Socialites UNITE!!

So remember all those classes (okay, this is just for the social scientists out there who have spent any time studying globalization) about transnational elites. Yes. That's all I have to say about that... yes. It's all true. And socio-economic standing only matters as much as your connections. Really, social capital is 300x more important than any material wealth you may acquire. But perhaps you already knew that. The situation just became blindingly apparent to me last night at a party I attended in Defense Colony.

Extended post here You see, my family's income is down right rich if you compare it to the average Indian's. My parents, fortunately for me, valued education, and knew enough people and were able to support me well enough to ensure that I went to excellent schools and made good connections. Had my family been Indian, rather than American, I'm not sure how well that would have turned out. Being clergy isn't exactly a lucrative profession and in India, Christianity (as discussed in previous blog entries) is a fringe religion (and likewise Christians are treated as marginal elements of society). So the likelihood would have been that I would not have the social capital that I have being the daughter of two American clergy.

Now, that said, I do have quite a bit of social capital, which I continue to accrue. Example, all my friends from college from all over the world, my friends from Hungary, my American friends, and now my Indian friends (in addition of course to my professional contacts both in the academy and elsewhere). Saying all this, I realize, of course, that I am a member of the transnational elite. Maybe not the business elite, but an elite nonetheless which is intimately connected to other types of elites (government and business). So last night I went to a party which was in the Defense Colony for a friend of a friend's birthday. This meant cake and chips, among other things, turn tables (complete with I don't know how many Euro style DJs), and a whole chunk of French embassy workers. In fact, there were few Indians there (much fewer than I had expected).

But this is how we meet. Us elites. We go to parties in large cities, we dance, we indulge, and we talk (or if you're like me, you mostly just sit around watching people because parties where you know 4 people make you a little wary). Maybe we drink tea or coffee or go to some cultural show and then schmooze at the reception afterwards.

And at this level, culture and religion, understandings are so similar (or similar enough to have nearly the same political/economic agendas) that nationalities cease to matter. It's only an issue if you don't speak the lingua franca (which in elite and middle-class Indian circles is English). And of course, everyone at this level speaks the lingua franca. So there goes my goal of picking up much Hindi. In that quarter I fail.

My experience with elites across the world (the few places where I have been) leads me to believe even more in Isaiah Berlin's ideas about teaching sentimentality. That is to influence those with power and resources to use these to the benefit of all humankind because their hearts tell them to do so. Now I don't mean elites dressing up and going to things called 'Fur Balls.' Rather I mean elites to not only give enormous amounts of money but speak out for causes and meet with other elites to formulate plans of action to stimulate real change. And not just elites by themselves, but elites building cross-cutting relationships with other groups of people. The middle class would be a start and eventually lower class relationships.

Perhaps this is a bit strange sounding, or perhaps it sounds stuffy. I only speak from my limited experience and the observations I've made of various groups sticking to their own (which not only includes elites, but middle class and lower classes as well). Some of this may be due to comfort and some of this may be due to associational structures in place.

My conclusion: I'll continue hanging out with elites. I'll also hang out with any good person who comes my way. And hopefully my social capital can be spread around, and do some good for a wide variety of people.

blessings.