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Using that logic, a homeless person with a casio watch is better off than Charlemagne. We should be comparing now with now. And most importantly, we should be

Using that logic, a homeless person with a casio watch is better off than Charlemagne. We should be comparing now with now. And most importantly, we should be comparing wealth inequality because wealth translates directly to power and wealth inequality means power inequality. Nobody is competing against anyone from 1973 or 1873. We are competing against people today. And the accumulation of wealth and power by a small group of elites should concern everyone regardless of the price of insignificant trinkets.

NoblePublius 7y ago
The homeless person is better off than Charlemagne
- saagarjha 7y ago
  Considering that the homeless person likely does not have food security or a place to live, which I would consider to be significantly more important than being able to tell the time, I would have to disagree with your claim that the homeless person is “better off”.
  - NoblePublius 7y ago
    He’s homeless because he’s probably a drug addict or mentally ill, in which case he wouldn’t have lasted very long as Charlemagne
    - Broken_Hippo 7y ago
      Plenty of folks in power are drug addicts or mentally ill. The bigger difference between the well-to-do and the homeless person is that the person with money can get drug addiction treatment from a nice place instead of going to forced AA or NA classes the shelter offers. (forced if they want shelter at times). They can also afford proper medications and caretakers. I'd also like to note that there are lots of folks that are homeless simply because they cannot afford housing. I've not had that fate, but I did live some time without proper heat nor hot water because I couldn't afford the natural gas deposit. Lots of other folks are living with friends or relatives.
    - sctb 7y ago
      Could you please not post combo uncivil-unsubstantive comments? We've asked you already to follow the guidelines so perhaps you could review them. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

NoblePublius 7y ago

The homeless person is better off than Charlemagne

saagarjha 7y ago
Considering that the homeless person likely does not have food security or a place to live, which I would consider to be significantly more important than being able to tell the time, I would have to disagree with your claim that the homeless person is “better off”.
- NoblePublius 7y ago
  He’s homeless because he’s probably a drug addict or mentally ill, in which case he wouldn’t have lasted very long as Charlemagne
  - Broken_Hippo 7y ago
    Plenty of folks in power are drug addicts or mentally ill. The bigger difference between the well-to-do and the homeless person is that the person with money can get drug addiction treatment from a nice place instead of going to forced AA or NA classes the shelter offers. (forced if they want shelter at times). They can also afford proper medications and caretakers. I'd also like to note that there are lots of folks that are homeless simply because they cannot afford housing. I've not had that fate, but I did live some time without proper heat nor hot water because I couldn't afford the natural gas deposit. Lots of other folks are living with friends or relatives.
  - sctb 7y ago
    Could you please not post combo uncivil-unsubstantive comments? We've asked you already to follow the guidelines so perhaps you could review them. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]