rich

By: GoJetzoff

GoJetzoff — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:59:06 +0000

Also, Kafka is Czech and was generally ambivalent about Judaism. He's probably not the best person to quote. Though he would probably have written a wonderful story about an ape named Madoff called, "The Pyramid."

By: Marion

Marion — Tue, 26 May 2009 06:41:29 +0000

I wonder what Mondo Weiss means by "Jewish culture" in this instance. Ashkenazi Jews? Sephardic Jews? Ethiopian Jews? Orthodox or Conservative or Reform or Reconstructionist Jews? or any Jews who do not pay homage to his doctrinaire anti-Zionist perspective. I wonder whether Mondo Weiss has ever read Max Weber's sociological classic: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. I wonder whether Mondo Weiss had ever heard that in the Talmud, it is said again and again in ways large and small that ethical behavior in business is imperative for Jews. I wonder whether Mondo Weiss knows that during the Spanish Inquisition it was afflulent Jews who were frequently target for persecution – because guess what – affluent Catholics and Catholic Church officials coveted their property and wealth. Finally, I wonder whether Mondo Weiss cares about any of this because he is so eager to demonstrate how superior he is compared to the majority of Jews who, as far as he is concerned, simply do not live up to his stringent criteria.

By: sayin'

sayin' — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:01:15 +0000

Both of his parents died at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY. His daughter converted to Judaism last October.

By: thedhimmi

thedhimmi — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:40:18 +0000

"I felt that my cultural inscription is different; and it struck me that there was too much prestige in Jewish culture for the rich." Yep, it's only Jews that give too much prestige to the rich. If it was a cross cultural trait we would have people like Donald Trump having TV shows, but we know that will never happen.

By: DICKERSON3870

DICKERSON3870 — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:56:38 +0000

RE: "Franz Kafka said the same thing in denouncing the culture of the synagogue in a famous passage from his letter to his father…" MY COMMENT: Regifter! That's just old, recycled Kafka that you have used on us before. Give us some new stuff and perhaps I'll think about calling the dogs off. Just because I resigned as your Most Devoted Acolyte in order to sign up with R. Silverstein does not mean that I have to put up with this kind of shabby treatment from you. Let's be reasonable, Phil.

By: David_F

David_F — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:54:55 +0000

The disappearance of the textile industries hurt South Texas a lot. Those were good jobs for a lot people. I admire Charney for his determination to make high-quality clothing in the US, and he really has a gift for aesthetics and vintage styles. Probably need to stop by AA and pick up some more vintage '70s briefs and t-shirts sometime. He does have a somewhat strange personal interest in his models, but I can tolerate a lot from a businessman who actually *makes* something worthwhile and creates good jobs!

By: tony

tony — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:03:45 +0000

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." In the happy event that this is true, rich guys are by definition losers.

By: dalybean

dalybean — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:52:27 +0000

Evangelical Christianity hopped right on board with the Prosperity Gospel which imposed a biblical imprimatur on the culture of greed..

By: RowanBerkeley

RowanBerkeley — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:05:15 +0000

In traditional Ashkenazi culture, as I understand it, rich men married their daughters to the most gifted (and impecunious) Talmud scholars. This created a genetic mix that I imagine was worthy of respect.

By: Craig11

Craig11 — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:19:40 +0000

Of course. There's a basic difference between having money and having class. I live and work in the Silicon Valley area, where there are lots of nouveau-riche high-tech and venture-capital millionaires. Most, for all their money, are still just geeks and vulgarians, possibly educated in technology and finance but seemingly in nothing else.