Work harder to be born into the right family

[polly7]

Last edited Thu Oct 29, 2015, 02:46 PM - Edit history (1)

By Pete Dolack
Source: Systemic Disorder
October 28, 2015

If we were to believe the fairy tales of capitalism, we would have to believe that 500 multi-billionaires work harder than the entire population of Japan. OK, I know that sounds crazy, but that is nothing more than following capitalist ideology to its intended conclusion: The wealthy are wealthy because their worked harder than you.

The 500 richest people on Earth are worth a collective US$4.7 trillion, Forbes magazine breathlessly informs us, and that total is a little more than the gross domestic product of Japan, the world’s third-largest economy.

The 20 richest people alone are worth a collective $900 billion! There are only 16 countries on Earth that have a larger gross domestic product than that. Quite a feat — 20 people possess slightly more assets than what is produced in an entire year by the 250 million people of Indonesia or the 17 million people of the Netherlands, one of the most highly productive peoples among the world’s advanced capitalist countries.

So these people must work awfully hard to accumulate such riches, right? Let us see: .....

Thus, the era of corporate globalization promises more inequality. In your next life, work harder to be born into the right family.

Full article: https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/work-harder-to-be-born-into-the-right-family/

[merrily]

1. Thing is, you get only one shot at that. Even if one believes in reincarnation, it's

still only one shot per lifetime. At that, there's not much you can do about in whom (or by whom) you grow up to be a newborn.

Since working harder to be born into a richer family doesn't really pan out, what is an alternative that is likelier to occur?

[polly7]

2. We've just got to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps! then and be productive

and obedient citizens making do with the scraps we get.

(There is no alternative - if the greed and desperation to scoop up what's left of the world's resources continues by those at the top at the expense of those working/slaving away to give it to them and climate change continues to worsen, harming even more those who are most vulnerable - then the rest of us, ........ we're *'ed. If not us, immediately ..... certainly our children and grandchildren).

... but hey, we'll all get another chance in our next next life!

[merrily]

3. If I had it to do over again, I'd still grow to newborn in my own mom's womb.

Maybe that is selfish, vis a vis my son's not being born a billionaire, but I would not trade her for the world.

So, there's that.

[polly7]

5. I would too, merrily.

It's not selfish at all ....... I'd also choose the life I was born into, the people I love that made it possible and those that give me hope for the future, over the chance at being born into obscene wealth and privilege. The guilt alone would do me in. I'd probably give it all away and be in the same place I am anyway.

[merrily]

6. Thanks, Polly.

[polly7]

8. Thank you!, merrily.

[tecelote]

4. Seems most Americans are fine with this.

Republicans have so many Americans believing that trickle down economics is good for them.

And, look at how well Hillary is doing. She's obviously not going to rock the boat but she's the front runner.

For the first time in my lifetime, it looks like we have a chance to start turning the tables. Democrats Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley want to make the world a better place for all people. True Liberals have an opportunity to elect a true Liberal to office.

Imagine Global Warming replacing Terrorism as our country's number one enemy. Imagine Welfare reform that helps the poor instead of punishing them. Imagine an educated nation. Imagine a liberal agenda.

We can change our priorities or we can accept that this injustice is fine as it is.

2016 is our opportunity to make the world a better place. I really hope we take it.

[polly7]

7. +1000. nt.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

9. I can't blame voters too much.

Most of them have been fed the propaganda since birth. American exceptionalism, 'rags to riches', the rugged individual, pioneer fortitude, and all the other crap that tells people they need to 'make it on their own', and that collective action is somehow suspect. That we should always be competing against each other in social Darwinism. The myths that built America are the poison that keeps us to weak to break out and acknowledge and deal with the problems we ourselves have created. That keep most white people unwilling to examine the racism in our institutions and how they reinforce it, most people from looking at how they contribute to Climate Change, that prevent us from combating wealth inequality arising from systems set up to give those that have money more money.

[polly7]

10. Sorry for the bad link. Edited to fix. nt.