The world's richest families' staggering wealth

originally posted by: pexx421

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: dfnj2015


A couple things pop out in your rant.

One. You say things seem expensive to you..
I imagine you haven't been to very many foreign countries.
Check out the price of a gallon/liter of gas in Britain.
Check out the housing prices.
Check out Australian prices for goods.

It's fun.....

Second. You say the rich dont pay taxes....
Not true but let's go with it....
Do you honestly believe that if you taxes the crap out of the rich that you would ever see the benefit from the taxes? Do you expect a check?

You mean like when we taxed the hell out of the rich for the new deal? And got 40 years of prosperity, growth, and a great middle class? That lasted until Reaganism dismantled it, ushering in 40 years of decline for the middle class, deindustrialization, and returning inequality? Who would have thought.

Right....
Couldnt have had anything to do with world war two and the massive amount of spending and debt created.
That and the United states was the only country not decimated by bombs.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Oh, what is the proper number then?

.7 baggillion dollars

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Both sounds good

originally posted by: caterpillage
They have the 700 tril in 10's and 20's stuffed into garbage bags in their basement.

Of course, since you can't leave it all in the bank, even when you allegedly own all the banks.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: pexx421

Could you point out at what point in human history that poverty hasn't existed?
Or maybe when a few elites didn't have more power than the average person?
I would really like to learn of this eutopia.

But it’s cool that you’re up front about the fact you have no problem with oligarchs and tyranny. Fortunately most disagree.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
Could you point out at what point in human history that poverty hasn't existed?

Easy.

In the Star Trek socialist utopian future.

a reply to: pexx421


So you're saying that immigrants are coming to the most prosperous capitalist country in the world to flee capitalism?

Makes sense.....

a reply to: Bluntone22

Yup. And quite a few economist believe the new deal extended the depression.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Scotty! Beam me up...

originally posted by: pexx421

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: pexx421

Could you point out at what point in human history that poverty hasn't existed?
Or maybe when a few elites didn't have more power than the average person?
I would really like to learn of this eutopia.

But it’s cool that you’re up front about the fact you have no problem with oligarchs and tyranny. Fortunately most disagree.

There have always been oligarchs and tyranny.

However, capitalism has allowed ANYONE to rise above their meager beginning. The vast majority of the mega wealthy are first generation. Capitalism has taken more people out of poverty than any other system.

In America, you are only constrained by your abilities. We don't have birth classes by in large anymore.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Stop worrying about what other people have and you don't.

Start concentrating on how you can improve yourself and your own lot in life while learning to be content with what you have and you will learn how to be happy in time.

Concentrate on you, not the Joneses. That's the secret.

Actually it's not a bad thing to complain about
It's unjust a family can be so greedy and selfish

If we don't want justice we become sub human

originally posted by: Bluntone22

originally posted by: pexx421

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: dfnj2015


A couple things pop out in your rant.

One. You say things seem expensive to you..
I imagine you haven't been to very many foreign countries.
Check out the price of a gallon/liter of gas in Britain.
Check out the housing prices.
Check out Australian prices for goods.

It's fun.....

Second. You say the rich dont pay taxes....
Not true but let's go with it....
Do you honestly believe that if you taxes the crap out of the rich that you would ever see the benefit from the taxes? Do you expect a check?

You mean like when we taxed the hell out of the rich for the new deal? And got 40 years of prosperity, growth, and a great middle class? That lasted until Reaganism dismantled it, ushering in 40 years of decline for the middle class, deindustrialization, and returning inequality? Who would have thought.

Right....
Couldnt have had anything to do with world war two and the massive amount of spending and debt created.
That and the United states was the only country not decimated by bombs.

Clever and wrong is still wrong.

Ww2 is why the us became preeminent. It had nothing to do with more equitable distribution of wealth, fair wages, labor laws, unemployment benefits, ss etc.

You will never convince me that an extreme wealth gap is a good thing. There's balance in all things, and excess, is simply excess. Greed is like anything, in small amounts it's good, but too much and it will be harmful.

Is like like vitamins, your body needs many different types and they are good for you. Have too much, however and you'll get sick, suffer and potentially die. There is such thing as too much of a good thing. Too much greed in society is bad. At the same time, too little and you have the exact same problem.

This is why capitalism sucks as there is no cap, and why socialism sucks, as there is no incentive. So sick of the capitalism is great bull#, and the socialism will fix everything crap. Both sides are #ing morons, because clearly both systems are failures and we need to stop with the this or that false dichotomy. Both are bad, and the sooner both sides stop defending their ism, and realize they've both failed, we might actually make some #ing progress.

As for their charities and donations, most of them are made with their #ing pocket change compared to their actual wealth. It's no sacrifice on their part. It's them trying to buy goodwill with their effing pocket lint. Half the time that money doesn't even go where it's supposed to.

a reply to: Puppylove

I think everyone agrees that every pure "ism" sucks.
A combination of several "ism's" is best for humanity.
Where the lines are drawn is the big argument.

a reply to: pexx421

No not wrong.
But we will just have to agree to disagree.

a reply to: Bluntone22

The problem is that, everyone is looking at things in terms of pure isms. Anything remotely socialist and the capitalists all collectively loose their #. Anything capitalist and the socialists collectively lose their #. Each one fights to get whatever random crap they can to stick. There's no real cooperation, and neither side is willing to consider when the other side is right, so even when a thing gets passed it's some Frankenstein monstrosity.

It's two groups playing tug of war. Nothing functional can ever be created that way.

a reply to: Edumakated

I've used the filter as well. I bought my wife a Ninja Bar that has the espresso thing and regular coffee but my Keurig replaced it since she never used it.

a reply to: Puppylove

Here's a little secret. There are some families that are wealthy due to old money, it's easy to have some disdain for them as it seems like they got money for doing nothing.

There is another side nobody wants to talk about. Those people that were poor or even middle class that worked themselves all the way up. They did things other people didn't want to do. They studied harder, they worked harder. They took risks and opened businesses. They put off having kids, they put off vacations and anything of a social life. The reality is that this is what makes up most of the rich in America. These were not silver spooned people. These were people that had a lot of the same opportunity as everyone else.

I've worked with many of the very rich, we are talking people that could have a million cash in hand tomorrow like nothing. If it makes anyone feel better, all the ones I've ever known have been miserable. They do not have happy families, they do not have a lot of friends. They probably know 100x more people than we do but they rarely have good friends, let alone one good friend. They are often very lonely people that are often alcoholics

They are workaholics and they also invest every red cent. They know the power of money, and hoard money. They rather have that five cent return than a cappuccino. There is this funny thing that happens in corporate America.
Once you have reached a certain point, you don't get vacation. You are "allowed" to take as much as you want. This is where the irony comes in. Those top people never take vacation! Never never never. Sure they might go to fancy places but I 100000% guarantee you they are still doing work.

This is the price they pay to be rich. It was their free will and their right and yours too if you are willing to sacrifice a normal life. Something happens when they are rich, people only see the money, they do not see the work. They do not see the life sacrifices, they do not see all the thousands of steps and mis-steps along the way. People think it is unfair, unjust. No it isn't.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Doesn't matter how hard someone worked, nor does it matter where they started from. There's an upper limit to what anyone should be allowed, regardless. Is not like these people saved humanity from extinction.

My problem isn't wealth. It's excess. People should have an incentive to succeed. That does not require the possibility of infinite wealth at everyone else's expense.

Follow your beliefs far enough, you'd find it acceptable if someone could find a way to acquire all wealth, and own, all land, and pretty much turn the rest of the world into dependent slaves that exist for no other purpose than to serve their needs, because they found a way to legally acquire such wealth and deeds. Especially if the person who did this started off poor.

a reply to: Puppylove

Doesn't matter how hard someone worked

This is exactly what is wrong with people today!