( CNN ) -- Tom Perkins , a well-known venture capitalist , got himself in hot water when he compared the `` progressive war on the 1 % '' with Nazis ' treatment of Jews in World War II . Although Perkins apologized for his comments , he stood by his main point that anger at the rich is a wrong and dangerous attitude . It 's easy to dismiss Perkins ' sentiment as nothing more than the ill-advised ravings of a cantankerous , thin-skinned old man . But it also illustrates just how bizarre things have gotten for some wealthy people , who find themselves in a new socially constructed category and on the wrong side of a resurgent but elusive political ideal , facing off against mesmerizing populist adversaries . How can the `` 1 % '' make the best of the situation they 're in and reduce the likelihood of more embarrassing Perkins-like incidents ? Here 's my advice . First , remember that the 1 % is an almost meaningless moniker for a multifarious bunch of people who differ greatly in political leaning , wealth , occupation and ethics . Yes , you are luckier , better educated and perhaps a little bit smarter than the rest , but that hardly makes you a monolithic class . And while there are certainly scoundrels , sociopaths , wealth addicts and Ayn Rand-devotees in your midst , these bad apples are far from the norm despite the attention they garner . You 're really just like everybody else , only richer . However , as `` welfare moms , '' `` urban youth '' and `` unionized teachers '' have long since discovered , resistance is futile once a pejorative new category bursts onto the scene . And you 'll only make things worse by trying to introduce something better ( Perkins tried `` successful 1 % , '' which is even more objectionable because it implies the `` unsuccessful 99 % '' ) . So you 're stuck with the 1 % label . But rather than wax nostalgic for the honorific categories of yesteryear - `` global elite , '' `` electronic herd '' and `` mass affluent '' -- try to remember that `` sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you '' while waiting calmly for the rhetorical storm to pass . And please do n't succumb to self-pity for suffering the indignity of guilt by association ; name-calling is nothing like stop-and-frisk , job discrimination or profiling . Toughen up ! Second , for all the easy talk about reducing inequality , its corollary -- equality -- is the most complex and controversial social ideal . Is it equality of opportunity or income ? At a moment in time or across generations ? Why is it important over and above the goal of helping those at the bottom ? But what makes equality difficult to define philosophically makes it expedient politically , because its vagueness and complexity allow it to be offered as a panacea for almost any problem . Just accept that while it 's possible to be pro-gun or pro-choice , it 's impossible to be pro-inequality . And when cornered at a cocktail party , please do n't ask opponents to tell you what equality really means or to offer a coherent explanation of its causes and effects . Equality is the zeitgeist for a period when many people feel under pressure and shafted by a system that they think you represent . If you sympathize , show it . If you do n't , keep your mouth shut . Third , you need a grass-roots strategy for dealing with Elizabeth Warren , Bill de Blasio and the other emerging populist rock stars . It simply wo n't do to continue relying on the octogenarian trinity -- Warren Buffett , George Soros and John Bogle -- to be your friendly faces . Nor can the job be outsourced to Third Way staffers or lefty celebrities . To meet the populist media challenge will take some courage by a younger generation of 1 % Democrats with charisma and a willingness to seek common ground with the populists even though by doing so they 'll be viewed by many friends and colleagues as traitors to their class . Rather than put your head in the sand or stay safely in the limousine , get out there and make your case in the street , on TV , in bars and on the Internet . But be realistic , for in the current environment the best you can do may be to get yourselves thought of as humble , competent people on a level with dentists . Finally , be invigorated by this moment in the spotlight ! You have status to engage politically simply by virtue of your membership in a category - the 1 % - that did not even exist until 2011 . But political winds are fickle and may soon blow you off the stage . As Oscar Wilde said , `` the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John MacIntosh .
Prominent venture capitalist compares war on the 1 % with Nazi treatment of Jews . John MacIntosh : How can the 1 % avoid embarrassing Perkins-like incidents ? He says while you can be pro-gun or pro-choice , it 's impossible to be pro-inequality . MacIntosh : If you sympathize with 99 % , show it ; if you do n't , better to keep quiet .