Bernie Sanders says the 1 percent have screwed-up brains — and science proves he’s right

a reply to: Bluntone22

I read the scientific American article,,,,, it's complete crap.
Observed behavior of luxury car drivers at an intersection. I hope they didn't pay somebody for that study.

And only Californian drivers. By the same logic, one could say simply that Californians are unethical.

originally posted by: Bluntone22

originally posted by: Pluginn
Yea my feeling as well, when they give to charity I often wonder if it's almost like promoting themselves with showing how good they are, like making up (for the bad) and showing and telling everyone about their good deeds.

So if they give to charity they are just selfish publicity hounds.
If they don't they are just greedy..
I guess no matter what they do its a losing proposition.

It's the thought/meaning behind it, so yes.

I can kill you and give your family money because I ''care'', nobody knows I killed you, but telling everyone how much I care(d) about your family. Ok extreme example, but often it get twisted, if you know what I mean.
Or like I have nothing, just a few bucks and I give one buck, nobody knows.. that rich guy gives 1000 bucks from his many millions and everyone knows about this rich guy how good he is.. still I give like 50% from my wealth and he like 0.1%.. nobody knows about me and I didn't tell anyone.

So is the reason Sanders donates so little out of a rather large paycheck to charity because he's not a sociopath? Maybe it's just enough to get a tax break.

a reply to: schuyler

Bernie is not apart of the 1%.

Sanders Among The Least Wealthy Presidential Candidates
www.npr.org...

Meanwhile, Sanders and his wife, Jane, were likely in about the top 5 percent of American income earners last year, according to copies of their 2014 tax returns obtained by Vermont Public Radio.

The Sanders household took in more than $205,000 in 2014, and paid the feds nearly $28,000 in taxes — an effective rate of about 20 percent based on Sanders' taxable income of $141,000. That means they likely earned more than 95 percent of Americans, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Interesting you use Hitler as an example being that Bernie is Jewish whose family were killed by Hitler's concentration camps. Yikes...

a reply to: LesMisanthrope


The morals of the wealthy have been in question for quite a long time.



Le secret des grandes fortunes sans cause apparente est un crime oublié, parce qu'il a été proprement fait.
- Le Père Goriot


The secret of great fortunes without apparent cause is a crime forgotten, for it was properly done.

originally posted by: pl3bscheese
Bill Gates image was tarnished long ago after all the monopoly lawsuits. He wants to be remembered not as a tyrant, but a good guy, so started doing the philanthropy thing. I

Bill Gates mom was very much into charities and philanthropy. Bill was actually raised in that environment.

He's probably an Aspergers. He focuses on one aspect, and probably doesn't even notice the peripherals. He goes after what he wants.

Just a side note.

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: LesMisanthrope


The morals of the wealthy have been in question for quite a long time.



Le secret des grandes fortunes sans cause apparente est un crime oublié, parce qu'il a été proprement fait.
- Le Père Goriot


The secret of great fortunes without apparent cause is a crime forgotten, for it was properly done.

There is also truth in "they thought themselves good because they had no claws".

The evil rich are behind the welfare state too, it keeps people from becoming competition.

Elect Bernie Sanders so we can enjoy the Bayne presidency from Dark Knight Rises.

Please, Bernie, go on with this painting of another class of human beings as sub-human or mentally ill or somehow undeserving of regular treatment and legal consideration. It calls to mind this other guy who used to call out a class of human beings as subhuman and degenerate and as undeserving of legal protections and stuff.

Oh, and that same guy also blamed that same class of people for all his country's problems and it let people ignore the real issue while they were busy taking it all out of them.

a reply to: ketsuko

The status quo has been working well for the corporations whose taxes keep going down, on the other hand individuals are paying more taxes with the corporate politicians in office.

The U.S. federal government is bringing in more money in taxes than ever before.

Over $2.67 trillion has come in so far this fiscal year, according to the latest Treasury Department report. That's a record -- in dollar terms -- for the first 10 months of the year (the government's fiscal year ends in September). Expect 2015 to finish at an all-time high.

So who pays the bulk of U.S. taxes? The burden has shifted from companies to individuals over time.

In the early 1950s, corporations accounted for over 30% of U.S. tax revenues. Today, businesses pay about 11% of taxes, according to the U.S. Treasury.

source

a reply to: AlaskanDad

The 1% are people.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: AlaskanDad

The 1% are people.

Yes the 1% are people, that horde money in offshore accounts to evade paying their share of taxes.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

A little more on those wealthy folks with screwed up brains:

A lot of rich people aren't exceptionally talented at what they do. They just have quirks and habits that let them think differently about money than the rest of us.

Here are three I've noticed.

They are (mostly pleasant) sociopaths
I'm convinced that nearly every rich person has the characteristics of a sociopath. Not in a cruel, soulless way. But sociopaths can disregard emotional events that cause normal people to worry and panic. Great investors can do that, too. They can watch stocks fall 50% and shrug their shoulders or see 10 million people lose their jobs and remain unshakably calm. In her book Confessions of a Sociopath, M.E. Thomas writes:

Sharks see in black-and-white. Scientists have suggested that contrast against background may be more helpful than color for predators in detecting potential prey, helping them to focus on crucial spatial relationships rather than extraneous details. I'm color-blind in a way that makes mass hysteria seem particularly striking in contrast to normal, expected behavior. My lack of empathy means I don't get caught up in other people's panic. It gives me a unique perspective. And in the financial world, being able to think opposite the pack is all you need.

source

sociopath:A person with antisocial personality disorder. Probably the most widely recognized personality disorder. A sociopath is often well liked because of their charm and high charisma, but they do not usually care about other people. They think mainly of themselves and often blame others for the things that they do. They have a complete disregard for rules and lie constantly. They seldom feel guilt or learn from punishments.

It may sound like a bold statement to say that most wealthy people are sociopaths, but in fact there is plenty of scientific evidence behind it.
A recent NY Times article summed up a study as Rich people just care less. The report was bolstered by a 2008 report from University of Amsterdam and the University of California, Berkeley.

source

a reply to: AlaskanDad

I'm pretty sure it is well known that socioeconomic status has much to do with violent crime and criminal behavior. If we can agree with that, where would you say the rich fall? If a lower socioeconomic status is a factor in criminal behavior, is it right to say those with a low socioeconomic status "have screwed up brains"?

And people want Trump elected. I will never understand this. That article pretty much sums hid character up.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Creepy. Most of Bill Gates's donations have gone to UNICEF and WHO.

UN organizations.

I heard he was all for the NWO and ulterior motives behind his vaccines. Now I'm more persuaded.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: Isurrender73

Personal experience trumps any study.Elitism and self worth based on wallet size is prevalent and a crippling force in this world of me first, me last, and me alll things in between.

And what is your experience of the poor?

I have been homeless and I have seen the homeless pool money together to buy basic necessities.

I have given money to others at times when I was concerned if I had enough money to eat for the month and wasn't sure more money was comming my way.

You cant really compare someone living paycheck to paycheck with more debt than their anual income to those who can can afford to live in luxury.

a reply to: AlaskanDad


The term is sociopath. Besides who gives a f*** what Bernie Sanders says. He's a loser marxist.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: AlaskanDad

I'm pretty sure it is well known that socioeconomic status has much to do with violent crime and criminal behavior. If we can agree with that, where would you say the rich fall? If a lower socioeconomic status is a factor in criminal behavior, is it right to say those with a low socioeconomic status "have screwed up brains"?

I would agree with you. But there is a major difference.

The extremly wealthy have many more choices than the undereducated poor who had very little paternal guidance. You seem to think the poor 10 year old wanted to be a violent drug dealer. I say for the most part they saw no other options that would ensure their ability to survive.

Apples and Oranges

Based on my experience poor people are far more loving then the wealthy. Most wealthy people are self-righteousness, judgmental and live with a feeling of entitlement. Most poor people have proven to be non judgemental and caring for others who are struggling.

I was born in poverty and returned to poverty several times. I have also made 6 figures for a number of years working with millionaires. I have seen both sides of the coin and much of what lies between.

a reply to: schuyler

Sanders is just a panderer. He would vilify the elderly and people with eyeglasses if it were popular and what the masses wanted to hear, despite him being a 4-eyed relic himself.

The guy is a total fraud. "Free healthcare", "free education", "free everything!" he shouts to ignorant plebs who don't realize we have 30+% unemployment and crashing economy. "Black lives matter! [snip]" etc. So it's no surprise he would vilify the top 1% even tho he himself is in the top 1%. It's what the people want to hear.

originally posted by: xuenchen
The extremely rich have “psychiatric issues” and it affects day-to-day Americans, populist presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said recently. Research shows that he’s on to something.

“We all know people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs. These people are addicted to money,”

You would think medical science would have found a cure by now.

But I'm not seeing how money and wealth inject into the bloodstream and brain, like drugs and alcohol.

Maybe this is why some people enjoy staying poor.

We haven't found a cure for addition. The feeling of making money releases the same chemicals in the brain as coc aine, and in roughly the same quantities. It's why coc aine is the drug of choice on Wall Street, and why it's such an epidemic. Those in the position to do things to make money essentially act out of the exact same motivations and behavior as a drug addict looking to score a fix.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I wonder if the poor behave selfishly and have little regard for others?
I'm sure they didn't bother to check that one out..

They do, but it's out of a different motivation. The poor and middle class rationalize it as only having enough for themselves, and thus they have nothing to spare for others.