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Some friends were huddled up with me under our communal bridge the other day and we were talking about the upperclass (rich people). One of them used to work for a large multi-national banking service and has got harsher in his tone about the wealthy as he has experienced more of the so called entitled people. He says, "It almost makes you want to vote Democrat."
The general feeling of our group was that 90% of the upper class (rich people) are a combination of thieves, liars or elitists. It was mostly their fault not society's. 20-30 years ago one could be a thieving liar and elitist because there were plenty of jobs in banking/corporate which were grossly unregulated and pretty much a free for all, today, if you don't start behaving honourably there's a really good chance you'll get caught out and prosecuted for screwing everybody else out of their money. Agree?
There have always been people who earned their money by working hard and honest.
There have always been those who got their money from their families and never did a thing.
There are always people who backstabbed, lied, cheated, swindled, stole, you name it, to get what they have. So, it's a mix, just like among poor people, there are those who just really had bad luck despite how hard they tried, and those who are lazy.
Location: West Los Angeles and Rancho Palos Verdes
13,584 posts, read 15,686,495 times
Reputation: 14050
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonshadow
Some friends were huddled up with me under our communal bridge the other day and we were talking about the upperclass (rich people). One of them used to work for a large multi-national banking service and has got harsher in his tone about the wealthy as he has experienced more of the so called entitled people. He says, "It almost makes you want to vote Democrat."
The general feeling of our group was that 90% of the upper class (rich people) are a combination of thieves, liars or elitists. It was mostly their fault not society's. 20-30 years ago one could be a thieving liar and elitist because there were plenty of jobs in banking/corporate which were grossly unregulated and pretty much a free for all, today, if you don't start behaving honourably there's a really good chance you'll get caught out and prosecuted for screwing everybody else out of their money. Agree?
I agree with the first part of this. At the very highest echelon, there's Gates, Trump, Forbes, etc. who could show some concern for the mass exodus of first world capital and resources being paired with third world labor, which will eventually help destroy Western Civilization. Even internally, there's virtually no consternation for mass immigration into the U.S., robbing the middle and working classes of every job from food preparation to software engineering. The upper class simply cares about enriching themselves, hence the utter silence from them regarding the economic pain caused by the insourcing and outsourcing of jobs for the middle and working classes of Western Civilization.
And, there's really no reason for them to change their behavior, since just about every one of these traitors is living better than ever -- and why should they not...they're the ones who make the laws.
Material things mean nothing without life, and life gives meaning to material things. Like Budda said take the middle road in life for happiness. To little is not good, and to much is not good either. There is a balance. Gold and diamonds have no real value except the value we as men put on them. We are the only animal on this planet that wants things that really do nothing for our actual existence. Food and water are all that one actually needs. The planet itself is our shelter. A shelter does keep you dry and warm. As mankind moved away from the tropics material things become more and more of a need. Some men are willing to trade everything they have a for pretty objects. I would call that a form of insanity. I guess the rich are really just a group of insane people we call our leaders, but we get what we need from them to be content in life. That is why we allow them to exist in the first place. The insanity to want is the driving force that allows the rest of us to have enough to be happy. Sometimes a imbalance happens, and there are to many poor and the you have a uprising or revolution until it balances out for a while. Then it happens all over again. It has been happening since the dawn of mankind. What good would it be to own everything in the world if you were all alone. What good does it do to have nothing but live like a animal amongst a endless sea of people that have nothing in life either. Happiness lies in the middle. Just enough people with just enough things to make each other happy with each other.
I agree with the first part of this. At the very highest echelon, there's Gates, Trump, Forbes, etc. who could show some concern for the mass exodus of first world capital and resources being paired with third world labor, which will eventually help destroy Western Civilization. Even internally, there's virtually no consternation for mass immigration into the U.S., robbing the middle and working classes of every job from food preparation to software engineering. The upper class simply cares about enriching themselves, hence the utter silence from them regarding the economic pain caused by the insourcing and outsourcing of jobs for the middle and working classes of Western Civilization.
And, there's really no reason for them to change their behavior, since just about every one of these traitors is living better than ever -- and why should they not...they're the ones who make the laws.
So do you believe the status quo will continue or do you think it's possible that a majority might actually be able to affect change at some point?
I agree with the first part of this. At the very highest echelon, there's Gates, Trump, Forbes, etc. who could show some concern for the mass exodus of first world capital and resources being paired with third world labor, which will eventually help destroy Western Civilization. Even internally, there's virtually no consternation for mass immigration into the U.S., robbing the middle and working classes of every job from food preparation to software engineering. The upper class simply cares about enriching themselves, hence the utter silence from them regarding the economic pain caused by the insourcing and outsourcing of jobs for the middle and working classes of Western Civilization.
And, there's really no reason for them to change their behavior, since just about every one of these traitors is living better than ever -- and why should they not...they're the ones who make the laws.
Eh, these guys all got ahead because of what you describe, they aren't going to stop it.
Really rich people view themselves as citizens of the world. They make their money when and wherever they can, and they don't really care about the rest of us. Their "Foundations" and charities are tax shelters and to give a good public image.
Location: West Los Angeles and Rancho Palos Verdes
13,584 posts, read 15,686,495 times
Reputation: 14050
Quote:
Originally Posted by nebulous1
Eh, these guys all got ahead because of what you describe, they aren't going to stop it.
Really rich people view themselves as citizens of the world. They make their money when and wherever they can, and they don't really care about the rest of us. Their "Foundations" and charities are tax shelters and to give a good public image.
I'm sorry, but, IMO your "Group's" collective decision is 150% WRONG.
In fact, what it sounds like is nothing more than plain old class envy.
Oh good!
I doubt it would be 150% wrong. There are rich and upper class people that are thieves, liars and elitists and if you're sitting down the bottom end of the bridge huddled up for warmth because yet another swanky white collar criminal emptied out your 401K (or whatever it is you call it there) I'm not so sure it's envy and probably more like rightly placed anger.
That said, if poor people can't realistically sum up the situation without being labelled envious then I'm guessing that rich people that do the same aren't all elitist.
So does this mean we're getting to a nice middle area where sweeping generalizations and stereotypes regarding class don't apply?
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