5 ms·

Bezos has $100B because Amazon generated $900B of wealth for other people. “Of all human emotions, none is trickier or more elusive than envy...as soon as we f

by jp555 6y ago

Bezos has $100B because Amazon generated $900B of wealth for other people. “Of all human emotions, none is trickier or more elusive than envy...as soon as we feel the pangs, we disguise it to ourselves—it is not envy we feel but unfairness of the distribution of goods or attention, resentment at this unfairness, even anger” The Laws of Human Nature – Robert Greene

claudiawerner 6y ago
It's a little saddening to see a quote about envy below a post which mentioned the children who don't know when their next meal will be coming.
- jp555 6y ago
  Why? The wealth was not taken from those children.
  - claudiawerner 6y ago
    It is, however, extracted from their parents. To post a quote about envy when the discussion is not based in envy but in concern for the welfare of the most vulnerable in society is the upsetting part.
    - jp555 6y ago
      extracted? As in not through voluntary agreement? I think you're talking about taxes, and missing the point entirely.
      - xnyan 6y ago
        >extracted? As in not through voluntary agreement? This argument is so facile that I can't believe you are arguing in good faith. The power dynamic between an a low-wage employee (any almost any kind of employee) and an employer is incredibly biased in favor of the employer.
        deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
      - claudiawerner 6y ago
        'Extraction' does not imply lack of voluntary agreement, neither does exploitation, in fact[0]. [0] https://www.boeckler.de/pdf/v_2011_10_27_yoshihara_veneziani.pdf https://www.boeckler.de/pdf/v_2011_10_27_yoshihara_veneziani...
  - pacala 6y ago
    There can be more than one truth valid at any given point: * The wealth was not taken from those children. At the limit, those children can just fuck off and die in the street of starvation, it's not like they have too many useful skills to offer to society anyways. * We have an ingrained tribal expectation that the tribe will take care of all its members to some degree, within the available resources. Driven by the game theoretical proposition that tribes that fail to do so will find their human resources and social cohesion depleted and be easily torn apart by rival tribes. By now integrated in our genetic heritage. One only need look into the streets [or at Twitter] to see that we are incapable of having any nuanced conversation anymore. It's either 100% A or 100% B. If you dare explore a balance, both sides will rip you apart for lack of ideological purity.
bachmeier 6y ago
> Bezos has $100B because Amazon generated $900B of wealth for other people. Even if this made sense - and it doesn't, because Jeff Bezos didn't convert dirt and manure into $900B worth of goods, so we don't know what the world's output would have been in his absence - there's no reason his share should be $100B.
GoodJokes 6y ago
Imagine someone believing this and being considered smart because they work in tech.

by jp555 6y ago

claudiawerner 6y ago

It's a little saddening to see a quote about envy below a post which mentioned the children who don't know when their next meal will be coming.

jp555 6y ago
Why? The wealth was not taken from those children.
- claudiawerner 6y ago
  It is, however, extracted from their parents. To post a quote about envy when the discussion is not based in envy but in concern for the welfare of the most vulnerable in society is the upsetting part.
  - jp555 6y ago
    extracted? As in not through voluntary agreement? I think you're talking about taxes, and missing the point entirely.
    - xnyan 6y ago
      >extracted? As in not through voluntary agreement? This argument is so facile that I can't believe you are arguing in good faith. The power dynamic between an a low-wage employee (any almost any kind of employee) and an employer is incredibly biased in favor of the employer.
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
    - claudiawerner 6y ago
      'Extraction' does not imply lack of voluntary agreement, neither does exploitation, in fact[0]. [0] https://www.boeckler.de/pdf/v_2011_10_27_yoshihara_veneziani.pdf https://www.boeckler.de/pdf/v_2011_10_27_yoshihara_veneziani...
- pacala 6y ago
  There can be more than one truth valid at any given point: * The wealth was not taken from those children. At the limit, those children can just fuck off and die in the street of starvation, it's not like they have too many useful skills to offer to society anyways. * We have an ingrained tribal expectation that the tribe will take care of all its members to some degree, within the available resources. Driven by the game theoretical proposition that tribes that fail to do so will find their human resources and social cohesion depleted and be easily torn apart by rival tribes. By now integrated in our genetic heritage. One only need look into the streets [or at Twitter] to see that we are incapable of having any nuanced conversation anymore. It's either 100% A or 100% B. If you dare explore a balance, both sides will rip you apart for lack of ideological purity.

bachmeier 6y ago

> Bezos has $100B because Amazon generated $900B of wealth for other people. Even if this made sense - and it doesn't, because Jeff Bezos didn't convert dirt and manure into $900B worth of goods, so we don't know what the world's output would have been in his absence - there's no reason his share should be $100B.

GoodJokes 6y ago

Imagine someone believing this and being considered smart because they work in tech.