Married White Males

Darla said:
Onceler was a Marxist in college?? :eek2:
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I took a class on it, and was pretty enamored w/ the theory. It was during the Reagan/Gekko years, so I was also of the opinion that capitalism was a very flawed system. I loved some of the Marxist ideals.

But, as I get older, I find that I really like stuff, so I'm more capitalist. Still think it's fatally flawed, though.
 
cawacko said:
You do bring up an interesting point in that the "30% believe they are in the top 1%" line made me think I wonder how many people would think they live top 1% lives (meaning what you said which includes many things, money being one but not the only criteria of it). I've gotten to meet quite a few people who have good sums of money and while I would be lying if I ever said I wouldn't want the money they have I wouldn't want to have their lives.

As far as policies go I just don't believe Democratic policies, no matter how well intended, work the best for the country as a whole compared to Republican ones. (Now that is a general statement. Not all Democratic policies are bad not all Republican policies are good. There is a mix there.)

As for income inequality it's grown as technology has grown and I don't see that changing. Going forward we will see even more automation and robots and global competition. Raising taxes isn't going to solve that challenge.
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Modern Republican economic policy = austerity, and you have to be especially deluded to believe that helps anyone other than the (actual) 1%. And the actual 1%, know who they are. They do appreciate the assist though.
 
iolo said:
With a tiny number of exceptions, only the children of the rich get rich, and only fools amongst the poor believe they can. The rich tell the mugs they (the mugs) can get rich while they pick their pockets and pay them peanuts, laughing all the way to the bank. Your grandparents didn't stand up to McCarthy, which is why you have no idea what this means.
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So like my friend who I wrote about on this thread. His dad died young and mom was a teacher. They didn't have money. He should have just given up as opposed to study and work his *ss off like he did and put himself in a position at age 36 where he has a MBA, made $220K last year and receiving more responsibilities at work?
 
iolo said:
With a tiny number of exceptions, only the children of the rich get rich, and only fools amongst the poor believe they can. The rich tell the mugs they (the mugs) can get rich while they pick their pockets and pay them peanuts, laughing all the way to the bank. Your grandparents didn't stand up to McCarthy, which is why you have no idea what this means.
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LOL, I guess they didn't because I have no idea what that means either. What would my grandparents have done had they stood up to McCarthy? Pushed for Communism in the U.S.?
 
Darla said:
Perhaps, but I think it's more due to the American spirit rather than the human spirit. I don't think people in other countries are as deluded, nor do I get the impression they, in general, put as much importance on "getting rich" as Americans do. Enough seems to be, enough.
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I don't even think it's "American." It's the product of privilege. Everything they have done in their lives is the product of their singular skill, smarts, ambition, drive and cetra. It's not that they think they might be in the top 1%. They know they will be in the top 1%, provided, of course, the government gets out of their way.
 
Bonestorm said:
I don't even think it's "American." It's the product of privilege. Everything they have done in their lives is the product of their singular skill, smarts, ambition, drive and cetra. It's not that they think they might be in the top 1%. They know they will be in the top 1%, provided, of course, the government gets out of their way.
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If you're an athlete or entertainer and that's what you dedicate yourself to and you achieve great success that's all a product of privilege?
 
Thing1 said:
I used to have this discussion quite a bit in my collegiate days when I was a hipster Marxist, trying to goad my capitalist friends. With the ol' "veil of ignorance" - where all you knew was that you COULD make millions, even though there was a very slight change %-wise, most people would still choose a system where they could, instead of one that would limit income or be more egalitarian.

Definitely seems illogical, but if I had to guess, I think it's just part of the human spirit. We probably tend to think more of ourselves than reality would indicate.
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Rawls wasn't a Marxist.
 
cawacko said:
If your an athlete or entertainer and that's what you dedicate yourself to and you achieve great success that's all a product of privilege?
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I was talking about the white male phenomenon so I'm having a tough time understanding your question.
 
cawacko said:
LOL, I guess they didn't because I have no idea what that means either. What would my grandparents have done had they stood up to McCarthy? Pushed for Communism in the U.S.?
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The Welsh Windbag is stuck in the past and thinks that McCarthy is still alive. He is a unrepentant Marxist who has learnt nothing, Wales is full of them.
 
Darla said:
Cawacko you seem a lot touchier these days than you used to be. Are you spending time with Superfreak?
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LOL, I know tone does not always come across well on this board but I wasn't mad writing that. I misunderstood who he was referencing. If I had understood it I would not have asked that question. :)
 
cawacko said:
LOL, I guess they didn't because I have no idea what that means either. What would my grandparents have done had they stood up to McCarthy? Pushed for Communism in the U.S.?
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Stood up for freedom perhaps? You have forgotten what that might mean. you poor bloody serf. Why shouldn't people believe what they want, scumbag?
 
iolo said:
Stood up for freedom perhaps? You have forgotten what that might mean. you poor bloody serf. Why shouldn't people believe what they want, scumbag?
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Now all of a sudden I'm a scumbag? Ok, I'm really lost. How exactly would my grandparents have stood up for freedom? I wasn't born at this time so I have no idea what they were doing during the '50's.
 
cawacko said:
I'll share an antidotal story. My buddy from LA came up to visit last weekend. He is a 36 year old single white male. His dad died from cancer when he was five and his mom was an elementary school teacher so he's just a regular dude who didn't come from money. He's a college grad who is doing an online MBA program from University of North Carolina.

For the five years or so prior to last I'd say he's made between $125K - $160K annually. In 2013 he made $220K. My understanding today is earning $380K puts one in the top 1%. Will my friend ever make $380K in a year? At this rate I'd say yes he will but there are of course no guarantees. Are there others who are like him that may make that amount or may not? I'd say yes. Hell I'm on unemployment insurance right now but it's not out of the question that down the road if an investment fund I'm working on starting up gets off the ground I could earn that amount if all goes well.

My wife is a director of a pre-school. She doesn't make sh*t. If she said she thought she would be in the top 1% one day based on what she's doing I would enroll her in some remedial math classes immediately. But I don't find it surprising at all that a large number of people think they make the top 1% at one point in their lives.
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If...those words have haunted many
 
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