If you hate the rich, you're misinformed.

It's no surprise the "letter from the filthy rich guy" thread is so popular. Hating the rich is very popular now.
Many ATS members who posted comments on that thread have know-it-all attitudes, but lack even the most rudimentary grasp of economics. Particularly annoying are the people who claim that it's simply not possible to get rich without screwing people, stealing, and cheating, and that all rich people are evil. I personally know a millionaire construction company owner who has helped more people than anyone I know. The guy is literally like a saint.

To be fair, there are some very greedy "elites" out there, in the banking and corporate arenas, who DO lie and cheat and steal. I will be the first to admit that.

I also noticed people posting comments about how they'd like to participate in the violence when the rich get their come-uppance.
To those people, I'll ask: What if you hit the lottery tomorrow, and suddenly had 50 million dollars? Would you give it all away? Would you even give half away? You would instantly become a rich person, something you claim to despise so intensely.


This article by Martin Armstrong is right on. Very insightful.

This whole agenda of socialism has sold a Utopian idea that the State is there for the people yet it is run by lawyers following their own self-interest.


The political forces blame the rich and this merely creates a class warfare with no resolution for the future. Even confiscating all the wealth of the so-called rich will not sustain the system.

The question is when does society wake up? Just how high will this price be that we have to pay? They will blame the rich and the idiots will cheer – get them. What will happen when there is no more wealth to hunt? We end up with a communist state by default – no wealth, just career politicians who blame everyone but themselves.


Civil Unrest

a reply to: ColeYounger

Winning the lotto doesn't put you in the 1%.
2nd

I don't hate the rich. I despise people who put money above humanity and everything else more important in order to obtain those riches.

I despise the big wigs at the banks raking in millions while they tank the economy. I despise the politicians that do back-door deals that stuff their wallets at the expense of the people. I despise the people running companies like Monsanto that put profit before public health.

That kind of thing I hate. My mother-in-law is rich through inheritance from her parents' farmland that was sold. I love her.

I'm sorry, but even if you won 50 million, you wouldn't be rich. Not at the rate they're inflating the dollar. 50 billion, maybe rich then. Millions are still a joke in the REAL economy.

a reply to: ColeYounger


Its easy to feel rich! Just count all the things you have that money can't buy!

And for this reason I am the Richest man in the world!

Yeah I know a few rich folk who have helped the poor, but being a poor man who was offered but wont accept hand outs I really couldn't care less for either side. Givers and takers can both kiss my ass.

To be fair, there are some very greedy "elites" out there, in the banking and corporate arenas, who DO lie and cheat and steal. I will be the first to admit that.

Well, thats good.

I don't hate rich people or money. I despise the system the rich have established that guarantees they will get more and more while most of the people get what little they have stripped away, time and again.

Rent, utilities, insurance, these take all and produce 0 equity for little people. Add, interest, inflation, austerity, and you got a top down parasitic system. That isn't by accident.

a reply to: ColeYounger

Anyone who is angry about not having what they are not willing to do for themselves will never have it.

I see the people that scream about the wealthy as being a bigger drain on society than those that have billions.

a reply to: ColeYounger

It's a never-ending conflict between the haves and have-nots.

It doesn't matter if you count the have's in billions of dollars or simply having 3 more cans of tuna than the other guy.

If you have more, you'll always be a target for some of those who have less.

a reply to: ColeYounger


so let me get this straight you think it is a good thing to have such a large gap between rich and poor ?

and the guy in the letter is kinda right...you only have to look back to why any past revolutions have began and it all centres around that gap...

a reply to: ColeYounger
Dear Cole, I suspect that hatred is not such a big deal among those who question justice. The great USA is the promised land to so many of us, and fabulous wealth is not begrudged when gratitude is shown. The American spirit is one of justice and equality, and Americans might be slow to respond to rising injustice, but we have shown our meddle before, and America (the people) shall prevail.

What I hate is The Lie. That if you work hard, you can achieve the american dream. I worked every year of my life from the time I was 16 to 57, when my husband became disabled. All it took to lose everything we worked for was one illness. We ended up living in a camper and no one would give us a hand up. We finally got out of that when he got his first disability check. If that makes me part of the nanny state, well, I hope it never happens to you.

Is it morally ok for a person to have trillions sitting idle, while children die through simple need of water?

Shame on ALL those that sit on their wealth while knowingly allowing the suffering of children.

They are scum!

Why are there places like Dubai when only a few thousand miles away people have no running clean water, enough food, hell, sometimes even four walls and a roof?

yet there is a playground for not just the wealthy, but the super rich. They had to come up with a new term for it a decade ago.

No family needs more than $200 million to be self-sustainable for generations...the rest is just GREED.

Go back to your Ayn Rand books...the REAL world doesn't work that way.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: ColeYounger

Winning the lotto doesn't put you in the 1%.
2nd

It's so convenient to have someone to blame all our problems on...the nasty 1%'ers.


So if you won a lottery and had 500 Billion, would you then be evil just because your rich?

Then everybody would complain about the damn 99%'er's who want their money.

There's always somebody to hate and blame but the truth is if there's anyone to blame everyone should just look in the mirror.

a reply to: MOMof3

Respect from me and mine to you and yours.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: ColeYounger


so let me get this straight you think it is a good thing to have such a large gap between rich and poor ?

Where did you get that idea? I never even inferred it.

I agree, and I have a question for the other posters.

If I had $10 million to invest, would you rather I hand it out equally to every person of the world? Or rather start a business that goes on to hire many employees who get to have a decent standard of living? Even though I personally may profit in the billions.

I can't in any way believe the first choice is the rational and moral one.

I don't hate the rich or the ultra wealthy, i feel bad for them. They're sick with greed and envy, always needing more. They have no true happiness because they equate it with how much they have and the material things around them. No one should have to live that way.