Richest one percent made 82% of wealth created last year: Oxfam

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: Ohanka

As far as i'm concerned the overwhelming majority of the wealth the 1% enjoy in western society was not earned in any way. It was stolen. Stolen from the state, stolen from the people. The 1% live off the backs of the 99% while intentionally making their lives worse.

What a bunch of garbage. This comment is exhibit A of retardation.

So someone who creates a business, service, or is just really good at whatever it is they do and manages to make themselves immensely wealthy they "stole" the money?

So the lady who wrote Harry Potter, who is now a billionaire because of the popularity of her books, stole all that money?

The lady who created Spanx, who is also a billionaire, stole all that money? She just forced millions of women to go out and buy Spanx?

George Lucas force kids and adults for the past 40 years piss away money on Star Wars merchandise? His creation of industrial light and magic studios was stealing money by providing movie makers with better tech for special effects?

Dr. Dre stole all the money he made from making kids buy Beats headphones?

I can go on and on... I mean this in the most pleasant way possible, you are an idiot.

There are always exeptions. But do you think they deserve to be that immensely rich. Look at the average premier league footballers wage these days do they deserve that? Is that kind of wealth fair? Society enjoy watching football and reading books but one could argue your local street cleaners and bin men are more impo ft ant yet they get # all compared to a premier league football. I would need to work flat out for 20 years to earn what they earn (earn being used loosely) in a week.

originally posted by: Oldskool88

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: Ohanka

As far as i'm concerned the overwhelming majority of the wealth the 1% enjoy in western society was not earned in any way. It was stolen. Stolen from the state, stolen from the people. The 1% live off the backs of the 99% while intentionally making their lives worse.

What a bunch of garbage. This comment is exhibit A of retardation.

So someone who creates a business, service, or is just really good at whatever it is they do and manages to make themselves immensely wealthy they "stole" the money?

So the lady who wrote Harry Potter, who is now a billionaire because of the popularity of her books, stole all that money?

The lady who created Spanx, who is also a billionaire, stole all that money? She just forced millions of women to go out and buy Spanx?

George Lucas force kids and adults for the past 40 years piss away money on Star Wars merchandise? His creation of industrial light and magic studios was stealing money by providing movie makers with better tech for special effects?

Dr. Dre stole all the money he made from making kids buy Beats headphones?

I can go on and on... I mean this in the most pleasant way possible, you are an idiot.

There are always exeptions. But do you think they deserve to be that immensely rich. Look at the average premier league footballers wage these days do they deserve that? Is that kind of wealth fair? Society enjoy watching football and reading books but one could argue your local street cleaners and bin men are more impo ft ant yet they get # all compared to a premier league football. I would need to work flat out for 20 years to earn what they earn (earn being used loosely) in a week.

It is supply and demand. While the average street cleaner may work really hard, the reality is that they can be easily replaced. A talented pro-athlete is in short supply and thus their wages reflect this fact. The same goes for A list actors. The same goes for talented business executives. Even at Universities, star professors can earn far more than their counterparts.

Working hard by itself does not mean you are going to make a lot of money. You also have to be doing something that is valuable and harder to replace.

If you author a book and millions of people decide they want to read it, yes you deserve every single penny you earn. Why would anyone else have a claim to your work? They didn't write the book. People voluntarily paid you to read it.

Personally, I think it is absurd that the Kardashians are making like $50 million a year for doing nothing. Their claim to fame is being skeeted on by rappers and athletes. However, the reality is that there are enough idiots who want to know what they are doing with their lives on reality TV that advertisers are willing to pay millions of dollars for the exposure. It is what it is.... It doesn't affect my life and I have no claim to their money. More power to them.

In your world, you think Kim should be writing checks to the little people just because...

These same people will enjoy a movie/television,
indirectly contributing to the profits they claim to disdain.
But does their revulsion fall upon their favorite
movie star? I doubt it.

These same people will enjoy their favorite musician,
indirectly contributing to the profits they claim to disdain.
But does their revulsion fall upon their favorite
musician? I doubt it.

These same people will enjoy their favorite sporting event,
indirectly contributing to the profits they claim to disdain.
But does their revulsion fall upon their favorite
sports? I doubt it.

I could continue in this vein with a multitude of
situations, people, places, and events that are raking it in,
because of YOU.

If you truly destest the rich, stop paying rent/mortgage.
Stop buying food, fuel, cloths, or anything that causes
someone else to earn a profit.

Move into the forest, find shelter, and live off the land.
(if you can)

Until then this derision is nothing more than ignorance
of a market economy, and of those that have worked their
butts off to become rich.

How dare anyone seek to demean and/or take away
what others have worked for. Sorry to inform you,
but earning money in investment is work.

It's called mind work. If it were not genuine
work, every tom dick and harry would have
an roi. Most don't, because they're too damn
lazy to save their money, and read a book on
investing, then frustrate through the learning
curve to develop an investing strategy
that works.

It's really simple, most don't, because they don't
have what it takes.

originally posted by: MrBlaq
These same people will enjoy a movie/television,
indirectly contributing to the profits they claim to disdain.
But does their revulsion fall upon their favorite
movie star? I doubt it.

These same people will enjoy their favorite musician,
indirectly contributing to the profits they claim to disdain.
But does their revulsion fall upon their favorite
musician? I doubt it.

These same people will enjoy their favorite sporting event,
indirectly contributing to the profits they claim to disdain.
But does their revulsion fall upon their favorite
sports? I doubt it.

I could continue in this vein with a multitude of
situations, people, places, and events that are raking it in,
because of YOU.

If you truly destest the rich, stop paying rent/mortgage.
Stop buying food, fuel, cloths, or anything that causes
someone else to earn a profit.

Move into the forest, find shelter, and live off the land.
(if you can)

Until then this derision is nothing more than ignorance
of a market economy, and of those that have worked their
butts off to become rich.

How dare anyone seek to demean and/or take away
what others have worked for. Sorry to inform you,
but earning money in investment is work.

It's called mind work. If it were not genuine
work, every tom dick and harry would have
an roi. Most don't, because they're too damn
lazy to save their money, and read a book on
investing, then frustrate through the learning
curve to develop an investing strategy
that works.

It's really simple, most don't, because they don't
have what it takes.

Amen. Preach!

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: Oldskool88

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: Ohanka

As far as i'm concerned the overwhelming majority of the wealth the 1% enjoy in western society was not earned in any way. It was stolen. Stolen from the state, stolen from the people. The 1% live off the backs of the 99% while intentionally making their lives worse.

What a bunch of garbage. This comment is exhibit A of retardation.

So someone who creates a business, service, or is just really good at whatever it is they do and manages to make themselves immensely wealthy they "stole" the money?

So the lady who wrote Harry Potter, who is now a billionaire because of the popularity of her books, stole all that money?

The lady who created Spanx, who is also a billionaire, stole all that money? She just forced millions of women to go out and buy Spanx?

George Lucas force kids and adults for the past 40 years piss away money on Star Wars merchandise? His creation of industrial light and magic studios was stealing money by providing movie makers with better tech for special effects?

Dr. Dre stole all the money he made from making kids buy Beats headphones?

I can go on and on... I mean this in the most pleasant way possible, you are an idiot.

There are always exeptions. But do you think they deserve to be that immensely rich. Look at the average premier league footballers wage these days do they deserve that? Is that kind of wealth fair? Society enjoy watching football and reading books but one could argue your local street cleaners and bin men are more impo ft ant yet they get # all compared to a premier league football. I would need to work flat out for 20 years to earn what they earn (earn being used loosely) in a week.

It is supply and demand. While the average street cleaner may work really hard, the reality is that they can be easily replaced. A talented pro-athlete is in short supply and thus their wages reflect this fact. The same goes for A list actors. The same goes for talented business executives. Even at Universities, star professors can earn far more than their counterparts.

Working hard by itself does not mean you are going to make a lot of money. You also have to be doing something that is valuable and harder to replace.

If you author a book and millions of people decide they want to read it, yes you deserve every single penny you earn. Why would anyone else have a claim to your work? They didn't write the book. People voluntarily paid you to read it.

Personally, I think it is absurd that the Kardashians are making like $50 million a year for doing nothing. Their claim to fame is being skeeted on by rappers and athletes. However, the reality is that there are enough idiots who want to know what they are doing with their lives on reality TV that advertisers are willing to pay millions of dollars for the exposure. It is what it is.... It doesn't affect my life and I have no claim to their money. More power to them.

In your world, you think Kim should be writing checks to the little people just because...

Refreshing look at it, im sure i could of been a pro footballer if i was "lucky" to have the right support and been in the right place n right time to get scouted. I could do a management job iv done them in the past but supply and demand says theres only so many going. I work harder but get paid less tho i am sure i am more qualified and xp than my direct management. This is my point. Not taking away from your point tho its very valid. But a top surgeon should be paid more than any we have spoken about. I suppose things cant ever be fair thats life. But some things are outrageously unjust. Im cant complain about my situation to much tbf.

There are people at the top in banking and energy industries that are the super rich that do rob people in a fasion and manipulate markets to their advantage. I think this is what the other poster was refering to. A fairer system which focuses on bringing the new generation up with the skills needed for us to advance at speeds unfathomable previously. Is within our reach. Things arnt perfect and theres many of skilled / qualified / educated people out there being let down with the status quo. I dont disagree with anything you said just looking at it from another angle. Change with implementation of legislation and technologies could revolutionise fairness and targeted productivity.

It's really simple, most don't, because they don't
have what it takes.

Its not black and white theres many that contribute very little to society yet take plenty out of it. When theres others that contribute as much as they can for very little. This is my problem..

Theres plenty qualified for better paying jobs but are stuck lower down the chain because of supply and demand! Or just because they dont eat enough ass

originally posted by: Oldskool88

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: Oldskool88

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: Ohanka

As far as i'm concerned the overwhelming majority of the wealth the 1% enjoy in western society was not earned in any way. It was stolen. Stolen from the state, stolen from the people. The 1% live off the backs of the 99% while intentionally making their lives worse.

What a bunch of garbage. This comment is exhibit A of retardation.

So someone who creates a business, service, or is just really good at whatever it is they do and manages to make themselves immensely wealthy they "stole" the money?

So the lady who wrote Harry Potter, who is now a billionaire because of the popularity of her books, stole all that money?

The lady who created Spanx, who is also a billionaire, stole all that money? She just forced millions of women to go out and buy Spanx?

George Lucas force kids and adults for the past 40 years piss away money on Star Wars merchandise? His creation of industrial light and magic studios was stealing money by providing movie makers with better tech for special effects?

Dr. Dre stole all the money he made from making kids buy Beats headphones?

I can go on and on... I mean this in the most pleasant way possible, you are an idiot.

There are always exeptions. But do you think they deserve to be that immensely rich. Look at the average premier league footballers wage these days do they deserve that? Is that kind of wealth fair? Society enjoy watching football and reading books but one could argue your local street cleaners and bin men are more impo ft ant yet they get # all compared to a premier league football. I would need to work flat out for 20 years to earn what they earn (earn being used loosely) in a week.

It is supply and demand. While the average street cleaner may work really hard, the reality is that they can be easily replaced. A talented pro-athlete is in short supply and thus their wages reflect this fact. The same goes for A list actors. The same goes for talented business executives. Even at Universities, star professors can earn far more than their counterparts.

Working hard by itself does not mean you are going to make a lot of money. You also have to be doing something that is valuable and harder to replace.

If you author a book and millions of people decide they want to read it, yes you deserve every single penny you earn. Why would anyone else have a claim to your work? They didn't write the book. People voluntarily paid you to read it.

Personally, I think it is absurd that the Kardashians are making like $50 million a year for doing nothing. Their claim to fame is being skeeted on by rappers and athletes. However, the reality is that there are enough idiots who want to know what they are doing with their lives on reality TV that advertisers are willing to pay millions of dollars for the exposure. It is what it is.... It doesn't affect my life and I have no claim to their money. More power to them.

In your world, you think Kim should be writing checks to the little people just because...

Refreshing look at it, im sure i could of been a pro footballer if i was "lucky" to have the right support and been in the right place n right time to get scouted. I could do a management job iv done them in the past but supply and demand says theres only so many going. I work harder but get paid less tho i am sure i am more qualified and xp than my direct management. This is my point. Not taking away from your point tho its very valid. But a top surgeon should be paid more than any we have spoken about. I suppose things cant ever be fair thats life. But some things are outrageously unjust. Im cant complain about my situation to much tbf.

There are people at the top in banking and energy industries that are the super rich that do rob people in a fasion and manipulate markets to their advantage. I think this is what the other poster was refering to. A fairer system which focuses on bringing the new generation up with the skills needed for us to advance at speeds unfathomable previously. Is within our reach. Things arnt perfect and theres many of skilled / qualified / educated people out there being let down with the status quo. I dont disagree with anything you said just looking at it from another angle. Change with implementation of legislation and technologies could revolutionise fairness and targeted productivity.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda, doesn't mean anything. Life isn't fair and never will be. Everyone has a story where if they had more support, opportunities, etc they could have been more successful. It is what it is... All you can do is play the hand you are dealt. Yes, there are conniving and greedy people who become immensely wealthy. It has been that way since the beginning of time.

I was an athlete as well, but didn't have the same support as some of my friends whose parents were wealthier. I raced BMX on a national level as an expert class amateur. I did well but never truly broke out because my parents couldn't afford to take me to enough national races to really get to the next level.

While I agree the we should also strive to give more opportunities to everyone, not everyone is going to be rich. It takes a ton of hard work and luck to really hit it big. The best most of us can hope for is that you are successful enough to put food on the table and take care of your family. Almost anyone can do that with hard work and perseverance. You may not be living in the lap of luxury, but that is nothing to be ashamed of either.

I've been fortunate enough to have a 1%er income a few years in my career. It doesn't last. Also, it doesn't necessarily buy you happiness. A lot of sacrifices have to get made and many times they aren't worth it. I can't tell you how many people I've seen who are making several hundred or millions of dollars who are miserable people. Meanwhile, my grandfather who worked two minimum wage jobs was the happiest person I ever knew. I never saw that man angry or upset.

The other day I was admiring my two children and wife. That is wealth. Cars depreciate. Homes get out dated. You can only travel so much. Clothes go out of style. None of that beats having a child tell you they love you or they want to hang out with Daddy.

Totally agree m8 and im good to be honest, as a parent myself my child has a upbringing that i never did hes very lucky. but i know people that work damn hard and struggle to be able to spend anytime with there family. they are working so hard to put food on the table and pay the rent on the home they will never own. Whilst the home owner will benifit with a nice retirement, from throwing them out when they come to sell. Leaving them homeless and focusing on the most basic of necessities. Its easy to say they should save for there own home. Its not always that easy. Glad you were dealt a nice hand of cards mate. But some others that contribute immensely to society get to see very little of there family and struggle to provide the little things. I dont disagree with anything you have said, but heavy contributions towards society should be valued more. I know dads that can only see there kids every now n then because they are to busy paying there child support, car and flat rent. I dunno where im going with this. i agree with everything you have said, yet i believe the system is unfair for many that deserve more free time as all they do is work to survive. Not get rich just to survive. I believe a fairer system is possible. How i dont know?long Hours worked for low income people maybe should be entitled to bonuses subsidized by the %1 of top earners theres one way. Dunno its a tough one. Tho things will never be fair they should be better for some. Obviously theres others out there that do fa. Last post from me nice debate

originally posted by: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

When 1% makes 82%, how much is supposed to be left over for the bottom 20%?

IDK... If you do not work and are sound mind and body how much wealth would you have? If you been working for years and your skills are only good enough for the lowest paying jobs in America, once again how much wealth does that provide. Wealth is basally savings/investments etc. If you make pretty good wages, but your lifestyle is one that you do not save much, how much wealth does that create?

It seems one billionaire has more wealth than 60% of the population who do not have any wealth. The question is whether that is good, bad or neither.

originally posted by: Oldskool88
long Hours worked for low income people maybe should be entitled to bonuses subsidized by the %1 of top earners theres one way.

How does a person go though life that works hard but never gets past their starting job?

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: Oldskool88
long Hours worked for low income people maybe should be entitled to bonuses subsidized by the %1 of top earners theres one way.

How does a person go though life that works hard but never gets past their starting job?

How you mean starting job. They could have many jobs within ones life. i know of people that are in managment within care homes yet are on only %5 above the minimum wage. Theres many reasons why people are within low paid jobs. We see it all the time coperations paying the people that generate there coperations wealth as little as they can get away with, despite of huge profits. I would say corporation greed and personal circumstance keeps many of hard working people into lower paid jobs. Lets not forget some people are scared of change or strughle with some of lifes challanges. Its easy to say thats there fault but thats not a fair stand point. i believe anyone that works towards the society in which we live should be rewarded with a true liveable wage the minimum wage is barely a surviveable wage. I would think differently if i thought resources were in low supply but they are not, our combined output is plenty. if properly managed could ensure every working and contributing human has enough to live provide for a child and most importantly afford to have a few days off each week to spend quality time with there family and friends. Far to many people getting less than deserved at the same point far to many contributing fa when in reality they could contribute more. There all points and issues already being addressed but falling short in solutions. Theres only one solution for a fairer economy and society and thats doing somthing drastic to cut this wealth divide. Its not easy but it must be done because the economy will suffer. Like the game of monopoly when the rich keep getting richer and taking a bigger percentage of the cash it gives the loosers less purchasing power. Dont get me wrong i believe that anyone that is lazy and that expects a free ride should get what they deserve but when i see people working fa and living a better quality of life of somone working full time it enrages me. I see it all the time. Dont get me wrong i recognize our world has improved significantly in the last 50 years but more can and should be done.

a reply to: seasonal

off with their heads!

lets roll out the guillotines and remind them about what happened in the french revolution!

See thats what really pisses me off about these people , they obviously #ing know they are that rich ,and rich enough to make the world a better place, but will they do it ? will they # !

selfish bastards , If I was one of the 1% if make damn well sure that the world was safer, we all had food water and education
but nawwwww they wont , and I know the hard capitalists will say why the # should they care , when they owe no one anything
well if they had the ability to do real good , and to make the world a better place why wouldnt they do it !
If you literally had the kind of money to end world hunger then you would be praised until you died and you would be remembered for all of human history !

I mean they cant take that money with them , sure they can give it to their own family , but when you can sort the world and dont , thats evil !

This trend will continue until people finally get tired of this nonsense. Sooner or later a tipping point will be reached and heads will roll.

originally posted by: Edumakated
Pretty much anyone in America is part of the global 1%.... I always find these posts comical because the people that post them never acknowledge this fact. If you are in a modern western civilized country, by default you are part of the 1%, no matter how poor you may be by American / western civilization standards.

The reality is that there are a lot of dirt poor people living in backward sh*tholes globally. Anyone in America dropping fries at the local fast food joint makes a global 1% income (or pretty close). Some kid living in a favela in South America or some ghetto in Haiti would kill to have the standard of living of the poorest person in America.

There has always been wealth inequality. ALWAYS. I'd argue we've never had more wealth equality because pretty much anyone can make it. No longer are people trapped in a caste by birth, education, race, or anything. If you got the hustle, you can make it.

These posts also never mention all the wealth that is created as a result of the innovation of the billionaires. Most of them are entrepreneurs who became immensely wealthy because they created a product or service that is used by millions/billions of people. Jeff Bezos has made tens of thousands of millionaires. Employees thousands of people. All the ancillary businesses and services that use Amazon. Same for Microsoft. Walmart. Any other business.

Even mega rich hedge funders like Ken Griffith ($8 billion) have created thousands of millionaires and highly paid jobs. His talents are keeping pensions afloat so Grandma can enjoy her retirement.

$32,400 is how much you need to make a year to be part of the 1%. Guess what I'm not, and I'm guessing you'd have a difficult time finding many of your magical fry droppers that do.

At 40 hours a week that requires 15.534233807479062 per hour. How many fry cooks you know that get that many hours and make 15 dollars an hour?

I myself make roughly 27,426.308 a year living in the United States. So I don't quite make the cut either. In 2015 most recent I could find over 51% of us citizens made under 30,000 a year.

Being in the US does not come close to by default making you part of the 1%.

Besides, in truth it's more like the .001% or something like that which is the real problem. The 1% number is used to try and pull as many people as possible on the side of defending the status quo, when in truth they shouldn't even be mentioned in terms of a problem.

Something like 62 people are as wealthy as half the world combined. Those are the real problem individuals, and they are a lot less of the worlds population than 1%. 1% is only used to distract from them by trying to pretend that a 1% is somehow in the same class as them, which is ludicrous. The 1% have more in common with the poor than these people.

Assuming that 62 number is accurate that means half the worlds wealth is in hands of the top 0.00000008947368% of the current human population, that's a far cry from including the 1%...

Let's stop being distracted by the 1% and keep our eyes on the ball, which is less than 100 people in a world of over 7.6 Billion.

originally posted by: Puppylove

originally posted by: Edumakated
Pretty much anyone in America is part of the global 1%.... I always find these posts comical because the people that post them never acknowledge this fact. If you are in a modern western civilized country, by default you are part of the 1%, no matter how poor you may be by American / western civilization standards.

The reality is that there are a lot of dirt poor people living in backward sh*tholes globally. Anyone in America dropping fries at the local fast food joint makes a global 1% income (or pretty close). Some kid living in a favela in South America or some ghetto in Haiti would kill to have the standard of living of the poorest person in America.

There has always been wealth inequality. ALWAYS. I'd argue we've never had more wealth equality because pretty much anyone can make it. No longer are people trapped in a caste by birth, education, race, or anything. If you got the hustle, you can make it.

These posts also never mention all the wealth that is created as a result of the innovation of the billionaires. Most of them are entrepreneurs who became immensely wealthy because they created a product or service that is used by millions/billions of people. Jeff Bezos has made tens of thousands of millionaires. Employees thousands of people. All the ancillary businesses and services that use Amazon. Same for Microsoft. Walmart. Any other business.

Even mega rich hedge funders like Ken Griffith ($8 billion) have created thousands of millionaires and highly paid jobs. His talents are keeping pensions afloat so Grandma can enjoy her retirement.

$32,400 is how much you need to make a year to be part of the 1%. Guess what I'm not, and I'm guessing you'd have a difficult time finding many of your magical fry droppers that do.

At 40 hours a week that requires 15.534233807479062 per hour. How many fry cooks you know that get that many hours and make 15 dollars an hour?

I myself make roughly 27,426.308 a year living in the United States. So I don't quite make the cut either. In 2015 most recent I could find over 51% of us citizens made under 30,000 a year.

Being in the US does not come close to by default making you part of the 1%.

Besides, in truth it's more like the .001% or something like that which is the real problem. The 1% number is used to try and pull as many people as possible on the side of defending the status quo, when in truth they shouldn't even be mentioned in terms of a problem.

Something like 62 people are as wealthy as half the world combined. Those are the real problem individuals, and they are a lot less of the worlds population than 1%. 1% is only used to distract from them by trying to pretend that a 1% is somehow in the same class as them, which is ludicrous. The 1% have more in common with the poor than these people.

Assuming that 62 number is accurate that means half the worlds wealth is in hands of the top 0.00000008947368% of the current human population, that's a far cry from including the 1%...

Let's stop being distracted by the 1% and keep our eyes on the ball, which is less than 100 people in a world of over 7.6 Billion.

Totally agreed my inital posts on this was geared towards the richest most powerful familys/coperations on the planet. after all who controls the money and biggest coperations are collectively controlling the ship, its up to them to steer us in the correct direction. All we can do is paticipate in there game. Though this is not a game its life the rules by we play can and should be changed, only they can make that happen. I dont believe over population to be a problem. The real problem is how we collectively consume and use resources. So many changes need to be made but im optimistic with the implementation of technologies a better fairer more clean and productive society is possible. Time to make it happen. Its do or die tbh the corner needs turning.

originally posted by: Puppylove

originally posted by: Edumakated
Pretty much anyone in America is part of the global 1%.... I always find these posts comical because the people that post them never acknowledge this fact. If you are in a modern western civilized country, by default you are part of the 1%, no matter how poor you may be by American / western civilization standards.

The reality is that there are a lot of dirt poor people living in backward sh*tholes globally. Anyone in America dropping fries at the local fast food joint makes a global 1% income (or pretty close). Some kid living in a favela in South America or some ghetto in Haiti would kill to have the standard of living of the poorest person in America.

There has always been wealth inequality. ALWAYS. I'd argue we've never had more wealth equality because pretty much anyone can make it. No longer are people trapped in a caste by birth, education, race, or anything. If you got the hustle, you can make it.

These posts also never mention all the wealth that is created as a result of the innovation of the billionaires. Most of them are entrepreneurs who became immensely wealthy because they created a product or service that is used by millions/billions of people. Jeff Bezos has made tens of thousands of millionaires. Employees thousands of people. All the ancillary businesses and services that use Amazon. Same for Microsoft. Walmart. Any other business.

Even mega rich hedge funders like Ken Griffith ($8 billion) have created thousands of millionaires and highly paid jobs. His talents are keeping pensions afloat so Grandma can enjoy her retirement.

$32,400 is how much you need to make a year to be part of the 1%. Guess what I'm not, and I'm guessing you'd have a difficult time finding many of your magical fry droppers that do.

At 40 hours a week that requires 15.534233807479062 per hour. How many fry cooks you know that get that many hours and make 15 dollars an hour?

I myself make roughly 27,426.308 a year living in the United States. So I don't quite make the cut either. In 2015 most recent I could find over 51% of us citizens made under 30,000 a year.

Being in the US does not come close to by default making you part of the 1%.

Besides, in truth it's more like the .001% or something like that which is the real problem. The 1% number is used to try and pull as many people as possible on the side of defending the status quo, when in truth they shouldn't even be mentioned in terms of a problem.

Something like 62 people are as wealthy as half the world combined. Those are the real problem individuals, and they are a lot less of the worlds population than 1%. 1% is only used to distract from them by trying to pretend that a 1% is somehow in the same class as them, which is ludicrous. The 1% have more in common with the poor than these people.

Assuming that 62 number is accurate that means half the worlds wealth is in hands of the top 0.00000008947368% of the current human population, that's a far cry from including the 1%...

Let's stop being distracted by the 1% and keep our eyes on the ball, which is less than 100 people in a world of over 7.6 Billion.

Facts don't care about your emotions. The fact of the matter is that the poorest 5% in the US make more than the richest 5% in India.

While the typical fast food worker may not make $32,400/yr, the vast majority of people will in fact earn far more than $32,400 at some point in their lives. Remember, income is just what you make in any given year. There were times in my life that I did not make $32,400.

The point still stands that even the poor in America are part of the 1% (or very close to it) when you look at it globally. The reality is that there are a lot of people globally living in very poor conditions that the brokest mofo in the western world cannot imagine.

The left shoots itself in the foot talking about the 1%. It doesn't take much to be in the 1% in the US. A household income of around $450k. It is a good money, but it isn't billionaire yacht money. It is your dentist, doctor, middle manager. Even a person selling their home may be in that 1% for a year.

Lumping these people in with billionaires is where you guys go wrong. A person making $500k/yr may be part of the 1%, but has far more in common with someone making $75k/yr than they do with people who are worth hundreds of millions and billions of dollars. Part of the reason for this is that the incomes of the very very wealthy are in fact extreme.

The spread in incomes among the top 1% is FAR GREATER than the spread in incomes between the 1% and the bottom 99%. In other words, the top .00001% - 1% may range from people making $1 billion per year down to $450k.... whereas the bottom 99% is 0 - $450k.

a reply to: Edumakated

I agree lumping them in with the billionaires is a mistake. In fact as I pointed out it's a purposeful one for precisely the purpose of obfuscating the real villains by trying to put a wedge between people that shouldn't exist. The 1% is nothing more than a sacrificial buffer between the true elite and the unwashed masses. The elite pretend the 1% are one them with one hand while getting ready to push them towards the mob with the other.

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
a reply to: Edumakated

Corporations don't represent the will of the people, they represent their own interests. I'm speaking of corporate lobbying and I never said anything about unions or "other interest groups" so it seems you're arguing against a point I never made.

You do realize that a corporation is just a legal construct for shareholders (people).

And yet the very definition of a legal construct is that it is NOT people.
If it was simply people it would not be a legal construct.

Whilst people have multi-faceted interests and beliefs, the legal construct of a corporation is not obligated to "people" but rather a legal obligation to profits. Yes, profits that (theoretically) benefit shareholders interests, but that does not make corporations people.

A hammer, a gun, a knife, a screw driver...they are tools with specific purposes to benefit people, but they by their very definition and purpose, NOT people.

An important distinction in all things law, Citizens United being just one example.

originally posted by: Oldskool88

I know of people that are in managment within care homes yet are on only %5 above the minimum wage.

Why? Why don't they open a care home and run it themselves, why work years at 5% above minimum? That is all they can do?

We see it all the time coperations paying the people that generate there coperations wealth as little as they can get away with, despite of huge profits.

Don't work there...end of story...

I would say corporation greed and personal circumstance keeps many of hard working people into lower paid jobs. Lets not forget some people are scared of change or strughle with some of lifes challanges.

Like what? Life changes from high school, life changes from moving from the town they were born in? "corporation greed" is an excuse to blame something other than oneself.

Its easy to say thats there fault but thats not a fair stand point. i believe anyone that works towards the society in which we live should be rewarded with a true liveable wage the minimum wage is barely a surviveable wage.

Living wage of what? Single person living on their own, a whole family cost? Living wage where four people can share all the cost?

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: Oldskool88

I know of people that are in managment within care homes yet are on only %5 above the minimum wage.

Why? Why don't they open a care home and run it themselves, why work years at 5% above minimum? That is all they can do?

We see it all the time coperations paying the people that generate there coperations wealth as little as they can get away with, despite of huge profits.

Don't work there...end of story...

I would say corporation greed and personal circumstance keeps many of hard working people into lower paid jobs. Lets not forget some people are scared of change or strughle with some of lifes challanges.

Like what? Life changes from high school, life changes from moving from the town they were born in? "corporation greed" is an excuse to blame something other than oneself.

Its easy to say thats there fault but thats not a fair stand point. i believe anyone that works towards the society in which we live should be rewarded with a true liveable wage the minimum wage is barely a surviveable wage.

Living wage of what? Single person living on their own, a whole family cost? Living wage where four people can share all the cost?

Another self rightous biggot that obviously thinks his worth more than your average amazon worker or care home worker or bin man. People without a financial backing need anyjob what ever that may be to survive, then they need to maintain that job to survive. Everyone uses these peoples services and it can be argued is more important than your favourite film star or footballer . Your points are totally invalid and your missing my point all together. You obvioisly do well financially and i sense you have no experience of being at the bottom of the pile. Some people are working as hard as they can without risking loosing there family home and without putting there family at jeopardy by risking all of there little bit of wealth!!!!

(they should get a fair living wage is what im saying)

These people are being taken advantage of.

And as for life changes, your little small minded perception of what i meant shows how much life xp you actually have. How about divorce, abuse, grieveing of loved ones, illness. At the end of the day everyone has a story and some are obviously harder going than your upbringing, an assumption im making from your interpretation of what i said. My point did not imply any of your interpretation!!

Some people cant afford to gamble everything because it would potentially leave them homeless!! Some people have not got the time to learn all the aspects of starting a business as they are to busy surviving!!

And as for you claiming coperations are not greedy!!! Are you retarded? You said its more that the lower paid workers have got themselves to blame for being paid a tiny fraction of the coperations profits. Thats a fkin insult to most minimum wage workers!!

So tell me do u believe that the person that looks after your mother later on in life, wipes her arse and cleans her sick and feeds and clothes her. Is worth 1,000,000 times less a month than a #ing guy that runs and kicks a football about.

Get of your high horse pal!!