Here’s a book review of interest to all of us who grew up during the 1950s. The book is “Revolutionary Road,” by Richard Yates, and the review is over at Baroque In Hackney.

Here’s a quote from the review that rings true with me:

“Of course, it’s a tragedy. But it’s a nasty tragedy. It’s not a tragedy about the price of conformity, it’s more about the danger of imagining yourself better than everyone else. It’s the fifties turned inside out, and I found myself laughing out loud in inappropriate places, just for the joy of it.”

So many of us imagine ourselves as “better than everyone else.” The Tea Party leaps to my mind.  

But I have to admit that progressive Democrats like me are no less guilty of the “better than everyone else” syndrome. Also guilty are so many college graduates, and Christians, and American citizens. (I fall into each of those categories, as well.)

In America today, we are particularly quick to pass judgment on the poor and the unemployed.

“Judge not, lest ye not be judged.”

“Better than everyone else.” It’s an illusion, a trap, and of course a judgment that none of us is worthy to make about others.

— John Hayden

Related Articles

• Revolutionary Road (nytimes.com)
• 9 reviews of Revolutionary Road (rateitall.com)
• Is Revolutionary Road Too Mad Men? [Period Problems] (gawker.com)