Re:Five richest men double their money as poorest get poorer
by chiefalchemist on Monday January 15, 2024 @11:28AM
(#39002631)
Perception and "promotion". We've fetishized and normalized excessive wealth.
Imagine you collected Fubar Widgets and the media promoted you as having a Fubar Widget collection with 50+ billion such Widgets...most would look upon you as being a weirdo, with some sort of personality disorder, etc.
Do that with money, and the concept of normal and decent goes out the window. Your obsession...your hoarding (if you will)... Perfectly normal. Perfectly acceptable. But ultimately, textbook bonkers.
Mind you, I don't have a philosophical issue with excessive wealth per se. To me, it's strange, but what do I know? However, in the context of poverty and a slew of countless other ills in the world, such hoarding feels disturbing and disconnected. I don't see such behavior as being enviable, let alone put on a pedestal as we do.
Imagine you collected Fubar Widgets and the media promoted you as having a Fubar Widget collection with 50+ billion such Widgets...most would look upon you as being a weirdo, with some sort of personality disorder, etc.
Do that with money, and the concept of normal and decent goes out the window. Your obsession...your hoarding (if you will)... Perfectly normal. Perfectly acceptable. But ultimately, textbook bonkers.
Mind you, I don't have a philosophical issue with excessive wealth per se. To me, it's strange, but what do I know? However, in the context of poverty and a slew of countless other ills in the world, such hoarding feels disturbing and disconnected. I don't see such behavior as being enviable, let alone put on a pedestal as we do.