Kikidesmond
Robert ReichHappy New Year.
Remember: There is nothing natural or inevitable about extreme inequality; it’s the result of an economic system that values wealth and power over human dignity and justice.
It doesn't have to be this way.
0xC0DEC0DE07EA@rbreich even if it’s “natural” in the context of certain systems and models, it’s not inevitable! We can tweak things. Wealth redistribution through taxation reduces inequality!
Count Regal Inkwell@c0dec0dec0de @rbreich
+Assuming "Natural" = "Good" is not a good framework. We do a lot of things that aren't "natural". Living as a society as opposed to small tribal groups is "unnatural", agriculture is "unnatural", medicine is "unnatural".
This doesn't have to be a bad thing.
Nature can be as unjust as it wants to be, but if that is so, defying it in the name of justice and common good is the right thing to do.
AoB_Motomasa🇨🇦🎚🎛🎚🎧@rbreich People seem to forget, or not realize, all of these 'societal norms' are artificial human constructs, and we've come to a point where they are valued higher than the real issues that plague us (all of which we have created through promoting/normalizing said constructs).
Mike@rbreich It’s what happens without a sufficiently progressive tax code. Always.
Camden Hutchison@rbreich Inequality--of various dimensions--is a fact of life.
mitsiman 🇬🇧
Sasyecat 😷@rbreich Buying a horse in exchange for a happy ending is far more important to Musk than feeding starving kids.
Kevin Russell@rbreich
Its thevresult of decades of bribes, its thevresult of laws passed, regulations dennatured, underfunding of regulators, depts emptied, donations paid to quid pro quo.
We dont need philosphy lessons, have the massive coercive corporations who don't pay tax, to pay a higher rate than a bank teller, pay living wages or be shut down. Let everyone vote. Lets stop making big mistakes and well see what philosphers say it means.
Dont burn carbon is more important other holy restrictions
deeceeteeee
Pete@rbreich There seems to be a tendency for inequality to increase in a society. It usually appears to take a sudden break to change this - Russian Revolution, French Revolution, Collapse of the Roman Empire, etc. Unfortunately, it also seems like this break decreases inequality by making EVERYONE worse off than before.
Mordko@rbreich 1. Inequality of wealth is inevitable. Nowhere can we observe your utopia in real life. 2. The real concerns are inequality of opportunity and poverty. That would be more meaningful.
Danatheone@rbreich Phenomena created by tax code
Real estate is an investment hazard
Unhoused— homeless population— terrible economic policy, zoning failures— the run up in prices has helped some and harmed as many— we can do better
Real estate is an investment hazard
Unhoused— homeless population— terrible economic policy, zoning failures— the run up in prices has helped some and harmed as many— we can do better
Diane Monaco
Philip Ives 🖖@rbreich Hi Robert, let's hope this year is the change we all need.
David@rbreich actually, in nature and in economics, all systems tend toward monopoly. This is evident from first semester economics classes onward. However, that doesn't mean it's desirable. All political systems drift toward monopoly as well. We need to raise responsible generations of people who will act in the best interests of all to invalidate the necessity of power structures.
⚡️ axeshun ⚡️ 
xs4me2@rbreich
A political choice indeed…
A political choice indeed…
crystal pixel ⟢ 🕊 ❄@rbreich Every economic system produces inequality. So this is not an economic issue it is politics.
dorf@rbreich no, it doesn't have to be this way unfortunately many people believe in self fulfilling prophecy - assumption that common folk can't change system... I think this is the main issue here, once it's overcome change would be more likely to happen.
Theodora Lau@rbreich As we often say ... #inequality is a policy choice. :(
MKSinSA@tofugolem
Truth, weren't we just saying this?
jfrazier@rbreich Wait... are you saying that CEO's don't work 3,147 times harder than us regular folk??
Dirghayu
DwntwnT@rbreich most seem to understand that the balance is way off. The question is how to get ppl to organize? If this can happen, & strictly demanding changes to that are non-partisan, to strengthen democracy, we may stand a real chance of turning it around.
Threadbane@rbreich It also values nepotism and cronyism over competence. Today's America is, in effect, a caste system, the very opposite of a Horatio Alger story.
Paul van den Bergen@rbreich I strongly disagree.
bear with me...
A lot of systems end up following Pareto distributions. long tail, chaotic, 80:20 rule...
It seems to be a very strong emergent behaviour.
And it makes sense. It's like the game Monopoly... The more resources you have, the easier it is to get more resources...
So it is natural... But that doesn't mean it's good!!! And it means it's REALLY HARD to undo...
You have to have imposed limits or friction on wealth and power. Imagine politicians agreeing to that?
We're Not In Kansas Anymore
Andy KotlarzSo true . . .
The nature of money is that it flows towards power. Money and power are interchangeable - money buys power and power attracts money.
If 'trickle-down economics' were real then we would all have been rich from the beginning of human history.
But the opposite is true.
But mention socialism, and the redistribution of wealth, and people start foaming at the mouth.
Ligma Johnson@rbreich unfortunately, that's nothing but wishful thinking.
https://en.wikipedia.org//wiki/Pareto_principle
Even Jesus already knew this: “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ” — Luke 19:26
ChristopherIinequality results fr a limited map of #wealth & #power
1. The rich get richer when the poor get richer - this is the lesson of consumerism.
2. The powerful get more power when people sign on thru apparent free choice. This is the lesson of #democracy & its defeat of #totalitarianism since the #Reformation & #enlightenment.
3. Wealth & power in #modern era is achieved by seducing people with a service or product of value in a bottom up process. This is the lesson of #internet biz
FatimaNBunBun 
@rbreich let’s not leave out, “stop treating those who have proven they cannot work and are on disability like they deserve to eat cat food!” Being forced to live far below the poverty line is punishment doled out by our failed system. Shackled financially by the government, shackled medically by my body! It’s a horrible life!
Artist trying to stay inspired@rbreich Creating adequate social safety nets allow people to bounce back when down as can happen to us all. When these social contracts are broken poverty becomes a dark hole from which it is difficult to escape.
Annelieke M.@rbreich what do you think of the idea to make it mandatory that when a dividend is paid out, a bonus should be paid to workers?
Thus when a company is doing well - both capital and labour benefit?
Thus when a company is doing well - both capital and labour benefit?
mike@rbreich What stable system tends toward equity over time?