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Can a rich person be a good person? (kbin.social)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I don't mean doctor-making-150k-a-year rich, I mean properly rich with millions to billions of dollars.

I think many will say yes, they can be, though it may be rare. I was tempted to. I thought more about it and I wondered, are you really a good person if you're hoarding enough money you and your family couldn't spend in 10 lifetimes?

I thought, if you're a good person, you wouldn't be rich. And if you're properly rich you're probably not a good person.

I don't know if it's fair or naive to say, but that's what I thought. Whether it's what I believe requires more thought.

There are a handful of ex-millionaires who are no longer millionaires because they cared for others in a way they couldn't care for themselves. Only a handful of course, I would say they are good people.

And in order to stay rich, you have to play your role and participate in a society that oppresses the poor which in turn maintains your wealth. Are you really still capable of being a good person?

Very curious about people's thoughts on this.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (2 children)

fyi, no one in here is entitled to the wealth of wealthy people. wealthy people are people just like you and I. don't pretend you wouldn't change your tune if you became wealthy

imagine if someone less fortunate than you thought you were a bad person just because you have more than they do

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

"More money" doesn't quite grasp the absurd amount of capital really, really, really, really rich people control

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

you're still not entitled to it, that's not your money, are you for real?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

How are they entitled to it?

I am entitled to have agency over my life, so do the people around the world from which this agency has been robbed much much more severely than mine. The capital billionaires have is not just "some money", its control over me and those billions of disenfranchised people. If you actually go through the linked visualization, you can see how. 800 kids die every day through easily preventable malaria. All of these rich people could easily pay for the necessary treatment and wouldn't even notice the most minute possible impact on their life. That is control. Thats the agency those 800 children a day do not have ovef their own lifes.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I disagree. I think any wealth over a certain amount should be redistributed.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You, I mean you personally, cannot generate a billion dollars. Nobody can. I dare you to try. Try to think of a way to make a billion dollars, without already having several hundred million dollars via generational wealth.

You can't generate a billion dollars, but you can find people to generate a billion dollars for you, and then instead of allowing them to share in that billion dollars, you just underpay them. You convince them (by deceit) that $100,000 is a pretty good salary, while you pocket $999,900,000. You tell the government that paying taxes would "significantly harm your business opportunities," so you pay $0 in taxes.

That's how you make a billion dollars. Cheating. Lying. And hoarding. Think twice before you say "not your money" again.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I can't imagine I would ever amass several billion and not help a single soul, just hoard it and have 99% of it unused like so many of them are doing right now. Or for stupid little conveniences or ventures. As an individual I cannot spend a billion dollars and I would go from billionaire to several-hundred-thousandaire really quick in helping others.

Wealthy people are nothing like "you and I". They live on an entirely different planet with entirely different systems, laws, conveniences, healthcare, quality of life, experiences, and more. They step on the poor to reach their golden throne. They do not relate to us nor us to them (assuming you're not wildly rich). Don't delude yourself.

imagine if someone less fortunate than you thought you were a bad person just because you have more than they do

A billionaire isn't merely "more fortunate". Do you understand how much a billion dollars is?