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I don't think the economic model is dying, it seems to be going stronger worldwide. Even with protectionist pushbacks, capitalism seems to come out on-top. (Sur

I don't think the economic model is dying, it seems to be going stronger worldwide. Even with protectionist pushbacks, capitalism seems to come out on-top. (Sure there are issues like regulatory capture, but those are bumps in the road to a free-er market) > the surplus wealth has been accrued in an ever more concentrated fashion, we increasingly seem to have a sort of "surplus" (oh boy, can it get more Dickensian?) of people in something of a "middle class limbo". I know you are saying that billionaires have a ton of money. But I see this in the lower class. Every teen and every lower class person has an iphone, a Veblen good. Status seeking people have it even easier than ever to present an image of being rich. This means middle class people can pretend to be even more rich (A middle class person could afford a 250k car given the 8 year loans, or rent one for an IG photoshoot). It has people feeling insecure. The French revolution was driven by bad food harvests. This is an issue of status, not starvation. 100% of people can't be billionaires. Not sure what that will mean.

idiotsecant 3y ago
Food insecurity is real, widespread, and getting worse. setting aside your 'let them eat cake' comments, though, surely you understand that a society is only useful to the people that compose it when it does a good job of somewhat equitably distributing the fruit of the society's labors. When a few men have as many resources as the bottom decile or three, the system is broken. People are working longer and harder for less and less. It's not about 'beong billionares' it's about a basic level of human dignity. It's about being able to afford medical care, having a secure place to live, being able to afford to spend quality time with your family.
- hospitalJail 3y ago
  Fair point. I was thinking about the US, not Pakistan.

idiotsecant 3y ago

Food insecurity is real, widespread, and getting worse. setting aside your 'let them eat cake' comments, though, surely you understand that a society is only useful to the people that compose it when it does a good job of somewhat equitably distributing the fruit of the society's labors. When a few men have as many resources as the bottom decile or three, the system is broken. People are working longer and harder for less and less. It's not about 'beong billionares' it's about a basic level of human dignity. It's about being able to afford medical care, having a secure place to live, being able to afford to spend quality time with your family.

hospitalJail 3y ago
Fair point. I was thinking about the US, not Pakistan.