The Rich/Poor Disparity Myth

No, greed is still a bad thing. It's actually greedy to think you are entitled to the fruits of another's labor.

Yep. For example, like Don Blankenship/Massey Energy profiting on the backs of all those WVA miners, including those who died because of his callous disregard for human life and safety.
 
That was addressing the strawman of 'value to families' when the topic was value to society.

Some professions are of more value to society than others. To claim a cherry-picker is of the same value as a physician is political correctness to the point of insanity.

Some people think the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Those people would be liberals.
 
Well there is no "premise" to buy into with a hypothetical scenario, it's hypothetical. They split their resources out of fairness to all, since they couldn't all agree on a certain type of 'government' arrangement. Some wanted to be communists, some wanted to be capitalists, etc. I didn't say one guy had been successful, I said one guy was an engineer. He may not have ever been successful or made money in his life, but he knew how to make a coconut cracking machine and he knew this service would be in demand and capitalized. He also knew there would be a demand for seeds to grow food, so he took the initiative to develop the 'product' for trade and barter.

Now, if you were part of this crew, you might decide it best to give away the product of your efforts and labor, because there was a need from your fellow survivors, and that is awesome that you would be so generous and caring, but in the end, you'd be the first person to starve to death, because you didn't trade for food or supplies.


First, someone already invented the "coconut cracking machine"...it's called a "rock".

And if this marvelous "invention" of mine is so adept at doing it's job, then I'd have no need to trade for food. Coconuts are plentiful and my "machine" makes cracking them a snap.

Second, the point is NO ONE is going to be concerned with what type of "government" is set up when just finding potable water is a problem...no one but some self-absorbed greedhead looking to take advantage of the other 9 people's struggles.

If one of the castaways is so selfish he/she can't see the benefits of sharing everything with the group, and instead wants everyone to go do their own thing and tough titty if it doesn't work out for ya, then he/shetruly defines what is wrong with this country and the basic premise of your little "hypothetical".
 
Dixie, your cute story (complete fiction) showed there are people who are willing to live off the system. Mott did not deny that. What he pointed out, using solid facts, is that the people who built the wealth and productivity of this nation have not prospered or shared in the fruits of their labor.

That is the point of his post and he is 100% accurate.

But the point of my story was to illustrate how a perfectly "equal" society in terms of who has wealth, will quickly revert back to a society where there is a disparity between rich and poor. There is no way to "fix" this problem in a free capitalist society. There will always be some people who are motivated to succeed, have the ideas and entrepreneurial spirit to achieve, and there will always be those who lack these attributes. The only way to prevent growing disparity and keep it all equal, is by totalitarian force, or punishing success to the point it is stifled. When that happens, society collapses into poverty and people become slaves to the totalitarian force.
 
I think it is amusing your "rating" system as to a persons value to society! Where do you place yourself? Are you valuable? Or are you just a trash collector variety? Why don't you tell us what you do for a living and we can "rate" your value. I guess I am just one of those stupid liberals that believe all people are of value!
Why so much emotion? I haven't personally referenced or attacked you. I am simply speaking truth which everyone knows but few will admit.

The claim was made that all people are equal -- they are not. An alcoholic, drug-addicted bum sleeping on a park bench is not equal to a highly skilled pillar of society who contributes much to it.

As to me, there are many who are much more valuable and many who are not. I prefer reality over deluding myself. It is what it is.
 
First, someone already invented the "coconut cracking machine"...it's called a "rock".

And if this marvelous "invention" of mine is so adept at doing it's job, then I'd have no need to trade for food. Coconuts are plentiful and my "machine" makes cracking them a snap.

Second, the point is NO ONE is going to be concerned with what type of "government" is set up when just finding potable water is a problem...no one but some self-absorbed greedhead looking to take advantage of the other 9 people's struggles.

If one of the castaways is so selfish he/she can't see the benefits of sharing everything with the group, and instead wants everyone to go do their own thing and tough titty if it doesn't work out for ya, then he/shetruly defines what is wrong with this country and the basic premise of your little "hypothetical".

You're totally missing the point of the illustration. I constructed a scenario where we could establish financial equality across the board, so that all subjects have the same amount to start. This is your idealistic dream, correct? For everyone to have equal wealth? Okay, so we have my example, which is intended to show how disparity between rich and poor is natural and can't be "fixed," no need to pick it apart and find fault with the logic, it is presented in order to establish everyone as equal in wealth, starting over in a free capitalist society. If you want to try and remove "capitalism" from the example, then the coconut cracking machine doesn't get invented, people have to bust coconuts with rocks, and if I develop such a machine, I use it for my own family and don't share the technology with you. Then I make spears from bamboo, and when you come after my hybrid seeds and things I've used my skill to create, I kill you. End of fucking scenario.
 
Why so much emotion? I haven't personally referenced or attacked you. I am simply speaking truth which everyone knows but few will admit.

The claim was made that all people are equal -- they are not. An alcoholic, drug-addicted bum sleeping on a park bench is not equal to a highly skilled pillar of society who contributes much to it.

As to me, there are many who are much more valuable and many who are not. I prefer reality over deluding myself. It is what it is.

I prefer not to judge people. It may be your truth, but it certainly isn't mine.

I see you won't apply these values of yours to yourself, isn't that the way it always goes, it just applies to other people. You actually see people who have certain skills as more valuable than yourself. I don't.
 
I see you won't apply these values of yours to yourself, isn't that the way it always goes, it just applies to other people. You actually see people who have certain skills as more valuable than yourself. I don't.
Your second sentence negates the first.

Discuss the topic, not me. I'm not interested in how you feel about me.
 
Yep. For example, like Don Blankenship/Massey Energy profiting on the backs of all those WVA miners, including those who died because of his callous disregard for human life and safety.

Yeah they were all forced to work for him a gun point, are you saying he was a slave owner?
 
Your second sentence negates the first.

Discuss the topic, not me. I'm not interested in how you feel about me.

It is a discussion of the topic. Do you see yourself as having less value than others? Do you see yourself as not being as important or necessary as a neurosurgeon?

Do you see yourself as being less valuable than others by your standards?
 
Charles Manson and Osama bin Laden were probably of value to their families, but this isn't about families. It's about value to society, and to say everyone is equal is simply false. Some people are more valuable than others.
In the eyes of the law all people are equal. We all have equal value and worth before the law. That does not imply that all people are equal in skill, talent or productive abilities.
 
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