Posted by:
Yaqoob
(
)
Date: July 13, 2013 07:41PM
It appears to me that Mormon culture created various layers of hierarchy- no definite markers, but you always know where you stand. One sort of graduates upward naturally over time based on: age, time, callings, amazing kids, wealth, basketball skills, and rolling a motor boat into your extra wide driveway. Don't forget having a pretty wife, and of course owning a business marketing local Mormon goods and services, obtaining Ut Jazz box seats, making a run for local political office or actually being an employee of the corporate church. Once there, that enviable spot of stake pres is in sight, after that its a mission presidency - cant get there? Fine, pay your own way at 55 with your cute wife upon early retirement and bypass some steps as an older missionary couple.
Problem is networking; you have to HAVE TO build a strong network of upward climbing would be power brokers like yourself. If you are too divergent at all, say like having a degree in public education or working at the power company, you will only rise so high.
There surely is a pathway within any Mormon community to become a power broker, and narrow is the way. However, unless you fall in line 100% you will NEVER be part of the elite.
My TBM father is a brilliant scholar and writer. He is a mad genius. At 30, in 1975, he was a bishop of a huge SLC ward. He worked as a "mad man" in SLC and the church was a major client. Life was stellar for that eager young man, he had 7 kids, semi noteworthy (but poor) family. Something went wrong though; he would readily complain about the stupidity of others, his peers, and the other aspiring poor douchebags. Advertising floundered and disappeared by 1995 when he was 50. He couldn't make big money; he would slander and offend. His communications were not in line with the proscribed way of doing things, he couldn't fall in line. He is still very much a TBM and a good man, but the corporate church doesn't have his name waiting in the wings for something grand.
There's a subtle pecking order. Power in TSCC comes to some but not to others. Deviate one iota from that checklist and find yourself, at best, responsible for the wardhouse cleaning schedule, like my dad at 67.