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I brought it up because equating technology to living standards is a common strawman to convince people that inequality is worth having, because technology impr
by Mikeb85 11y ago
I brought it up because equating technology to living standards is a common strawman to convince people that inequality is worth having, because technology improves our lives.
They say that because the average 'poor' person has access to things rich people didn't have access to 100 years ago, that the poor person should accept that they're rich, and not complain.
I'm calling it what it is, a strawman. One that occurs in every discussion of inequality. One that's existed since time immemorial, when slaveowners claimed that their slaves were better off on the plantations than in primitive Africa.
As for why I brought up points that weren't in the parent post, I was agreeing, and then elaborating on the subject because it's an interesting subject.
And of course, inequality is completely relevant in a discussion about millenials relative wealth vs. previous generations.
- yummyfajitas 11y agoWait, so in fact millennials are not 'worse off'? In fact, they are better off, just not quite as much as other people that they happen to be jealous of? That was the only point I was making. Glad we are in agreement.
- Mikeb85 11y agoMillenials (on average) will have less job security, have to wait longer to own a home, have to work longer hours in general, have less vacation and less leisure time, have a shorter retirement (or no retirement), will have less economic freedom and less personal freedom. But more technology. It's up to you whether or not you think that's better.
- yummyfajitas 11y agoWell, thanks to that technology I can walk, play sports, sit, etc. Engaging in real estate speculation is far less important to me than picking up a girl and banging her against the wall or even just walking. I guess if you've never had major injuries, this sort of thing doesn't matter. As for "less personal freedom", I don't mind living in a rental with the girl of my choosing. So far all the girls I've chosen or even considered were not white. I'm sure an African or Indian lady would have posed no problem whatsoever back in my parent's era...
- dang 11y ago> far less important to me than picking up a girl and banging her against the wall [...] the girl of my choosing [...] So far all the girls I've chosen Ugh. Unfortunately, it's long past time to deal with this. On behalf of the HN community: please stop posting about your sex life. We don't want to hear about it.