Why are some people so rich and some people so poor?

[QUOTE="airshocker"]

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

Well in a specific example I had in mind the government (state) had actually granted the company tens of millions of dollars to build a new factory (as the company argued that the old factory was too out of date to meet their needs) in the town. The company did indeed build the factory, then hauled ass over to China barely before the morter on the final brick was dry.

worlock77

Well that's crony-capitalism and I don't support that.

Oh I wasn't arguing that the state giving the company the money was capitalistic. Just saying that it didn't really seem like the government was forcing the company overseas.

At any rate I'm not going to try to argue that capitalism is evil. I just don't buy into the idea that it's this totally wonderful thing that benefits everyone (hell the name itself implies that at some point in the chain you're capitalizing on (ie: taking advantage of) somebody else). It is like any other human system - imperfect and with its own set of pros and cons.

what about people that are neither.....

what about people that are neither.....

ddlcpc

50 years from now they won't exist anymore.

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

[QUOTE="airshocker"]

Well that's crony-capitalism and I don't support that.

Toxic-Seahorse

Oh I wasn't arguing that the state giving the company the money was capitalistic. Just saying that it didn't really seem like the government was forcing the company overseas.

At any rate I'm not going to try to argue that capitalism is evil. I just don't buy into the idea that it's this totally wonderful thing that benefits everyone (hell the name itself implies that at some point in the chain you're capitalizing on (ie: taking advantage of) somebody else). It is like any other human system - imperfect and with its own set of pros and cons.

Human nature.

And this isn't the utopia that is Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Yeah, it does have pro's and cons. The system is obviously not perfect, but it's the best we've come across so far. So I say use it until a better one comes along. How long that will be, if ever, nobody really knows. No point in trashing it if there isn't anything better. Toxic-Seahorse

I do not agree there. No improvements ever come about without first critisizing the thing you seek to improve upon.

Rich people choose to work harder and/or care about money more than poor people.

Because conservatives hate the poor and the elderly and women and everything good and are evil.

Rich people choose to work harder and/or care about money more than poor people.

kingkong0124

Being wealthy =/= working hard. Being poor =/= being lazy.

[QUOTE="kingkong0124"]

Rich people choose to work harder and/or care about money more than poor people.

worlock77

Being wealthy =/= working hard. Being poor =/= being lazy.

[QUOTE="Toxic-Seahorse"]Yeah, it does have pro's and cons. The system is obviously not perfect, but it's the best we've come across so far. So I say use it until a better one comes along. How long that will be, if ever, nobody really knows. No point in trashing it if there isn't anything better. worlock77

I do not agree there. No improvements ever come about without first critisizing the thing you seek to improve upon.

[QUOTE="horgen123"]Sure you not mean that the plenty ideas that people have had throughout times have improved your life? airshocker

Without capitalism how many of those ideas would even exist?

Because conservatives hate the poor and the elderly and women

Philokalia

[QUOTE="airshocker"]

[QUOTE="horgen123"]Sure you not mean that the plenty ideas that people have had throughout times have improved your life? YoshiYogurt

Without capitalism how many of those ideas would even exist?

[QUOTE="Philokalia"]

Because conservatives hate the poor and the elderly and women

ghoklebutter

Because conservatives hate the poor and the elderly and women and everything good and are evil.

Philokalia

Capitalism, through competition and less welfare, creates innovations. Socialism gives you less incentive to work because it's essentially a welfare state. kingkong0124

There are other reasons to work besides the expectation of payment.

I generally despise Cracked but this fitshttp://www.cracked.com/blog/6-things-rich-people-need-to-stop-saying/

[QUOTE="YoshiYogurt"][QUOTE="airshocker"]

Without capitalism how many of those ideas would even exist?

kingkong0124

Because conservatives hate the poor and the elderly and women and everything good and are evil.

Philokalia

[QUOTE="YoshiYogurt"][QUOTE="airshocker"]

Without capitalism how many of those ideas would even exist?

kingkong0124

[QUOTE="Philokalia"]

Because conservatives hate the poor and the elderly and women and everything good and are evil.

KC_Hokie

[QUOTE="kingkong0124"][QUOTE="YoshiYogurt"] Socialism does not impede the invention of new ideas.YoshiYogurt

[QUOTE="KC_Hokie"][QUOTE="Philokalia"]

Because conservatives hate the poor and the elderly and women and everything good and are evil.

DroidPhysX

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"][QUOTE="KC_Hokie"]I would argue progressive liberals are the ones who hate the poor. They're the ones that created the welfare state and an entire class of people dependent on the government. Making someone dependent on the government to merely survive is a cruel thing to do to any human being. KC_Hokie

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"][QUOTE="KC_Hokie"]The welfare system is a huge failure. KC_Hokie

Some people are much more energetic physically and have high energies and high intensity, that is why they can work much more intensively and for many more years and hours and making and accumulating lot of money in the process and a good pension.

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

[QUOTE="kingkong0124"]

Rich people choose to work harder and/or care about money more than poor people.

kingkong0124

Being wealthy =/= working hard. Being poor =/= being lazy.

Certainly many people who are wealthy have worked hard to get there, but that's not a rule by any means. And it's not necessarily that poor people are content with earning less (though some may be), or are less ambitious, but rather simply lack oppotunity. Many people simply find themselves in a situation where they have to go to work to take care of themselve or their family without really having the chance to persue a career path.

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"][QUOTE="KC_Hokie"]Yes it is. More people than ever on it with generation after generation being stuck in the system. KC_Hokie

I'm pretty sure it's a mockery of your "Libertarian/libertarian" pedantry. Not sure how it could have sailed over your head though.

[QUOTE="KC_Hokie"][QUOTE="DroidPhysX"] No. Welfare System is entirely different from welfare system. Heisenderp

I'm pretty sure it's a mockery of your "Libertarian/libertarian" pedantry. Not sure how it could have sailed over your head though.

[QUOTE="kingkong0124"][QUOTE="worlock77"]

Being wealthy =/= working hard. Being poor =/= being lazy.

worlock77

Certainly many people who are wealthy have worked hard to get there, but that's not a rule by any means. And it's not necessarily that poor people are content with earning less (though some may be), or are less ambitious, but rather simply lack oppotunity. Many people simply find themselves in a situation where they have to go to work to take care of themselve or their family without really having the chance to persue a career path.

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

[QUOTE="kingkong0124"] I know. Some poor people are happy living their lives earning little but having a lot of free time to do other things that they enjoy (things they wouldn't be able to do with the longer work hours of better-paying jobs). Doesn't mean that they're not as smart/hardworking as rich people necessarily, just less ambitious. I do wonder, however, what makes you think the wealthy did not work hard to get in their position? Inheritance does play a role, yes, but I wouldn't go out and say that most wealthy people inherited their money. A lot of wealthy people, small business owners, doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. all worked much harder to get to the point they're at than a cashier at Publix. I'm sure you would agree with me on that. kingkong0124

Certainly many people who are wealthy have worked hard to get there, but that's not a rule by any means. And it's not necessarily that poor people are content with earning less (though some may be), or are less ambitious, but rather simply lack oppotunity. Many people simply find themselves in a situation where they have to go to work to take care of themselve or their family without really having the chance to persue a career path.

Well you can be successful without being rich necessarily. Although what equals sucessful tends to be a largely personal equation.

[QUOTE="kingkong0124"]

Being wealthy =/= working hard. Being poor =/= being lazy.

worlock77

That's what I said.

I generally despise Cracked but this fitshttp://www.cracked.com/blog/6-things-rich-people-need-to-stop-saying/

Aljosa23

What? Someone despises Cracked?? That's something I thought I'd never hear.

The whole socialism vs. capitalism thing is a pretty tough thing for me to decide on. There needs to be something in between the two. People who can, and choose not to contribute to society in some form should not receive the benefits of said system. Corporation owners should not exploit their workers. The rich should give back to society.YoshiYogurt

I like this.

Good question. I recently saw an incredibly obese man order a lot of junk food and then pay them in food stamps. From what I learned, if you don't apply yourself, don't attempt to better yourself mentally and physically and not give excuses, one can be successful in life. It's easier said than done however and you will fail but as Winston Churchill once said, "if you're going through hell, keep going."

Yeah...

Well, since this has seemingly and not unexpectedly turned into a topic about capitalism and socialism, I'll say this: I can't critique capitalism, since I want to be something more, I want to be better than the majority of people, capitalism gives me the opportunity to achieve this goal.

On the flip side though, I don't think the government helping and aiding people in situations of need is the atrocity or abomination that alot of far right people like to portray it as. Most likely someone living on welfare isn't really going to amount to anything spectacular, so it's not exactly like they're a shining example of what someone else is going to want to be.

Because of the way it is.

Because of capitalism.-Sun_Tzu-

Are you being serious about this?

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"]Because of capitalism.Palantas

Are you being serious about this?

Some people are stronger, healthier and more energetic. For example some people have large effective kidneys and an efficient immune system while other people suffer from kidney failure and develop other kinds of diseases and disorders. This is basic biology guys.

Now stronger, healthier, high-energy people can work more years and make much more money in the process, while sick and disabled people find it harder to make ends meet because of their illnesses or disability.

People have been greedy, lazy, cruel, and incompetent since the dawn of history. What does that have to do with one particular economic system?

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"]Because of capitalism.Palantas

Are you being serious about this?

[QUOTE="Palantas"]

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"]Because of capitalism.kingkong0124

Are you being serious about this?

[QUOTE="kingkong0124"][QUOTE="Palantas"]

Are you being serious about this?

DroidPhysX