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originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: AbstractDreamz
So money acquired through corruption, trickery, bribery, economic thuggary, and other underhanded methods are fine with you? Cause I assure you, one does not acquire such wealth honestly.
You're assuming any wealth earned past a certain point is done off illegal activities.
Not all theft is in your face. When 1% of the world controls 40% of the worlds wealth, that is not done honestly, and even if it was, there comes a point where one has moved from taking what's earned, to creating/causing suffering instead.
Who are you to judge when someone has enough money?
Let's all be honest here, when we say something is earned, it's supposed to mean that what you've gained is a fair amount for what you put in to get it. How can so much wealth be realistically earned?
As much as one wants and can create quite simply.
Did these people save the world? What great accomplishment have any of them or their families done that we can honestly say with a straight face EARNS them this much wealth?
No they may not have saved the world, but they do contribute largely.
Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Energy all come from these so-called rich people. Besides the daily utilities you use, they also employ people globally.
You're whole argument that the richest 1% are greedy, do illegal activities to gain wealth and don't care about the poor is absurd.
1. The richest 1% pay the VAST MAJORITY of taxes.
2. They are the main source of Philanthropy that we have and create hospitals, libraries and charities that help MILLIONS.
3. Without them, many wouldn't have jobs, welfare, SS, health care and etc. Our economy would collapse without them and essentially we would be a 3rd world nation at best.
Let me add that yes, many rich people do gain riches unethically and illegally, but those are very few and far between. You are told these days that the rich are your enemy instead of someone to look up to. Start reading about these people and learn the suffering many had to go through before they became rich and you might gain a different perspective. They aren't the ones you should fear or hate, it's the people who are telling you to hate them that you should fear and hate.
originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: BubbaJoe
Charity is a terrible way to use that wealth. It needs to be used in a more thoughtful manner, with actual intent, purpose and savvy. Also I'm curious as to how much of that wealth they really pledged in terms of percent of their wealth, and how much of it a stated promise contingent upon their deaths.
I know a lot of 1% throw an insignificant amount of their wealth, which sounds like a lot to us, at random causes as a PR stunt to make themselves look not so bad. I'd really like to know and see proof of people going beyond simply PR stunts to something of significance for them.
originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: Shamrock6
If they can make themselves that wealthy, they have the know how to pull us all out of poverty if they wanted. They choose not to. I'm not asking for their money, I'm asking they use their skills and a small bit of their pocketbook to make some positive changes in the world. To be good decent people, all while allowing them to STILL live better than all the most powerful emperors and kings of all time.