The irrational disdain of the wealthy

Discussion in 'General Philosophy' started by The Shaw, Jun 26, 2012.

  1. Demondaze Xenos Scum

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    You mean like when society didn't institute welfare programs and specific regulations to make life livable for industrial workers when we made the switch from a primarily agricultural society to industrialism?

    Oh wait, that didn't happen because that kind of pessimism is silly and society has always historically adapted to change rather than devolve in some sort of nonsensical and totally avoidable nightmare.
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  2. The Shaw Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second

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    But the workers!
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  3. Mobmaster Is Ozan

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    Wait are you saying the rich should pay for the poor, thanks for proving mah point ;)
  4. Demondaze Xenos Scum

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    Man. You think too small.
  5. Mobmaster Is Ozan

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    To assume you know what i'm thinking is stupid, back on topic though, you shouldn't hate rich people for being rich, hate rich dicks for being dicks.
  6. General Mosh Citystates Founder!

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    1.) I agree, we can't support 7 billion people at a high standard of living. But there are 7 billion people, and without massive die offs we can't change that. So I don't care if we can't support them at a perfect standard of living, they're there and they're not going to submit to death or abandonment.

    2.) You haven't explained exactly HOW. In aristocracy, there was a ruling class that could not be changed. In castes, everyone pretty much has a set class and its very hard to move around. In capitalism, the wealthy are very subject to change but still the majority of people aren't wealthy. In communism everyone is pretty much reduced to a lower middle class level and forced to say there. What you're proposing (or rather defending) is that we simply get rid of the lower class and make everyone manage some other form of labor (it doesn't have to be machine as long as its not us). But this is not factoring in the fact that we simply cannot have 7 billion people ordering around robots. And if not, then I suppose they'll be unemployed. So instead of replacing people with other labor and "uplifting" everyone, we are in fact driving most of the working class into the ground and making it more cost efficient for the rich. This is a nightmare scenario for any decent working class human being.
    But its not the ONLY direction. There always has to be a lower class, even if the difference between them is not very big, this is why I'm no communist.
  7. Demondaze Xenos Scum

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    Sad truth is they don't really have a choice in the matter. It's horrible I know, but thats the reality of unchecked growth in a finite world.

    I can't really tell you how it would change, because then we'd be getting into the realm of speculation. Something I'm not vary good at. I suppose I can link you to the neat little sci-fi story Shaw was talking about to get your imagination juices working. So far that thing has been 100% effective in getting people on board with this whole idea.

    http://marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm
  8. Melanthropist Well-Known Member

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    Quit converting people, damnit.
  9. The Shaw Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second

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    Everybody loves a little political sci-fi.
  10. Kali The World's Best Communist

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    Not really. It happens for them, but for us it might as well not be happening at all. I think the sort of false sentiment that people display, where they act like they care about people they'll never know or interact with is ten times worse than indifference.
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  11. Demondaze Xenos Scum

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    A little humility never hurt anyone.
  12. C_G Well-Known Member

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    Sociopathy, see a psychiatrist. :)
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  13. General Mosh Citystates Founder!

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    Yeah, I know. There is actually a way for all of us to live sustainable lives, but unfortunately human nature doesn't allow us.

    I don't feel like reading right now. And its a story, that's a poor substitute for the reality of whats to come.
    Not me.
    Have you not considered that it could just as easily be you that starves to death rather than some African kid? Once we run out of resources, you're not automatically safe because you live in a developed country. Which, might I add, could quite plausibly descend into anarchy once our resources are gone.
  14. slydessertfox Total War Branch Head

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    Just read it. It's good.
  15. General Mosh Citystates Founder!

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    Nope. I actually did try reading and I got insatiably bored. Its not very good writing.
  16. Melanthropist Well-Known Member

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    I consider it more or less realistic. When I see someone who is suffering I feel genuine pity for them. At any given time can I conjure up an artificial sadness for people I don't see and only hear about? No.
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  17. General Mosh Citystates Founder!

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    I can feel genuine sadness when I see on the news or some other form of media that children are being massacred in the streets by the military meant to protect them. If you can't, then you have a problem.
  18. Melanthropist Well-Known Member

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    Nice. You ought to be a social activist, you'd be great at getting publicity.

    Anyways, I won't say that your feelings are contrived. I can say that I don't feel that way, and it feels fake when people try and make me feel that way. Sometimes I can tear up from personal stories people tell me about, but that's about it. I wish massacres, disasters, and genocide didn't have to happen, I think it's a shame, but don't say I have a "problem" because I don't feel a certain way.
  19. TheEmperorAugustus Well-Known Member

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    Really, this story which I took to be a compact if poorly narratively driven and written account of the basic principles of synthesised capitalism and communism, with a heavy, heavy lean towards modern implement socialism. This is your foundation for the Liberal Capitalism will save the lower class theory.REALLY!

    Welcome to the fucking team guys, we've been here since the moon landings!!!!

    Develop your empathy a little and you can actually start calling yourself human and not just sapient homo-sapiens.
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  20. Demondaze Xenos Scum

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    Where's all this hammer and sickle nonsense coming from now? The theme of that society was open-source applied to the material world.

    No. History would be the foundation for me . I've just always liked that story, and Shaw brought it up.

    Nice. I bet that sounded real clever in your head.
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