4 ms·

Being rich is not the problem, being rich and using that to pit Americans against one another for profit, greed, or entertainment, is the problem.

sacomo 6y ago
But that is the crux of the issue. Wealth is political power. The only way to mitigate wealth's influence on political institutions requires drastic, systemic changes. The wealthy can be as well meaning as they want, but no individual should control that many resources in a democratic society.
- nicoburns 6y ago
  I don't think it's possible to prevent wealth from having political influence. Wealth is economic power by definition. The only way to significantly reduce the impact of wealth on democracy is to reduce the amount of wealth that wealthy people have.
  - underseacables 6y ago
    Absolute. Wealth is power. Power is not having to worry about your safety and security. When you have so much money that you’re not answerable to anyone, you don’t worry about paying the bills or the mortgage, you can really speak your mind and spend your money in ways that others simply cannot. That is true power, imo.
    - nicoburns 6y ago
      > When you have so much money that you’re not answerable to anyone, you don’t worry about paying the bills or the mortgage, you can really speak your mind and spend your money in ways that others simply cannot Indeed. And when you have so much money that you can offer that same freedom to others (or smaller but still significant improvements to their lives) then you inevitably gain influence over them (on average, if not always in specific cases).
- amelius 6y ago
  > The only way to mitigate wealth's influence on political institutions requires drastic, systemic changes. This is what poor people should be voting for, but somehow they never do.
ttt0 6y ago
Which is what Financial Times does, publishing articles about "whiteness" while defending the rich.
failwhaleshark 6y ago
Noblesse oblige. Being very rich IS a problem if not being an active, effective part of the solution and not giving back what they stole. So, sitting on the sidelines is unacceptable. Furthermore, amassing great wealth requires the suffering and exploitation of others, which is often concealed and discounted. "Every billionaire is a policy failure." is an understatement; "Every billionaire is a policy failure and another prince to buy new, failed policies."
- underseacables 6y ago
  You make a good point, allow me to comment on both sides. I would love to be rich, absolutely filthy rich. However every time I buy a lottery ticket, I start daydreaming of what it’s like to be rich, and how much good I can do in the world. I wonder if I feel that way is because I grew up in a very lower income Midwest family. Is it an appreciation of money, how it was gained, or something deeper that turns rich people so cold to those who are not? Not at all rich people are bad, I think there are a lot of great rich people who do a lot of great things, but the richest of them are not as altruistic as they would like us to believe. It’s the ulterior motives I guess that really bothers me when the rich give.
  - failwhaleshark 6y ago
    1. Your buying of lottery tickets is the strongest-possible signal suggesting that you will never be rich, sorry. Source: the research of Thomas J. Stanley. 2. That climate change hasn't been adequately solved is proof-positive the rich aren't doing their part, or are possibly actively-accelerating environmental, ecological, and civilization extinction and collapse. It's morally-indistinguishable from them coming into every home, waving a gun around, and bragging about how their going to kill this child or the next one. What do you do when someone threatens to kill YOUR descendants? Let them, beg them not to, or shoot them first? 3. All philanthropy should be done in secret or it casts an image of attempting to buy favor.
    - underseacables 6y ago
      Oh, no, you mistake me. I make enough money now that when I see the lottery get to half a billion dollars, I can afford without worry, a ticket that’s now an investment.

sacomo 6y ago

But that is the crux of the issue. Wealth is political power. The only way to mitigate wealth's influence on political institutions requires drastic, systemic changes. The wealthy can be as well meaning as they want, but no individual should control that many resources in a democratic society.

nicoburns 6y ago
I don't think it's possible to prevent wealth from having political influence. Wealth is economic power by definition. The only way to significantly reduce the impact of wealth on democracy is to reduce the amount of wealth that wealthy people have.
- underseacables 6y ago
  Absolute. Wealth is power. Power is not having to worry about your safety and security. When you have so much money that you’re not answerable to anyone, you don’t worry about paying the bills or the mortgage, you can really speak your mind and spend your money in ways that others simply cannot. That is true power, imo.
  - nicoburns 6y ago
    > When you have so much money that you’re not answerable to anyone, you don’t worry about paying the bills or the mortgage, you can really speak your mind and spend your money in ways that others simply cannot Indeed. And when you have so much money that you can offer that same freedom to others (or smaller but still significant improvements to their lives) then you inevitably gain influence over them (on average, if not always in specific cases).
amelius 6y ago
> The only way to mitigate wealth's influence on political institutions requires drastic, systemic changes. This is what poor people should be voting for, but somehow they never do.

ttt0 6y ago

Which is what Financial Times does, publishing articles about "whiteness" while defending the rich.

failwhaleshark 6y ago

Noblesse oblige. Being very rich IS a problem if not being an active, effective part of the solution and not giving back what they stole. So, sitting on the sidelines is unacceptable. Furthermore, amassing great wealth requires the suffering and exploitation of others, which is often concealed and discounted. "Every billionaire is a policy failure." is an understatement; "Every billionaire is a policy failure and another prince to buy new, failed policies."

underseacables 6y ago
You make a good point, allow me to comment on both sides. I would love to be rich, absolutely filthy rich. However every time I buy a lottery ticket, I start daydreaming of what it’s like to be rich, and how much good I can do in the world. I wonder if I feel that way is because I grew up in a very lower income Midwest family. Is it an appreciation of money, how it was gained, or something deeper that turns rich people so cold to those who are not? Not at all rich people are bad, I think there are a lot of great rich people who do a lot of great things, but the richest of them are not as altruistic as they would like us to believe. It’s the ulterior motives I guess that really bothers me when the rich give.
- failwhaleshark 6y ago
  1. Your buying of lottery tickets is the strongest-possible signal suggesting that you will never be rich, sorry. Source: the research of Thomas J. Stanley. 2. That climate change hasn't been adequately solved is proof-positive the rich aren't doing their part, or are possibly actively-accelerating environmental, ecological, and civilization extinction and collapse. It's morally-indistinguishable from them coming into every home, waving a gun around, and bragging about how their going to kill this child or the next one. What do you do when someone threatens to kill YOUR descendants? Let them, beg them not to, or shoot them first? 3. All philanthropy should be done in secret or it casts an image of attempting to buy favor.
  - underseacables 6y ago
    Oh, no, you mistake me. I make enough money now that when I see the lottery get to half a billion dollars, I can afford without worry, a ticket that’s now an investment.