World’s 8 Richest now have as much wealth as bottom half

[PaNTuXIa]

http://www.cbsnews.com/media/meet-the-8 ... mic-forum/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/worl ... oxfam.html

The world's 8 richest people now have as much wealth as the bottom half (over 3 billion).

The study was released this week by Oxford University, which is ironically, home to the elite they claim to despise.

This has been part of a recent trend in which wealth disparity has grown drastically, starting with 80 in 2013-2014, and lowering since.

Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders rise in the United States, and nationalism's rise in Europe show the clear distress workers are feeling over the growing gap of wealth.

OPINION

This isn't bad. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Thoughts?

[Jovian Socialist Republic]

I mean, I support capitalism and a little bit of socialism, so a wealth gap isn't that bad.

[NeoLiberia]

This isn't bad. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Not a lazy non-argument at all.

[Ashmoria]

what percentage of that 3 billion have NOTHING or even negative wealth?

it doesn't surprise me. there is a lot of poverty in the world.

no they don't "deserve it". we need to find a way to get...half...that wealth away from them and back into the system so there is something for the bottoms half.

[Balthorvia]

Personal responsibility is a huge part of life - but I think we all know that if you are born into certain life situations, you have a dramatically lesser chance of acquiring wealth, prosperity, or even surviving than if you were born in a different context

[The Dummies]

http://www.cbsnews.com/media/meet-the-8-men-who-are-wealthier-than-half-the-globe-davos-world-economic-forum/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/worl ... oxfam.html

The world's 8 richest people now have as much wealth as the bottom half (over 3 billion).

The study was released this week by Oxford University, which is ironically, home to the elite they claim to despise.

This has been part of a recent trend in which wealth disparity has grown drastically, starting with 80 in 2013-2014, and lowering since.

Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders rise in the United States, and nationalism's rise in Europe show the clear distress workers are feeling over the growing gap of wealth.

OPINION

This isn't bad. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Thoughts?

This is bad. Why do we let the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer like this?

[Bogdanov Vishniac]

This isn't bad. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Billions of people in Africa, India and elsewhere chose to be in grinding poverty? Interesting.

[The Princes of the Universe]

This is... not sustainable long-term. Unfortunately, the nature of the games politicians play ensures no policy will ever focus on the long run. The question of the system crashing down on itself is not a matter of if, but when.

[Thermodolia]

1. This isn't bad. 2. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. 3. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Thoughts?

1. This is extremely bad, the fact that just 8 people control about half the worlds wealth is never a good situation.
2. Yes some of them earned it but no they do not deserve it.
3. Have you even been poor in your life? Because you wouldn't be making those statements if you had been.

[Rannoria]

OPINION

This isn't bad. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Thoughts?

Though you may be right on some (or many) cases, that isn't always it. Some/most people are just born into it, and since their parents make little money they get bad education, and since they get bad education they can't earn a living, and since they can't earn a living, if they have a kid, then they can't pay for good education, and it continues.

This idea is pretty dependent on the government, though, so if you live in Norway, or whatever, it's probably because of your life choices.

[Orostan]

This isn't bad. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Billions of people in Africa, India and elsewhere chose to be in grinding poverty? Interesting.

T^^^
^H^^
^^I^
^^^S

[Sunstruck]

According to the OP, eight people are better than three billion because the three billion obviously made poor "life choices".
How the hell does that add up?

[Ashmoria]

According to the OP, eight people are better than three billion because the three billion obviously made poor "life choices".
How the hell does that add up?

its their own fault for being born into grinding 3rd world poverty.

[Rannoria]

According to the OP, eight people are better than three billion because the three billion obviously made poor "life choices".
How the hell does that add up?

its their own fault for being born into grinding 3rd world poverty.

13/7.8 lojik

[Bogdanov Vishniac]

According to the OP, eight people are better than three billion because the three billion obviously made poor "life choices".
How the hell does that add up?

Of course it doesn't add up. OP is many things, but 'a rigorous thinker' is not among them. Hence the half-baked attempt at pinning Oxford University researchers studying poverty as 'ironic'.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Good for them.

[Uiiop]

According to the OP, eight people are better than three billion because the three billion obviously made poor "life choices".
How the hell does that add up?

Because either the ways that they got money is fair in OP eyes(Which doesn't make sense with the cyncism of his worldview but IMO that type of contradiction is common) or as the OP sig says he's just saying shit to be edgy.

[Anywhere Else But Here]

I wasn't aware that Oxford University had made "despising elites" official policy. Also, though Oxford no doubt is full of elites, I'm not seeing what it has to do with this story.

[San Marlindo]

The ultra rich are raking in more at the time, and the poor get poorer.

So what else is new?

[San Marlindo]

I wasn't aware that Oxford University had made "despising elites" official policy. Also, though Oxford no doubt is full of elites, I'm not seeing what it has to do with this story.

Another good point. Planks and specks and all that.

[Thermodolia]

I wasn't aware that Oxford University had made "despising elites" official policy. Also, though Oxford no doubt is full of elites, I'm not seeing what it has to do with this story.

OP wants to be Edgy.

[Socialist Nordia]

*bernie sanders intensifies*

[PaNTuXIa]

This isn't bad. The men who own as much as half the world deserve it. Those who are poor are (usually) poor because of their life choices, not because of "the system."

Billions of people in Africa, India and elsewhere chose to be in grinding poverty? Interesting.

I said it was usually the fault of the person. Africa is one example where it is not. It is the government's fault, for instituting years of socialism, while simultaneously allowing big corporations to fuck over the people.

[Valrifell]

This is... not sustainable long-term. Unfortunately, the nature of the games politicians play ensures no policy will ever focus on the long run.

I mean, there was a whole slew of Progressive reforms at the turn of the last century that were definitely thinking long-term. The unfortunate bit is that people thinking short-term got rid of a slew of them.

[PaNTuXIa]

According to the OP, eight people are better than three billion because the three billion obviously made poor "life choices".
How the hell does that add up?

Because either the ways that they got money is fair in OP eyes(Which doesn't make sense with the cyncism of his worldview but IMO that type of contradiction is common) or as the OP sig says he's just saying shit to be edgy.

I'm not "trying to be edgy." The money they earned is well-deserved. It's not like they're mindless, vapid celebrities, they're hard-working investors and venture capitalists. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Mike Zuckerberg, they all deserve their money.