Million $ Lives Vs Homelessness

I am not saying that rich people in general do not deserve to be rich, some of them very much do so.
They have worked extremely hard and sacrificed allot (their own health and lives, not all of them are evil) to be where they are.
But still, there are so many people living in utterly horrible conditions. Some of them have put themselves there (drugs, criminality, violence, etc) but yet again, some of them have been fighting and done everything they can, and still that is not enough, due to the unfairness foundations of our society.

This thread simply shows some of the contrasts which exists.
What made me start to think about it this evening was a series I watched, called Million Dollar Rooms. The name says it all.
I appreciate beautiful art, fast cars and big houses and saying anything else would be a lie. But I still have concerns about what is happening in our society.
How much money and things do people really need?





The $1,000 Pizza





Mother-daughter bonding the obvious way...





Expensive blanket





Sitting down the rich way





Mr Bloomberg





Royal horsetraining

yep the world is a mess. When people talk about the redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor they are criticized and labelled an evil communist but if you support redistribution of wealth from poor to rich you are a capitalist. Being a capitalist is not frowned upon though. The problem with all businesses whether they be a pharmaceutical company or even the police force these days is that it is profit driven not results driven. Humanity is an after thought if a thought at all.

reply to post by LiberalSceptic


It all comes down to morality, and I view many of the ultra rich as the most immoral Humans on the planet.

Unfortunately, most of them are, I believe, clinically psychotic. When people like this are so detached from reality and insulated from the real world, they learn to look down upon anyone "beneath" them and deem them as worthless. This creates a psychopathy where they view others as disposable and their existence inconsequential.

People are a product of their environment and their upbringing. That's why you'll often find that those who work hard to achieve what they have earned are more humane, more sympathetic and more modest about their wealth. They are generally the ones who donate, hold fund-raising events and put something back into their community.

On the other side of it there those who grow up living in luxury, having doors opened for them by their rich daddy. They don't work for what they have, they just own it and manage it, they pay others to make more for them, they hoard it, they are genuinely mentally defective.

A good example of how those "born rich" are totally detached from reality was when Mrs Romney made a statement about how "hard" they had it when they were younger. She tried to make out they were poverty stricken kids, and then ended the statement by saying it was okay because Mitt had lots of shares.

That shows how delusional these people often are. Her definition of "poor" does not match reality in any sense. She is delusional if she thinks needing to cash in some shares means you're poor.

Unfortunately, nothing will change as long as people continue to allow others to live like this. People support this, by supporting the businesses these freaks of nature operate.

As a general rule, small businesses get my money, I'll avoid big business wherever I can because I don't want to contribute to the sales stats for some global corp and their millionaire CEO's. I don't buy from the big brands wherever there is an alternative, and I would rather pay more for something locally produced by a small company than pay less to a global corp. At least if I buy from a small business I know that my money is more likely to stay in my community and not be immediately funnelled out to an account in the Camen Islands.

reply to post by detachedindividual


I was just talking about psychopaths in another thread. You are right. I can see it in peoples eyes as I grew up around a psychopath. Only true evil in this world I believe. As I stated in the other post, they are only controlled by their own wants or want nots. Truly scary individuals. I wonder if anyone knows if it is a genetic trait that we can see or if it is something more.

Originally posted by Uberdavo
yep the world is a mess. When people talk about the redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor they are criticized and labelled an evil communist but if you support redistribution of wealth from poor to rich you are a capitalist. Being a capitalist is not frowned upon though. The problem with all businesses whether they be a pharmaceutical company or even the police force these days is that it is profit driven not results driven. Humanity is an after thought if a thought at all.

The problem isn't capitalism itself, it's a good model when it's used properly. The problem is that we have never had real capitalism. You cannot have real capitalism when government is influenced by industry and business. You cannot have capitalism and bail out companies at the same time. You definitely cannot have capitalism without any checks and balances in place.

We do not have a capitalist system. We had something slightly approaching capitalism - at least on the face of it - for a while. But the moment the government handed money to a struggling business capitalism ended for all to see.

Bailing out a failed business is not capitalism. In a real capitalist system the failed banks would have failed, to be replaced by new businesses, like a forest burning down and the sunlight getting to the ground for new life to start. When a company collapses, the entire industry doesn't die with it, other smaller businesses grow with that customer base.

The failed business failed for a reason, and they should be allowed to collapse, this is the natural order of capitalism.

It seems naive to assume that simply redistributing wealth from one group to another would solve any problems. You are underestimating the lack of empathy from one group and the lack of motivation or willpower of another. There always has been rich/poor and always will be. No amount of theorizing or posturing will ever change this dynamic. There are some too weak or stupid to protect their wealth and ability, and some too strong and smart to stop from taking that wealth or abuse that ability. Its great to wish and hope but don't fool yourself into believing it is the fault of 1 group that another group is without. You could give that group all the wealth in the world and within a short amount of time they would have it stolen back from them or willingly give it away out of ignorance.

It is a part of life. Always has been, always will be.

You did an excellent job on your post. S&F

The picture with the homeless man wrapping his arms around the other human being made me cry. It was so powerful.

If humanity continues on this path, it will only get worse.

We must learn to stay in light and love one another.

Originally posted by Uberdavo
reply to post by detachedindividual

 

I was just talking about psychopaths in another thread. You are right. I can see it in peoples eyes as I grew up around a psychopath. Only true evil in this world I believe. As I stated in the other post, they are only controlled by their own wants or want nots. Truly scary individuals. I wonder if anyone knows if it is a genetic trait that we can see or if it is something more.

I don't think it's genetic, personally. I think it's a result of education and example. As I mentioned in the last post, people become accustomed to their surroundings and environment.

It's like the child being raised by wolves in the forest. They cannot comprehend the reality outside of that forest, society is alien to them. The same applies to those who grow up with their rich daddy buying them everything they want, making sure they get the degree from the good school, then the job to put them in a position of power. That kid grows up with no sense of reality, they don't understand the world outside of their limousine.

Because they grow up with everything provided for them, people are inconsequential to their existence. They are the epitome of the spoiled brat, but they are far more dangerous because they view all other life as being disposable to them. They are raised to believe they are king (or queen), and that everything on Earth is theirs to use and abuse at their will.

When you think of it like this, and then you look at the actions of some of those business people and politicians who grew up and got to where they are without hardly lifting a finger themselves, you start to see it in their actions and words. They try to cover it up, because they've learned over time that it's easier to get what they want if they don't make their psychopathy obvious, but you can still see it there.

I understand what is being said about capitalism. I also agree with what you are saying. I never said redistribution of wealth would work either. The problem is that everything is incentive based, with the incentive in our society always being profit this breeds evil. Some people are just hopeless too and would still end up homeless no matter what help they get. I have seen this first hand as I lived on the streets when I was a teenager and alot of the people there actually love their lifestyle. I myself clawed my way out of the crap and now live a very comfortable lifestyle. I am lucky to live in a country like australia though.

Originally posted by sputniksteve
It seems naive to assume that simply redistributing wealth from one group to another would solve any problems. You are underestimating the lack of empathy from one group and the lack of motivation or willpower of another. There always has been rich/poor and always will be. No amount of theorizing or posturing will ever change this dynamic. There are some too weak or stupid to protect their wealth and ability, and some too strong and smart to stop from taking that wealth or abuse that ability. Its great to wish and hope but don't fool yourself into believing it is the fault of 1 group that another group is without. You could give that group all the wealth in the world and within a short amount of time they would have it stolen back from them or willingly give it away out of ignorance.

It is a part of life. Always has been, always will be.

There will be differences based on ability but it is when these differences get to big that you get revolutions like the French Revolution. Inequality causes violence.

They only working allowed wealth should be wealth by creating wealth by yourself and not by inheriting wealth. If you allow people to have insane amount of power (and money is power) just because they are born to it then you destroy the need of creating something from nothing with your own hands and you get psychotic idiocy after a few generations.

I call capitalism ego parasitical. The people who win or are at the top of that game are mostly manipulative people who really do not seem to have a soul anymore. I see it like there is the thieves at the bottom and the thieves at the top. The once at the bottom go to jail but the thieves at the top change the rule so that they do not get in trouble from society.

But then all things have to pay the karmabill in the end. I hope they are really enjoying themselves much in this life and that they feel that it was worth it when they have to pay the price. I have a feeling many of them will curse the day they where born when they have to settle their karma. A person who are keeping 3000 workers miserable for years for their own profit and greed will have to experiance the other side of the coin in other lives. You can really screw up your future for millions of years in a single life. It is dangerous to be on the top of the pyramid for your soul.

You don't have to be rich to give a few buck to the homeless.
You don't have to be rich to work the kitchen in a shelter.
You don't have to be rich to give a guy a buck standing on the street corner.
What did you do for the poor today?

Originally posted by detachedindividual

The problem isn't capitalism itself, it's a good model when it's used properly. The problem is that we have never had real capitalism. You cannot have real capitalism when government is influenced by industry and business. You cannot have capitalism and bail out companies at the same time. You definitely cannot have capitalism without any checks and balances in place.

I'm sorry, but this is absurd. People say the same thing about communism. That the model is good, but it's implemented improperly. It's a justification and rationalization for what is always at the root of a government: control.

It doesn't matter how it's sold to the people. Government is authorship of the people's lives, and perception of reality.

Capitalism, and any form of government will always be flawed because it's root is anti-human. We weren't meant to be herded and controlled. We were meant to form our own communities and steer our lives as we see fit.

Capitalism will always place the most successful capitalists in charge, behind the scenes. It's an inherent flaw in the system.

The greatest bum sign ever:

Why live in a $400,000 house when you can live under a $6,000,000 bridge?

There isn't a single person on this planet that is entitled to any more than anyone else, and that program is a hellzone one its inherently evil beyond expression of the word and the very root of all evil in the universe, and its not even a slippery slope down. When people grow up from that idea, they may actually progress.

Family sees the least as the greatest and the greatest as the least.

By the way, this isn't an ISM. A political stripe. There is no system on this planet that even comes close, except the Venus Project if run in the most idealistic way, with no elites. It is a state of being and understanding, that is profound sovereign freedom wedded to profound equality and abundance for all without expectation of slavery, yet shares the work for all who can as well and looks after those who can't equally, and respects every from or work equally including parenting young children. It is something that is advanced, and for those who understand, there is no laws, no judges, no leaders nothing needed but the Goodness of All. And once you get there is no compromise for everything else is HARM and SHADOW.

Ex servicemen, make up one of the highest proportions of those who now find themselves homeless. The ones who risk their lives to ensure the rich can remain rich.

I apologize for not being active in my own thread, but my internet went down.
Just got it back.

reply to post by detachedindividual


I have meet those psychopaths and I have meet some really good people.
Is the upbringing not a big part as well? People from a poor home who makes it, would surely be nicer than people coming from the rich home being taught from the beginning that money is everything.
I am saying this in general and not as a stated fact.

(and as I went to read the second part, I saw that you already said the same thing as I did above )

Ha ha yes, that is crazy. I guess a homeless person would wish he/she had some shares laying around as well, for a rainy day...

As I wrote in my OP.
How much do people really need to feel good.
A nice house, comfortable furniture, a fun car and the possibility to travel when the urge comes.
That for me would be an absolutely perfect living situation and the amount of richness I would be content with.

That is good of you to do.
Everyone should try and use as much of the local butchers, vegetable dealers, bakeries, etc, as possible.
Our society needs to be community based again.
Big commerce can still exist in some fields, but we need to live locally much more.

reply to post by Quyll


Thank you.
Yes it is quite powerful.
Love is the last thing to go away.

reply to post by Uberdavo


Personally I think it is about concentrating new resources and not redistribute wealth.
It is almost impossible to know which person really earned it, and which person destroyed other people on the way to the top, and surely, the person whom have earned should be allowed to keep what has been worked for.

We need to focus on providing free energy, free food, free housing and free water.
So that people can feel safe and be able to concentrate on creating what they are good at.
I have written this several times before, and I am aware that I am (as some people told me) a dreamer, but I truly do believe that this could be done one day.