4 ms·

Virtually everything about that Carlin quote is completely wrong. There is no business in the world outside of news media (which includes the author) that makes

by Aunche 6y ago

Virtually everything about that Carlin quote is completely wrong. There is no business in the world outside of news media (which includes the author) that makes or preserves money from the middle class fighting with the lower class. They'd rather the power classes get over their differences so they can make money off them. The top 1% in US pay more taxes in taxes than the bottom 90%. Before you ask, I do think that they should be paying more rather than less.

awakeasleep 6y ago
Do you think the threat of losing ones job (and therefore joining the lower class) could be used by businesses wishing to discourage unionization?
chongli 6y ago
YouTube, Twitter, Facebook. All 3 make gigabucks from the culture war. Apple, on the other hand, does not wade into the culture war. What they do instead is make money off people's status anxiety by selling luxury products to people on food stamps.
- Aunche 6y ago
  I'm sure YouTube and Facebook would prefer cat memes and influencers more than flame wars and pundits. The former do not get demonetized and lead to innocent content being demonetized accidentally. The addictive nature of Facebook and Youtube are partially to blame, but even if that ended, that would only slow down the culture war, which suggests that the root cause is elsewhere. They're making lemonade out of lemons, which may incentivize more lemons, but it's not the source. I agree with you about Twitter as their stock had been stagnant until Trump's election and people started equating tweets as news.
legolas2412 6y ago
The top 1% by income pay more, the top 1% by wealth, probably not
lostcolony 6y ago
"The top 1% in US pay more taxes in taxes than the bottom 90%" And yet the percentage is lower. It really doesn't matter the comparative amounts; to put this to an even more egregious extreme, if the top 1% had 99% of the wealth, and paid 20% of that in taxes, and the bottom 99% had the remaining 1% of the wealth, and paid 0 taxes, it's not a sign that all is well, and the fact that the rich are paying -all- the taxes does not somehow make it okay. And, no, pretty much every business benefits. The whole "keeping up with the joneses" mindset that keeps the wheels of consumerism turning is predicated on class distinctions. Our economy is dependent on consumer spending, and the obscenely rich become rich, and remain so, because of that level of spending by the middle and lower classes (meanwhile they have so much wealth they can't find ways to spend it without literally giving it away)
- Aunche 6y ago
  Again, I would be happy with tax increases with the rich. My grip is this quote: "The upper class keeps all of the money, pays none of the taxes. The middle class pays all of the taxes..." It's blatantly untrue, as are most things comedians say, but Carlin somehow is treated like a scholar. The spamming of his quotes only adds fuel to the culture war. Consumerism is completely orthogonal to polarization. Video games and Netflix promote consumerism and keep the lower classes "distracted" from change. There's no need to intentionally stir conflict. See how much corporations were willing to spend against Trump on the last 2 elections.
  - lostcolony 6y ago
    It's hyperbole. To try and say "well, technically that's untrue" when it is -obviously- an exaggeration, and being exaggerated to make a point is...well, I see why you're criticizing most things comedians say. I bet you're a lot of fun at parties. And, see how many corporations also funded Trump. Political polarization keeps people from seeing the robber barons that are benefiting in excess from others own hard work.
    - Aunche 6y ago
      Nothing is wrong with a joke, but most people have difficulty separating entertainment from facts. No matter how often Rush Limbaugh says he's "just an entertainer," he's clearly misleading his audience. Also misleading is sandwiching a comedic rant between a serious article and a serious quote by MLK. > And, see how many corporations also funded Trump Corporations aren't a unified block. Biden got over half a billion more in funding, which is telling. > Political polarization keeps people from seeing the robber barons that are benefiting in excess from others own hard work. This is a narrative invented because if people find a purpose to polarization, they can blame someone else besides themselves. What is the greatest distraction from the proletariat rising up against the "robber barrons?" It's Netflix, not Fox News. Without polarization, people won't suddenly be plotting about how to take down the rich. They'll go back to rewatching the Office. If anything, polarization brings more attention to class issues.
IOT_Apprentice 6y ago
What is their percentage of asset ownership worldwide?
disown 6y ago
> Before you ask, I do think that they should be paying more rather than less. Maybe the 99% should have more wealth and income so that they could pay more taxes instead? The mantra about wealth and income being about merit/hard work/etc, is partially true. A lot of wealth and income has to do with laws/privileges/etc. The 1% paying more in taxes really means that they'd taken more of the wealth/income. So I don't think that's the solution.

by Aunche 6y ago

awakeasleep 6y ago

Do you think the threat of losing ones job (and therefore joining the lower class) could be used by businesses wishing to discourage unionization?

chongli 6y ago

YouTube, Twitter, Facebook. All 3 make gigabucks from the culture war. Apple, on the other hand, does not wade into the culture war. What they do instead is make money off people's status anxiety by selling luxury products to people on food stamps.

Aunche 6y ago
I'm sure YouTube and Facebook would prefer cat memes and influencers more than flame wars and pundits. The former do not get demonetized and lead to innocent content being demonetized accidentally. The addictive nature of Facebook and Youtube are partially to blame, but even if that ended, that would only slow down the culture war, which suggests that the root cause is elsewhere. They're making lemonade out of lemons, which may incentivize more lemons, but it's not the source. I agree with you about Twitter as their stock had been stagnant until Trump's election and people started equating tweets as news.

legolas2412 6y ago

The top 1% by income pay more, the top 1% by wealth, probably not

lostcolony 6y ago

"The top 1% in US pay more taxes in taxes than the bottom 90%" And yet the percentage is lower. It really doesn't matter the comparative amounts; to put this to an even more egregious extreme, if the top 1% had 99% of the wealth, and paid 20% of that in taxes, and the bottom 99% had the remaining 1% of the wealth, and paid 0 taxes, it's not a sign that all is well, and the fact that the rich are paying -all- the taxes does not somehow make it okay. And, no, pretty much every business benefits. The whole "keeping up with the joneses" mindset that keeps the wheels of consumerism turning is predicated on class distinctions. Our economy is dependent on consumer spending, and the obscenely rich become rich, and remain so, because of that level of spending by the middle and lower classes (meanwhile they have so much wealth they can't find ways to spend it without literally giving it away)

Aunche 6y ago
Again, I would be happy with tax increases with the rich. My grip is this quote: "The upper class keeps all of the money, pays none of the taxes. The middle class pays all of the taxes..." It's blatantly untrue, as are most things comedians say, but Carlin somehow is treated like a scholar. The spamming of his quotes only adds fuel to the culture war. Consumerism is completely orthogonal to polarization. Video games and Netflix promote consumerism and keep the lower classes "distracted" from change. There's no need to intentionally stir conflict. See how much corporations were willing to spend against Trump on the last 2 elections.
- lostcolony 6y ago
  It's hyperbole. To try and say "well, technically that's untrue" when it is -obviously- an exaggeration, and being exaggerated to make a point is...well, I see why you're criticizing most things comedians say. I bet you're a lot of fun at parties. And, see how many corporations also funded Trump. Political polarization keeps people from seeing the robber barons that are benefiting in excess from others own hard work.
  - Aunche 6y ago
    Nothing is wrong with a joke, but most people have difficulty separating entertainment from facts. No matter how often Rush Limbaugh says he's "just an entertainer," he's clearly misleading his audience. Also misleading is sandwiching a comedic rant between a serious article and a serious quote by MLK. > And, see how many corporations also funded Trump Corporations aren't a unified block. Biden got over half a billion more in funding, which is telling. > Political polarization keeps people from seeing the robber barons that are benefiting in excess from others own hard work. This is a narrative invented because if people find a purpose to polarization, they can blame someone else besides themselves. What is the greatest distraction from the proletariat rising up against the "robber barrons?" It's Netflix, not Fox News. Without polarization, people won't suddenly be plotting about how to take down the rich. They'll go back to rewatching the Office. If anything, polarization brings more attention to class issues.

IOT_Apprentice 6y ago

What is their percentage of asset ownership worldwide?

disown 6y ago

> Before you ask, I do think that they should be paying more rather than less. Maybe the 99% should have more wealth and income so that they could pay more taxes instead? The mantra about wealth and income being about merit/hard work/etc, is partially true. A lot of wealth and income has to do with laws/privileges/etc. The 1% paying more in taxes really means that they'd taken more of the wealth/income. So I don't think that's the solution.