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I'm a One-Percenter...and I Support the OWS Movement.

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posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 10:16 AM
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Originally posted by FailedProphet
Which brings me to my next major point: I believe that in the casino economy that America has become, luck plays as big a role as "hard work," if not more. Many one-percenters are lucky they were born with a silver spoon in their mouths, while others such as myself may have worked hard, but benefitted from luck based on timing or location. As I type this, I'm watching a landscaping guy tear up weeds across the street. I have no doubt this man works as hard or harder than I ever did...but he is not likely to earn a fraction of what I have. So for the anti-OWS who say those who are impoverished just need to "work harder," I would say the system is broken and distributes rewards unfairly. People are right to feel angry about this!


Finally, someone rich that accepts the idea of being lucky to be where they are at!!

There are so many rich people not caring about the poor because they think that the poor should just get off their asses and work harder when sadly life, doesn't work this way. Some people, everywhere they go luck follows them and for some, it seems to be the other way around.

I've worked hard a long time and I still don't have much in return although I'm not a jerk stupid enough to ask 300$ for nothing. If people think they can get money like that for no reason, they aren't up to the change this world needs.

Of course, if you could give me a hand with my music lol...we can all dream no?

edit on 18-10-2011 by User8911 because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 10:20 AM
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I have had close contact with the 10% and up off and on through my life. At one time I was assistant to a 1%'er.

She was born with a Silverspoon and trust fund. Daddy paid her way though college where she majored in expensive booze and coc aine parties. Her monthly 'fun money' was 10 grand. Passed with an almost 'C'. Graduated and was placed on 3 major corporate boards by age 23- the executives of which owed favors to her cut-throat daddy or who were friends of the family.

Her 'hard work' on those boards were to attend an hour meeting for each, once a month. This could be by phone or in person. After those meetings there was an attorney sitting there to explain to her what had just happened. She made 100k per month for 3 hours 'hard work'. I watched her attend meetings high.

She had people who did every thing from draw her bath to layout her clothes in the morning - and clean up after her.

Once she called me in an absolute panic- crying uncontrollably - almost hysterical. She wanted to talk to her fiancee. Scared me to death as she sounded like someone died. We had just put her on a plane to Paris where she was to attend a congratulatory dinner for being assigned CEO of a minor tech company in four days.

The hysteria? Turned out her plane was diverted to Canada (storm) and the airlines couldn't find a room at a 5 star hotel. So she was 'stuck' in a 4 star "with a bunch of neanderthals who probably would ruin her clothes and probably wouldn't take care of her properly." Absolutely hysterical.

They succeeded in teaching her to make pretty speeches and this person ended up being CEO of a larger computer company- which she then ruined by putting an Indian in charge of production/operations and moving everything to India. The hardware went from being admired as a middle to higher end product to barely being able to be sold at Walmart because the quality declined to the very pit.

I just know she could barely function in real life and I pitied her helplessness. I do know when TSHTF these people will be the first to go.
.



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 10:30 AM
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No offense but how can you be a OWS supporter, hate wallstreet greed and support Ron Paul??? I used to think Ron Paul would be against wallstreet too but look at his newly released plan and he is the biggest sellout to the rich of any other candidate so far as his plan benefits them the most.


"Paul would also make far-reaching changes to federal tax policy, reducing the top corporate income tax rate to 15 percent, eliminating capital gains and dividends taxes and allowing for repatriation of overseas capital without tax penalties. All tax cuts enacted under former President George W. Bush would be extended."

Corporate income tax is pretty self explanatory. Capital gains tax = tax on money made from stocks, bonds etc. Huge tax break for the rich and powerful and wallstreeters who will now be able to transfer even more wealth from the poor to the rich and manipulate and dominate the stock market further. Dividend tax is an income tax on dividend payments to the stockholders (shareholders) of a company. So same as above.

Meanwhile he cuts or eliminates almost every program that helps the middle/lower class and doesn't lower their taxes at all. He also believes in deregulation of wallstreet/corporations giving them even more power to do what they want and more ways to transfer money from the poor/middle class to the rich.

Corporations, wall street and millionaires/billionaires will love it if Ron Paul gets voted after reading this plan. They will be richer than ever at the expense of the middle/poor class. The rich and powerful will be even richer and more powerful, while the poor and middle class get even more screwed. So again, Ron Paul =/= OWS.
edit on 18-10-2011 by darkest4 because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 10:36 AM
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I like the OP's post. He made money but he does have a social conscience.

There is a segment of American society that believes that the economy should be run like a casino. One thing a casino does is steadily, methodically, through statistically engineered processes, transfer the wealth of the customers to the owners of the casino.

If the customers stay in the casino long enough, all of their wealth will be transferred to the owners.

You can always walk out of a casino to put a stop to the transfer of your wealth, but the vast majority of Americans can't walk out of America. That's why the odds in the American casino have to be adjusted to prevent the complete impoverishment of ordinary Americans.

Capitalism has to be regulated to some extent, not deregulated. Deregulation is legislatively assisted robbery.

It is as simple as that.

The OP makes another good point about "pin striped" socialism. America, with its bailouts of large corporate interests and banks is, in effect, following the economic policies of the old Soviet Union, and for the same reasons, . . . to keep a senile old guard in power.

"Too big to fail" could have been the motto of the former Soviet Union.
edit on 18-10-2011 by ipsedixit because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 10:42 AM
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The op is not the top 1% OWS is on about...There is a difference between being rich and being wealthy...You cant get rid of wealth. Show some support to the movement and donate some tents or something..



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 10:54 AM
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reply to post by Stratus9
 



She was born with a Silverspoon and trust fund. Daddy paid her way though college where she majored in expensive booze and coc aine parties. Her monthly 'fun money' was 10 grand. Passed with an almost 'C'. Graduated and was placed on 3 major corporate boards by age 23- the executives of which owed favors to her cut-throat daddy or who were friends of the family.

Her 'hard work' on those boards were to attend an hour meeting for each, once a month. This could be by phone or in person. After those meetings there was an attorney sitting there to explain to her what had just happened. She made 100k per month for 3 hours 'hard work'. I watched her attend meetings high.


Yup. And THESE are the people who control all the money. It's sickening. Talk about luck. But you're right, she couldn't function in real life.

I know a person who s the only child -- the "heir apparent" of a fat cat at a major global firm. Neurotic mess. Terrified to live alone, unable to deal with the concept of finding a job and paying living expenses and tuition independently. Completely unprepared to be suddenly cut off (though threatened with it regularly). Poor judgment, poor self-control, poor friendship skills, poor choices in companions and priorities (high-end fashion vs store-brand groceries), completely lacking in direction, next to no backbone. Oblivious to the fact that sycophants are everywhere...most likely does not know that word, let alone its definition. Currently in a relationshiip voluntarily "promised" to an upper-mid-level family's youngest, but can't conceive of the fact that the future in-laws see the relationship as a merger-and-acquisition.

I care about this person very much on one hand, but on the other can only facepalm at the repetitive helplessness and shallow, dysfunctional manner of operating that is displayed.

Sadly, this is the wave of those who are being groomed for positions of absolute power and wealth. By those who have it mastered. Disheartening, to say the least.



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 10:57 AM
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Originally posted by GmoS719
reply to post by FailedProphet
 


Can I please borrow $300
I think this is an appropriate leason for a MOOcher like U...


His disciples asked him and said to him, " Do you want us to fast? How should we pray? Should we give to CHARITY?(people like U & religious buSINesses that need the god of money to spread the Real Gods message... that by the way is free to anyone who looks within) What diet should we observe?

Jesus says, " Don't lie(to your self), and don't do what you hate(to your self), because ALL THINGS/STUFF are disclosed before heaven(if you look with in before your flesh dies). After all, there is nothing hidden that will remain undisclosed."

Mr X-ULTRA/NON-PROFIT€... more posting to come... but I normaly don't like to post on these kind of threads because I look stupid... since I only know about meaningless Ecclesiastes things that don't make no money
... Plus right now I'm having my continental breakfast on top of the world... DAM IT!!!... sorry for the outburst... my Shabbos goy just brought me my tea... he said it went up .10 cents due to hyperinflation... so I had to have him run it back... he does this for me... because he thinks he's going to get a trading room office with no door knobs... at the Sachs Borough location

edit on 18-10-2011 by CosmicWaterGate because: Shalom




posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:04 AM
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I'd like to post my story, because well, I think the OP can relate, in a way. At about 10 or maybe nine years old I had the idea of "inline" skates. I had a picture of the basic make up of this type of skate (I had had an artist draw it up because my father was in the business world and I had told him of my idea and he said If I got it drawn to show a prototype of what one would look like he'd talk to some of his business friends, after showing him the picture (which pretty much was EXACTLY what the skates look like now) I never heard another thing about it. Well skip ahead some 16 years later and these things are selling like hotcakes. HMMM Funny I look up "company who first sold inline skates" on google and a NJ company comes up?
That's my home state and the state in which I told my dad about my idea. Somewhere around the time they came out my dad moved into a 1.5 million dollar home. I know that I could have pitched my idea myself when I reached that age, except I had no secondary education, not only did I not know how to go about doing so, I had no idea WHO to pitch it to! I had taken skating lessons and knew of high cost pro skate companies, But they were definately not the type of business I would have pitched it to, because these were not for "pro" purposes. I would like to think my dad did NOT go and sell my idea to a company and cut me out, but it may be so? But I also ran my mouth about the idea to anybody who would listen so they could have just as easily been the one to sell my idea.

The moral of the story, it's not only luck but it's WHO you know, if I had known someone in the sports game and toy industries, I would be part of the wealthy myself.

Another one of my ideas that I have had was A&E's Monster in Law (I blogged about the idea for a show like this on their website not long after the Jay Lo movie came out). If I knew someone in Hollywood, I could have pitched it.
So it's all about who you know and luck. Or just lucky to meet the who you need to know at exactly the time you need them.



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:06 AM
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posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:11 AM
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Ok, so we do agree on some things.

The problem with most 1% is that they don't do enough to put the money back out there. They end up investing in their own assets while not realizing that investing in the community around them is likely more important than any yacht, mansion, or fancy toys and bling. It's possible to do all kinds of things for your own self image, but if you ignore what's important when you claim a higher status in society - all of those things will not reflect well upon you. I believe the "old school" term from those days leading up to the French Revolution was "noblesse oblige"... In their case they did way too little too late, ignoring everything at their own peril. That excess wealth actually brings responsibility and accountability with it.

If you're well off enough to be covered for your own comfortable retirement and kids education... You can contribute by starting a hobby business. (If not a few different ones.) It shouldn't have to be perfectly profitable, but it should have a goal of break even. (Unless you don't mind a money pit.) But the real purpose of whatever you decide to do should be to provide honest work with a livable wage and a way to put some money back into the local economy. (Seriously though, pay wages that better fit the real COL than minimum and people will want to work there. At least this is true if the terms of employment and expectations are honestly up-front and reasonable, as work shouldn't be overly stressful if people know what they're getting into.) Keep the quality up such that business makes a name for itself and keep it local, and you really could do more for your town or local area than any big box store or large restaurant chain.

Also as part of the 1%, you should be able to call the shots at some places to pull down that experience barrier. There are a lot of otherwise qualified people out there that aren't being given fair opportunity to do the jobs they went and got the degrees for. (Imagine the frustration of being turned away at every door you knock on.) In-house-training that covers things not taught at the colleges isn't an expense, it too is an investment. Too many places have lost sight of that and don't care, and would rather outsource or attempt to hire highly experienced people for entry-level positions and wages... Look what that has lead to. It needs fixing. Newbies need an honest shot to learn the ropes. Sure, there will be higher turnover and that has its costs. But at least you're actually giving people a chance rather than denying them one. This allows for building character and experience among those willing to work than the nothing at all which the current situation provides.

I'd consider myself as part of the 99%. However, I finally managed to get a job (not relating to my degree at all), so I can't just up and run off to the protests. Still I don't make quite enough to move out on my own... (Remember what I said about COL? Still better than no work, which is what I had for the last 3 years.) The thing is, my complaint is that capitalism has been replaced with "crapitalism". Putting profit above all else. Sometimes that approach is counterproductive and self-destructive in the long run. The real goal should be to not have profit as an ultimate motive, but to have profit such that you can re-invest with a goal of improving things for everybody.

In my opinion, a company showing a net balance which is break-even, but with employees living reasonably well and customers that are satisfied is much better for society than a company which shows high profits, cut back almost all the jobs, overworks the remaining employees, and has nothing but complaints from customers.

I don't think that sounds like much of a hand-out, but if you can convince more of the 1% to see such things as not being one - then maybe we've got a start here?



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:11 AM
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First of all, star and flag to the OP for laying it on the line like that. it takes a pair to do something like that on a site like this. It was a well laid out and articulated post, and that's refreshing to see here.

If anything about that post stood out to me it was the fact that he/she openly admitted that if it were not for luck, his hard work would not have paid off. If more people were that honest about their good fortunes, this country might not be in the financial mess that it's in now IMO. That kind of humility could go a long way in fixing things, and it goes to show, via the OP, when you do practice that kind of humility after you've garenered a fair amount of wealth you'll keep a level head about yourself and probably won't waste that money foolishly like a lot of people seem to do.

The OP seems to be one of those rare cases where money didn't go to his head.

I've worked hard all my life and, while I'm not doing that bad for myself, I would probably be doing a lot better had I had the kind of luck the OP had. Sometimes things pan out to where I do real good with my actions, while other times it seems like my timing wasn't just right. Hard work does pay off in the long run though. If you don't see as many financial rewards as you would like to, at least you can lay your head on your pillow at night and admit to yourself that you tried your best. An honest mans pillow is his peace of mind.

I'm still of the mindset though that the more monetatry wealth that a person has, the more it leads to the chance that the person in question will strart to live beyond their means. And we all know where that leads. In today's society in particular there seems to be such a huge focus on getting as much money as you can, and not nearly enough focus on the fact that money is not going to solve the major issues that you have in your life. Is money neccessary? Absolutely. Try living without it. But it is not the answer to all your problems that a lot of people would like to believe, and that in my opinion is at the heart of all the financial distress we're seeing.

Money is not the root of all evil. The love of it is.





posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:15 AM
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reply to post by FailedProphet
 


Well done sir, I think you have clearly explained why so many of us support at least some of what this OWS movement is about. It's hard to clearly explain the situation, mostly because it becomes a trollish slur filled bickering match by people entirely unqualified to have an opinion about a movement they only know from Fox news.

Hell, even Geraldo can see this is much more than lazy kids demanding handouts. One of the things that has them so miffed is the handouts to the bankers, who intern made record breaking bonuses on the back of a complete financial meltdown they caused themselves. They ruined the economy and rocked the global financial markets on a whim, and got REWARDED FOR IT WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS.

I really don't understand something, how so many purported "republicans" could possibly be against this movement. Maybe that's because they've been spoon fed this socialist coming for YOUR money BS and actually ate it up?

And lets be frank here, some would say the bank bailouts were socialist in nature. I disagree and here is why. Socialism, the likes of which you can see in Canadian healthcare, and among any of the top health quality / care lists of countries. It is designed (but doesn't always work) to benefit the whole, not a select group.

What happened here, with the Bank Bailouts is fascism. It's a massive fraud, the likes of which would never have been ignored, if not for the constant wars. And as soon as one starts to cool down (not the conflict, the viewer interest) another one pops up just in time to keep you distracted, same as Enron.

Some complain that these OWS protesters want to rob from the rich to give to the poor.

Not so.

They want the rich to pay their fare share instead of getting the tax shelters, loop holes, and tax breaks. And do not feed me the BS line about trickle down economics, it didn't work before and going from the global protests and tent cities all over America, it didn't work this time.

It's not even about "redistribution" of wealth. It's about ending the ponzi scheme that is the US tax code. If corporations, and the "rich 1%" paid their fare share, the same share in proportion, that the middle and lower class has to pay, there wouldn't be such a divide.

As it stands now it's almost impossible to move from lower class to middle, and even harder to move from middle to upper.

Stop and think for a second. the mortgage fraud fiasco that helped collapse the economy. Banks packaged extremely risky loans, together, sold them as solid and stable, borrowed against them, and then sold the original mortgages again sometimes several times. Because they allowed people to get mortgages they couldn't hope to pay off, they were sitting on a ticking time bomb.

So that bomb went off, and they started calling in the loans, which people couldn't pay, so they foreclose on the homes and put the people into the street. The same people who probably lost their jobs due to outsourcing.

So, because the entire system is based on lies, it starts to collapse, and the banks, the gamblers who LOST, go to the government and beg for YOUR TAX DOLLARS to keep them afloat, promising to ease lending, and get the economy going again.

Overwhelmingly the people said NO.

the government did it anyways, and what did the banks do? Did they start lending? No. Did they work with the people to help make affordable payment options? No.

instead, they gave the people who made these bad decisions record breaking bonuses at a time when they were so in debt they would have to close down completely, they handed out record bonuses.

And what about all those empty homes and the people living in tents? The houses are being bulldozed as we speak.

Isn't that America? doesn't that make you proud?



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:28 AM
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Its clear from the posts here, in the microcosm of ATS, the world

is polarized both sympathetic to you - an anonymous avatar -

and totally against you.

The battle lines are now probably - possibly irrevocably drawn, pitting

rich against the 99%. Im in the 5%, and worth more dead than alive,

and wishing to lose everything because i am a slave to my mortgage

and sycophantic bosses. I can only hope my daughter can grow

up and live in a saner, more balanced "retro" country like Canada,

where there's less class divide despite being North american.

Are we that willing to kill each other over this?

My parents barely survived WW2 in Nazi occupied Greece. No food.

Plenty of machine gun death squads. Plenty of fear. Lights out at dusk,

Shades drawn during the day. Modern Greece is on the brink of

repeat disaster at the hands of Goldman Sachs and the German EU....again.

Do we all want this? 99% of Americans my age NEVER experienced war.

Our troops are the 1% who fight for us. They wouldn't want this at home.

There is a better way.

Play the game and PULL OUT YOUR FUNDS from major banks Nov 5.

That will be the litmus test. Take it - nonviolently - from there.

God have mercy on us.
edit on 10/18/2011 by drphilxr because: spelling !@$

edit on 10/18/2011 by drphilxr because: (no reason given)

edit on 10/18/2011 by drphilxr because: mas

edit on 10/18/2011 by drphilxr because: mas!



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:33 AM
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reply to post by darkest4
 



"Paul would also make far-reaching changes to federal tax policy, reducing the top corporate income tax rate to 15 percent, eliminating capital gains and dividends taxes and allowing for repatriation of overseas capital without tax penalties. All tax cuts enacted under former President George W. Bush would be extended."



Source, please, this doesn't sound like Ron Paul if this is true he's lost my support!



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:36 AM
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reply to post by FailedProphet
 


Thank you for you honest and fair assessment. Many here seem to be harping on you because you don't give away your money thus concluding that you are part of the evil. You, however, understand that this is not about 99% against the 1%, it is simply the 99% united to change our economic structure. Given how many are fooled in the 99%, we welcome any and all from the 1% who want to help.

You did not make your wealth by betting against your countrymen on Wall Street. You did not attain your wealth through overseas sweatshops. You did not get rich by scamming people through dubious S&L practices. You made your living honestly and got lucky. Congratulations. The only thing you owe the rest of America is your sympathy and input to help improve the system. You are doing that. Don't let anybody tell you that you are part of the problem.

Thanks again.



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:39 AM
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Originally posted by randomname
you can hire the guy mowing the lawn across the street and pay him $10,000 a week to rake leaves and landscape your property.

isn't that called trickle down economics and what your republican friends harp on 24hrs a day. that if the rich keep more of their money they'll pass it down.

and before you say, well a landscaper isn't worth $10,000 a week. you can pay anyone you want, anything you want. there is no fixed income, except the artificial one created by 2 party's.

but i suspect greed will prevent you from doing that, even if you wanted to. just like greed and a stupid sense of self ego and importance makes warren buffet, the second richest man in america, pay his secretary a lousy $60,000 a year. and then he has the arrogance to go on cnn and say it isn't fair more people don't have a greater share of the wealth.

you're part of the problem, don't try to be the solution because greed and power will prevent you.


edit on 17-10-2011 by randomname because: (no reason given)


I wanted to only quote the relevant parts of the post but it's all relevant. You sir are way off base. You don't have a grasp of economics at all to make the statment you just did. Pretty sad actually because it should have been taught before graduating from high school.

I'm not trying to be mean. What I am saying is that if this person were to pay this worker $10,000 a week I'm sure his 'money' will be gone very soon. Along with your money because economics (not a 2 party system) dictates that if one worker is paid that then others in the same position should be paid similarly. This guy is in the 1% but that doesn't mean he is currently making $10,000 a week himself. So basically, just for the 3 to 10 hours a week of work, he has to pay $10,000??? And if he doesn't it comes down to greed?

You are part of the problem instead of the solution. Total blindness towards how the system could work if it were fair.



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:44 AM
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posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:44 AM
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i cant understand all these people asking for money in jest or not

maybe its the way i have been brought up and that is very much the low 99% but id never beg, borrow or steal i have what i have and i do the best i can do with it and maybe i wont make much of myself but now that i am " enlightened " when i have children i can make sure they dont fall into the same trap i did and that is all i care about



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:45 AM
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This whole 1% is kinda misguiding. Id say we talking about 0,001% we wish to take down

0.999% dont have to be afraid, but remember, resistance is futile



posted on Oct, 18 2011 @ 11:45 AM
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Originally posted by randomname
you can hire the guy mowing the lawn across the street and pay him $10,000 a week to rake leaves and landscape your property.

isn't that called trickle down economics and what your republican friends harp on 24hrs a day. that if the rich keep more of their money they'll pass it down.

and before you say, well a landscaper isn't worth $10,000 a week. you can pay anyone you want, anything you want. there is no fixed income, except the artificial one created by 2 party's.

but i suspect greed will prevent you from doing that, even if you wanted to. just like greed and a stupid sense of self ego and importance makes warren buffet, the second richest man in america, pay his secretary a lousy $60,000 a year. and then he has the arrogance to go on cnn and say it isn't fair more people don't have a greater share of the wealth.

you're part of the problem, don't try to be the solution because greed and power will prevent you.


edit on 17-10-2011 by randomname because: (no reason given)


If for whatever reason he does do that, he should make a point to only spend it at local shops and stores.
Drugs are fine too but tell him to pass on the message.
That includes you, Mr 1%.

I'm happy for you man. I'm still in school, I'm going to hopefully finish in a few years with a pretty huge debt.
Even though the job that I'm going to try get into (radio) wont pay very well if even enough to survive on, it's my passion. I've always had a thing for speaking and I've decided, what better way to have an 'educational' segment and hit people with truth. Nothing to controversial to scare the # out of them but start them with smaller stuff IE: Lucid dreaming, Ron Paul, etc.

At the end of the day, that's what I want to do and regardless of my pay or where I end up in life, its' my ideal job and the future looks prosperous for me. I realized a long time ago materialistic items are just 'fake happiness' or so I've convinced myself.

I wont ever meet you or know you but I hope you enjoy the rest of you life, you seem to have worked hard and you deserve it. You got lucky, kudos.

At the end of the heart filled rant it ironically brings my back to my original point, spend money at local stores if you're 1% also, donate money and do at least 1 days charity work.
edit on 18-10-2011 by WiZKiD111 because: (no reason given)




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