r/FluentInFinance • u/ProgressiveSpark • 29d ago

Wealth inequality in America: beliefs, perceptions and reality. Discussion/ Debate

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What do Americans think good wealth distribution looks like; what they think actual American wealth inequality looks like; and what American wealth inequality actually is like.

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u/ohseetea 29d ago

What lol? Those people, as much as we love them and their art are definitely taking advantage of the system in the video above. I would easily say that a lot of the wealth they have "earned" is likely "morally unjustly" earned. It's just so obfuscated that it's hard to conceptualize.

Also maybe? Why instead of just hitting a reset button we learn our lesson and change our laws and culture? Then it wouldn't end up right here again, or if it did - at least it would be because the rules changed once again in favor of exploitation and "merit" (huge joke that sentiment is) and can be another data point for the next taken advantage of generation.

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u/Tomatoesarentfruit 27d ago

I don’t understand why people cling to this concept of “all rich people are immoral.” As someone who grew up extremely poor and has worked to be in the 1%, I can tell you that 1) I did not exploit anyone to do it and 2) the journey taught me that, yes while flawed, a capitalist, free market system is superior to anything else available anywhere else in the world.

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u/ohseetea 25d ago edited 25d ago

You absolutely did and do. I do too. The whole system is built on some amount of exploitation and the higher up you are the more exploitation you’re likely committing. Also just because it’s the best currently doesn’t mean it’s good at all? Blood letting was the best solution at one point too.

Staying blind to this and hiding behind personal anecdote is a big part of the problem. Good for you for working hard but I promise a lot of your success did not come from your own hands. Shoulders of giants (read backs of exploited).

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u/Tomatoesarentfruit 24d ago

Not sure how you can say this with any degree of confidence given you have no idea what I do / have done to become successful. Sure I guess you could say maybe 100% of my success was not my work as there was maybe some luck involved? But there was certainly no exploitation - you have no idea what your are talking about. For the record, I run a very small (small headcount wise) B to B enterprise software company. I wrote 99% of the code for the product myself, the employees I have now just help me maintain and fix bugs, and for this work I pay them extremely well. Also fine I will ammend my initial statement - the free market system is a GOOD system. It has pulled millions our of poverty, it has raised the quality of life and living standards for millions. It is a system that rewards value creation and little else.