But what of the risk to your mental health if you end up realizing that how much money you make isn't measuring how much value you provide to society?

Or that, there are inherent contradictions in capitalism and therefore people have lied to you. The system is more complex and less rational than you thought. That would mean that we aren't in Fukuyama's post-ideological, end-of-history era!

Sounds terrifying, maybe it is better to avoid becoming an educated adult.

It's good and not at all insane that I make $100,000/year for dicking around on a computer every day. Those poors just aren't creating value.

Snide comments like this do nothing to promote constructive discussion. Please post civilly or just don't.

This should be aimed at me just as much then. My comment was more snide if anything.

Also, I disagree, irony has its place and one of them is to poke fun at commonly held but profoundly mistaken beliefs that result in widespread suffering. Even if that has a high chance of offending people who don't like smart ass comments chipping away at the pedestal holding up their privilege.

I'm sure you meant well, and I'm not attack you. I have noticed that often cutting jokes are considered acceptable here only when they align with certain political beliefs, and I feel it's eminently constructive to politely push back on that, so please take this as my intent.

Agreed. Though to be honest the political alignment doesn't matter to me so much. I see so much acrimony on both sides which I've tried to push back against in general. I'm sure I unconsciously push back on one side more than another, but I have tried to be even handed and civil (as you have, and I thank you for that) when I do so.

I very much disagree that they do nothing to promote constructive discussion. They put a fine point on the absurdities of the position mocked -- hardly unconstructive.