5 ms·

You honestly believe that people think "Don't tax the top because that's me (or will be)"? I suggest people believe their jobs and technological innovations we

by brador 12y ago

You honestly believe that people think "Don't tax the top because that's me (or will be)"? I suggest people believe their jobs and technological innovations we all enjoy are on the line if the rich are taxed more. If that is true or not is a separate conversation, but I don't think it's 39% of Americans think they will reach the 1%. That's absurd and the kind of thing you hear in mass media sound bites.

kjjw 12y ago
I'm quite sure it is completely true. In aggregate it is an absurd view for so many people to hold, but that doesn't mean it isn't held. Look at where we are! Hacker News - 10,000s of people talking around start ups! Pretty much none of us will "make it." Yet here we are.
- venomsnake 12y ago
  Not sure why you are downvoted. Even pg admitted that their ROI are absurd, so they must (and can afford to) fund thousands of startups to have success at the current winner takes all digital economy.
- icebraining 12y ago
  Hacker News is far from just talking about startups and/or for people who expect to start one. I'm here to talk about tech. Startups are cool and all, but I wouldn't come here just for them.
  - kjjw 12y ago
    To be fair, an arse and utterly pedantic, I didn't say it was just talking /about/ startups.
sp332 12y ago
The most telling polling result from the 2000 election was from a Time magazine survey that asked people if they are in the top 1 percent of earners. Nineteen percent of Americans say they are in the richest 1 percent and a further 20 percent expect to be someday.
- brador 12y ago
  Time magazine readers are not an unbiased sample of America. Not even close.
  - sp332 12y ago
    In terms of income it's not that bad though. In 2011 the average Times subscriber had somewhat higher household income than average, but not that high. http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/25-Mags-Datablog-2012-News-Magazine-Readers%E2%80%99-Increase-Annual-Household-Income-Somewhat-in-2011.png http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/25-Mags-Datablog-20... But they are also 45 or older, so they'd have less time to look forward to being in the top 1% "someday". http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/26-Mags-Datablog-2012-News-Magazine-Readers-Are-Older-On-Average-in-20111.png http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/26-Mags-Datablog-20...
  - adaml_623 12y ago
    Your arguing style is very sad. You make a suggestion and then when it is rebutted you don't try to refute it very well at all. Find the data and then you can make arguments.
  - usefulcat 12y ago
    How do you know the sample was limited to readers of Time?
- happyscrappy 12y ago
  They are certainly in the richest 1 percent worldwide.
  - metaphorm 12y ago
    irrelevant. the discussion here is about wealth and equality within the United States.
    - happyscrappy 12y ago
      You could not peacefully sustain such a disparity in wealth if the citizens were not living comfortably.

by brador 12y ago

kjjw 12y ago

I'm quite sure it is completely true. In aggregate it is an absurd view for so many people to hold, but that doesn't mean it isn't held. Look at where we are! Hacker News - 10,000s of people talking around start ups! Pretty much none of us will "make it." Yet here we are.

venomsnake 12y ago
Not sure why you are downvoted. Even pg admitted that their ROI are absurd, so they must (and can afford to) fund thousands of startups to have success at the current winner takes all digital economy.
icebraining 12y ago
Hacker News is far from just talking about startups and/or for people who expect to start one. I'm here to talk about tech. Startups are cool and all, but I wouldn't come here just for them.
- kjjw 12y ago
  To be fair, an arse and utterly pedantic, I didn't say it was just talking /about/ startups.

sp332 12y ago

The most telling polling result from the 2000 election was from a Time magazine survey that asked people if they are in the top 1 percent of earners. Nineteen percent of Americans say they are in the richest 1 percent and a further 20 percent expect to be someday.

brador 12y ago
Time magazine readers are not an unbiased sample of America. Not even close.
- sp332 12y ago
  In terms of income it's not that bad though. In 2011 the average Times subscriber had somewhat higher household income than average, but not that high. http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/25-Mags-Datablog-2012-News-Magazine-Readers%E2%80%99-Increase-Annual-Household-Income-Somewhat-in-2011.png http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/25-Mags-Datablog-20... But they are also 45 or older, so they'd have less time to look forward to being in the top 1% "someday". http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/26-Mags-Datablog-2012-News-Magazine-Readers-Are-Older-On-Average-in-20111.png http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2012/01/26-Mags-Datablog-20...
- adaml_623 12y ago
  Your arguing style is very sad. You make a suggestion and then when it is rebutted you don't try to refute it very well at all. Find the data and then you can make arguments.
- usefulcat 12y ago
  How do you know the sample was limited to readers of Time?
happyscrappy 12y ago
They are certainly in the richest 1 percent worldwide.
- metaphorm 12y ago
  irrelevant. the discussion here is about wealth and equality within the United States.
  - happyscrappy 12y ago
    You could not peacefully sustain such a disparity in wealth if the citizens were not living comfortably.