If you were a Billionaire, would you feel guilty about yourself?

submitted by radicalcentristNational Centrism from self.debatealtright

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[–]Jacinda 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Anglin wrote about this in an article about the juxtaposition of extreme poverty and wealth in modern America:

You have to wonder: what good is it to have a $500,000 super-car, if you’re driving it through tent cities? Do these people get off on that?

I have never been rich, so I don’t understand the rich mindset, but when I picture it, I think of it as being like, you’re rich and well dressed, and you’re hanging out with a bunch of other good-looking, well-off people. If being rich is about lording over peasants and drug-addicts living in tents, then it’s a mindset that I simply cannot fathom.

However, this seems to be the new elite mindset: it’s not about being a bit better off than those around you, and living in extravagance while others are maybe a little bit jealous but still doing alright: it seems that it is about flaunting ultra-wealth to a bunch of shuffling, mumbling drug-addicts. [Cont...]

It's an excellent article although he does spoil it by claiming, somewhat disingenuously, that the elite in third world countries are more sympathetic to the plight of the less well off. Something I failed to notice while living in Asia.

Obviously neo-liberal values atomize society, producing wealth extremes even as they erode any bonds that humans might have beyond the money nexus.

[–]radicalcentristNational Centrism[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You have to wonder: what good is it to have a $500,000 super-car, if you’re driving it through tent cities? Do these people get off on that?

Yup, this is the stuff I was alluding to in the OP. Rich people go for a ride in their expensive new toys, but the scenery around them looks third world.

Imagine if that $500,000 was used to clean up the city and you ride a bike around the neighborhood instead? At least you wouldn't have to worry about being mugged or stabbed when you step outside.

[–]Jacinda 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The video Anglin based his article on is illuminating, illustrating the change in values that has occurred.

Traditionally fairness as extremely important in my society. My parents and previous generations spent a great deal of time and energy working with the community on various social projects; these revolved around the church, and various public benefit schemes. I think to a large extent they saw the town as an extension of themselves. I used to be involved but for a variety of reasons I have pulled back, In part it is a result of social atomization; the 'bowling alone' phenomena that results from forced diversity, in part financial precarity makes me focus on my future. As diversity increasing replaces society altruism also becomes more and more pointless.

I imagine billionaires are an extreme version of this; they compete amongst themselves and the poor are invisible to them. I hope that if I had wealth I would respond differently. I certainly wouldn't spend my money on a ridiculous car.