One of the more toxic ideas floating around our culture is this idea of "net worth" as a scoreboard. This woman is 82 years old and a leader of a nominally lef

One of the more toxic ideas floating around our culture is this idea of "net worth" as a scoreboard. This woman is 82 years old and a leader of a nominally left-wing party. So given the choice between: 1. taking a principled stand against the use of political access for financial gain, and dying in a few years with a NW of $100m 2. defending insider trading, and dying in a few years with a NW for $150m It's worth asking what cultural programming would make someone even consider #2. It's not the usual reasons people want more money. There is no hedonic utility, no extra financial independence, no added social status that comes with #2. I have no problem with accumulating wealth as a means to an end. But if you're willing to compromise your legacy to run that score up a little higher, you're an npc & you've lost the plot.