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Consumption matters not wealth. Wealth is just paper ownership, it's consumption that is wasting scarce resources. And the super rich simply can't consume that
by wisty 1y ago
Consumption matters not wealth. Wealth is just paper ownership, it's consumption that is wasting scarce resources.
And the super rich simply can't consume that much. Bezons isn't eating a thousand times as much as a millionaire. If his kids spend their lives being unproductive, it's only a tiny handful of wastrels. Mansions, yachts and large private airplanes might be a bit of a resource sink I guess .... but how does paper wealth cost society real resources? It's like being made at someone with a rare monkey gif
- intended 1y agoSure, if you believe that you should most definitely do your best to consume less. Matter of fact, this is what people around the world are doing and reducing one of the highest sources of future consumption - children. I think it was a world bank report that came out recently that showed that people globally are having fewer children, with costs being the most commonly provided reason. So, if you believe consumption is the issue, rejoice! It seems to be a problem that will resolve itself in a generation or two.
- wisty 1y agoI'm more talking about fairness than environmental issues, but it still is valid to say CO2 has more or less peaked and will decline faster due to population declined.
- TFYS 1y agoWealth is power. Power matters, as with it you're in a position to decide what can be consumed to begin with. People that control wealth control what policies get implemented, which projects get funded, etc. They will not support policies that reduce consumption because it would reduce their income and power. They will support projects that waste resources if it makes them more money and power.
- SR2Z 1y agoConsumers also don't support policies that reduce consumption because that would reduce their quality of life. Consumers happily take flights, hot showers, run their AC, etc. if it makes their lives easier. A billionaire consumes less of their income and invests more than a regular person. Wealth is power, but virtually everyone would spend on the same things.
- TFYS 1y agoMaking a choice to consume as an individual is different from supporting a policy that would affect everyone. Taxing consumption and fossil fuels does have a lot of support. People are willing to reduce their quality of life if everyone else does as well, but their not willing to make the choice not to consume as an individual if everyone else can continue to do so. A billionaire has the power to affect policy in a way that the average consumer doesn't, and is more likely to use that influence to make themselves richer than to push policies that benefit everyone.
- _DeadFred_ 1y agoBezo's wealth come on the back of unsafe products flooding the market. On the back of Amazon warehouse workers having to see in-house doctors for repetitive stress injury and getting biased opinions in order to protect the company. Amazon warehouse workers are treated so badly (to build Bezo's wealth) and paid so little (to build Bezo's wealth) that Amazon has to consider running out of people willing to work their facilities. Velocity of money matters. Builds. Bezo's sucking up wealth instead of paying workers retards the economy. There is a reason Smog the Dragon is 'villian' prototype told by humans since forever. I get modern American conservatives think it is a model to emulate and is actually the highest for of being, but it's not.