The wealth gap & other ills.... Warning: long and could make you sick

[me&thegals]

When did it become fashionable to screw over your neighbor and think the solution to social problems created is charity- that you can so lack honor that you screw the last bit of profit from every one you can?

I don't really get economics. I don't think it is a zero-sum game, but somehow massively huge bonuses have to factor into the overall economy and the fact that there's not enough for others to maintain their jobs or for the businesses to grow.

True about charity. I personally feel it is necessary, but it would be SO MUCH better to simply have enough jobs for everyone who wanted to and could work.

And, like you say, not incredibly lucrative jobs necessarily, but just a lot of jobs that allow people to live secure middle-class lives.

 

[maf8009]

OK NOW I have to talk this makes me sick too... people are so far from reality... try this on and see if you do not feel a little queasy

Basketball and Football "stars" making 10, million! 14,million! 20, million! 50 million! and even 100,000 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR DUNKING A STUPID BALL or wearing a shirt or shoes... never mind that they are "college graduates" and cant even read or write!

new flash... in the NEWS THE OTHER DAY notice player XXXXXX has decided to use his REAL name, Most of them have names that sound like someone sneezed or vomited whew... I hate unbalanced and unfair......

Sports are ridiculas..... what is paid to 10 basketball or football players each year could feed a small country... you tell me if this is fair?

Most people work hard their whole lives.... just to make it... others go through life feeling "entitled" to handouts from everyone just because their ancestors were oppressed..... poor things...

I just found out that the "katrina victims" that have been living FREE with food, a trailer/hotel shelter/ medical/ entertainment and transportation for FIVE YEARS are complaining that they still cant find a job and its unfair that the govt (FINALLY) is cutting off benefits to the "poor victims" after only 5 years.... sheeh! They were all moved into "nice" suburban areas that are now an urban jungle... just trashed. Go look at parts of Houston! Well thats how I feel about unfair!!!

 

[hikerchick]

Most people work hard their whole lives.... just to make it... others go through life feeling "entitled" to handouts from everyone just because their ancestors were oppressed..... poor things...

Gee, what people are you referring to? I wasn't aware there was a group like this.

 

[hikerchick]

I don't understand why so many people really believe that life is supposed to be fair. Who taught you that? Life is never fair, so there is no point getting your knickers in a twist because someone else inherited talents that you didn't; or got a break that eluded you. It just is what it is and it would be best to stop whining about it and just get on with your life.

 

[Beekissed]

That's what most of us are doing....getting on with our lives, rationally, judiciously earning our little wage and saving our pennies. Feeding our families and loving life!

BUT.....every once in a little while we have to shake our heads and wonder how in the world.......???

 

[hikerchick]

That's what most of us are doing....getting on with our lives, rationally, judiciously earning our little wage and saving our pennies. Feeding our families and loving life!

BUT.....every once in a little while we have to shake our heads and wonder how in the world.......???

Maybe, but no point in getting all worked up about the fact that someone else has something that you don't and you don't think it's "fair". I am just surprised how many people really expect life to be fair. It reminds me of little kids who get angry when sister gets a bigger piece of cake.

 

[On Our own]

I don't think life is supposed to be fair. And I am more than aware that some people are smarter and faster etc than I am. I DO NOT begrudge people the rewards they earned for hard work.

I DO begrudge the people me and the gals refers to:

I don't really get economics. I don't think it is a zero-sum game, but somehow massively huge bonuses have to factor into the overall economy and the fact that there's not enough for others to maintain their jobs or for the businesses to grow.

True about charity. I personally feel it is necessary, but it would be SO MUCH better to simply have enough jobs for everyone who wanted to and could work.

And, like you say, not incredibly lucrative jobs necessarily, but just a lot of jobs that allow people to live secure middle-class lives.

I Do get economics and I understand what makes much of it work. I know many people may disagree with my opinions on it, but I am well versed in the field.

Over the last twenty years there evolved a ethos on Wall Street and in the board rooms that not only allowed, but encouraged people to pillage the very firms they worked for. There was no concern over long term viability of the company let alone the entire economy. It was get yours and get out.

Think of it this way: if I told you that you could make 12 million today free and clear legally, but twenty people that you know (no you don't get to choose) will lose everything they own. Would you do it?

What if I said you could have the 12 million and 20 people in Indonesia would lose everything. Would you do it?

This is genuinely what people were doing every day. When one would object that raping some other group for their own benefit was perhaps, morally suspect, they would be harassed and teased, and in one case I know of - fired.

This is not asking for life to be fair. It is asking for the rule of law to at the very least respect basic property law. What do you get when you get full bore, unfettered capitalism: Somalia and the Republic of Congo.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't really think the OP or most of us were getting worked up about what other folks have that we don't......just slighly annoyed that those that have, and have BIG, dare complain about their economic status, or the lack, or decrease thereof.

It would be like me visiting a third world country and complaining that I have no health care insurance.

No life isn't fair. I think we would all agree this is so, me more than most. In fact, that has been my mantra to my children all these many years.....life isn't fair, get over it!

I think what frustrates us, as we vent in this thread, is the fact that people have become so crass that they just don't SEE! They don't see how very fortunate they are and still have the nerve to complain about their bonuses, their horse care expenses, their car payments, etc., to someone who obviously could never afford to even have those issues.

I don't think this is a vent about the don't haves or life is unfair....this is about good manners, actually. I don't complain about a headache in front of my cancer patients, I don't complain about my kids in front of those who can't have any, I don't complain about my job in front of those who don't have one.

It's called good manners and consideration towards others, plain and simple. Not fair that they still do it, true. But we don't have to pretend to like it, now do we?

 

[FarmerChick]

Not getting into rich vs poor in this thread, but responding about what the man said. It is his life. His thoughts, his feelings. Everyone "poor" can complain, why can't he? His life is based on his income and if his money was severely decreased it could throw him into severe debt. You just don't know his financial situation.

While it sounds like bad manners talking big money in front of others, I believe he has this right, without people making a mt. out of a mole hill. If he can not talk about his life and deserve some respect while doing it, then it is the others with bad manners. Thank goodness no one attacked him for speaking about his life and hard times.

yes it is hard to hear "hard luck" stories when big money is involved while you have nothing, but it is HIS situation and best everyone not let their inner feelings known.

Like said before in here, life is not fair. Everyone has their personal financial situations and their own person life to handle along with many demons in those lives.

Let everyone live their own life!!


(I don't mean you to anyone, just you in general...lol)

just how I feel about it.

 

[Wifezilla]

How did one industry get so far out of line with the entire rest of the country?

The only reason you get this kind of disparity is because new competitors are prevented from springing up. Government regulation goes a long way toward squashing new potential competition. Businesses are more and more ended up either really huge or really tiny.

The "middle class" of businesses has been squeezed out. The big guys do everything in their power to make sure nothing can come up and take any of the market share. They lobby congress to make laws in their favor.

Happens in all industries. Look at faming. Look at car companies. When is the last time a new American car company opened?