General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Krugman on Who is Obama trying to Impress? [View all]idlisambar
(928 posts)Successful people from humble beginnings can often fall into this trap. They can be too content in seeking approval from other elites. As newcomers they want to be taken seriously and the easiest path is imitation. As a consequence, they will too easily accept to the tribe's patterns of thought -- its conventional wisdom.
Both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama fit this description to a certain extent. For Bill Clinton it rises to the level of a fatal flaw in my opinion -- his need for approval is off the charts. As such, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are unlikely to be reformers for the big issues, the ones that challenge the power structure.
It's ironic, but the most accomplished reformers will often come from the elite class. They do not put their own class on a pedestal and thus are more ready and able to challenge it. Teddy Roosevelt and FDR fit this mold of the elite populist. Of course, not every member of elite is a likely to be a reformer, an elite with an elitist outlook will tend to do the opposite of reform and try to strengthen the elite's hold (see George W Bush).