Quote:
Originally Posted by DTD Alum
Are you aware of how the majority of the people in the "top 50 or 100 Americans" are compensated? They are not given their billions. They own shares of stock in a company that is/was worth nothing (whether a failing company or a brand new one) and take the company to a place where suddenly each share is worth a shitload of money. Gates did it, the Waltons did it, Zuckerberg did it. It's capitalism. We live in a capitalistic society.
In addition, yes, that's who you were talking about. You questioned the skills of the top 50 to 100 Americans vs. those of a doctor or a Nobel prize winner. I refuted that by saying that yes, I did think the skills of those men were comparable.
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OK, this explains the disconnect - I wasn't saying those "top 50 or 100" lacked skills at all, or that they are there because something was 'given' to them. I said they all had broadly or roughly similar skill sets (which you acknowledge yourself), and that the list completely lacked other, important skill sets that are often found in the smartest individuals in the world (who generally make lots of money, but not the "FU money" of the titans of industry).
Anyway, you make my entire point for me - if the skills are comparable to Nobel winners (which I'd say that, in terms of uniqueness and ability, is largely correct), then there's something endemic to the system that doesn't allow Nobel winners onto the list. Many scientists have "irreplaceable skills" as well, and aren't in the 1% at all. It's neither necessary nor sufficient, so it's bad language.
Also, don't lay "capitalism" out as an argument - it's reductionist at best, since government interference in the marketplace is one of the key issues for both sides here (and I think both sides are wrong, for whatever that's worth).
My argument was in 2 parts, which you have needlessly conflated. I'm not claiming the top 50 Americans got there by heredity. I AM claiming a large number of the top 3,000,000 (1%) Americans had advantages to get where they are. Many worked hard, too - the "lazy millionaire heiress" is not my target here.
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