Economic Inequality

[ARadzi]

Lets face it, there's a colossal gap between the rich and the poor, and that gap is certainly getting wider. But whose to blame in this economic inequality? Is it the government that favors capitalist who contributed large amount during their campaign periods? Is it our constitution that institutionalized the practice of contractualization and other forms of labor flexibilization, hence undermining job security? Like a joke from my previous job, "If you are not a regular employee, you are casual. And after 5 or 6 months, your employer says TY (Thank You) to you which makes you a casualTY. Can we blame capitalist that hoard as much wealth as possible leaving only a thin slice of the .pie for the average guy to share among themselves?

[shawshankinmate37927]

...Can we blame capitalist that hoard as much wealth as possible leaving only a thin slice of the .pie for the average guy to share among themselves?

Nope, it's the corrupt politicians and bankers.  It's the monopoly on the ability to create money that is the problem, not capitalism.

[worle1bm]

...Can we blame capitalist that hoard as much wealth as possible leaving only a thin slice of the .pie for the average guy to share among themselves?

Nope, it's the corrupt politicians and bankers.  It's the monopoly on the ability to create money that is the problem, not capitalism.

It's this kind of useless logic that works against progress, not for it.

[shawshankinmate37927]

Nope, it's the corrupt politicians and bankers.  It's the monopoly on the ability to create money that is the problem, not capitalism.

It's this kind of useless logic that works against progress, not for it.

Progress will only occur when people choose to opt out of the current fiat, debt-based monetary system.  Anyone trying to improve society within the current monetary system is just spinning their wheels.

[worle1bm]

Nope, it's the corrupt politicians and bankers.  It's the monopoly on the ability to create money that is the problem, not capitalism.

It's this kind of useless logic that works against progress, not for it.

Progress will only occur when people choose to opt out of the current fiat, debt-based monetary system.  Anyone trying to improve society within the current monetary system is just spinning their wheels.

That's like saying you have the flu, but the only way to get better is to replace your heart with a heart that we are unsure will work or not.

Again, completely pointless.

[ARadzi]

Progress will only occur when people choose to opt out of the current fiat, debt-based monetary system.  Anyone trying to improve society within the current monetary system is just spinning their wheels.

but that is tantamount in saying that progress can never be achieve.

[shawshankinmate37927]

Nope, it's the corrupt politicians and bankers.  It's the monopoly on the ability to create money that is the problem, not capitalism.

It's this kind of useless logic that works against progress, not for it.

Progress will only occur when people choose to opt out of the current fiat, debt-based monetary system.  Anyone trying to improve society within the current monetary system is just spinning their wheels.

That's like saying you have the flu, but the only way to get better is to replace your heart with a heart that we are unsure will work or not.

Again, completely pointless.

It's much worse than the flu, it's a defective heart.  The only way to survive is with a transplant.

Fortunately, Bitcoin is a voluntary monetary system.  Those who feel their needs are being met with the existing fiat monetary system and prefer to continue using it are free to do so.

[twiifm]

I think you have to steer the conversation away from "who to blame".

The only solution is to acknowledge the problem and come up w solution w everyone involved.

If you are super rich or corporations, are you willing to pay more taxes?

If you are middle class are you willing to spend more on supporting SMEs

If you are an SME,  will you hire more local labor?

If you are poor, are you willing to work harder? Take some night classes, increase your skillset to gain employment?

If you are gov't,  are you willing to reform taxes? Stimulate SMEs & increase social programs so the underclass can get more education? Focus on employment rather than GDP

The problem can only be solved if the entire society wants it solved

[shawshankinmate37927]

The only solution is to acknowledge the problem and come up w solution w everyone involved.

There won't be a single solution for all of society, because not everyone in society has the same goals.  Just find a solution that works for you that doesn't require forcing it on others.

[twiifm]

The only solution is to acknowledge the problem and come up w solution w everyone involved.

There won't be a single solution for all of society, because not everyone in society has the same goals.  Just find a solution that works for you that doesn't require forcing it on others.

We're talking inequality here.  Its a societal problem not an individual problem.  The only way to solve societal problems is when you get consensus

You never heard of the virtuous circle concept?

[shawshankinmate37927]

The only solution is to acknowledge the problem and come up w solution w everyone involved.

There won't be a single solution for all of society, because not everyone in society has the same goals.  Just find a solution that works for you that doesn't require forcing it on others.

We're talking inequality here.  Its a societal problem not an individual problem.  The only way to solve societal problems is when you get consensus

There will be no consensus.  Like-minded individuals will have to get together and form societies made up of willing participants.

[ARadzi]

I think you have to steer the conversation away from "who to blame".

1. The only solution is to acknowledge the problem and come up w solution w everyone involved.

2. If you are super rich or corporations, are you willing to pay more taxes?

3. If you are middle class are you willing to spend more on supporting SMEs

4. If you are an SME,  will you hire more local labor?

5. If you are poor, are you willing to work harder? Take some night classes, increase your skillset to gain employment?

6. If you are gov't,  are you willing to reform taxes? Stimulate SMEs & increase social programs so the underclass can get more education? Focus on employment rather than GDP

The problem can only be solved if the entire society wants it solved

1. That would be even harder to achieve. Every class in a society have different goals.

2. They are already paying more taxes compared to an average guy, otherwise, the Internal Revenue would be chasing them.

3. Not all middle class are into business or SME's. Some are just contend being an employee of some giant corporations.

4. That could be work out.

5. Working harder is all they could do. How could they even take night classes to upgrade their skill when they are already having hard time to make ends meet.

6. No comment on that. Politicians are trying to balance their their positions on tax reforms, otherwise, they wont get any contributions to fund their campaign.

[worle1bm]

It's much worse than the flu, it's a defective heart.  The only way to survive is with a transplant.

Fortunately, Bitcoin is a voluntary monetary system.  Those who feel their needs are being met with the existing fiat monetary system and prefer to continue using it are free to do so.

So our current system, what exactly is wrong with it?

[shawshankinmate37927]

It's much worse than the flu, it's a defective heart.  The only way to survive is with a transplant.

Fortunately, Bitcoin is a voluntary monetary system.  Those who feel their needs are being met with the existing fiat monetary system and prefer to continue using it are free to do so.

So our current system, what exactly is wrong with it?

The biggest issues are the fact that it's inflationary and debt-based.  It's also controlled by those with political connections and used as a political tool.

[twiifm]

I think you have to steer the conversation away from "who to blame".

1. The only solution is to acknowledge the problem and come up w solution w everyone involved.

2. If you are super rich or corporations, are you willing to pay more taxes?

3. If you are middle class are you willing to spend more on supporting SMEs

4. If you are an SME,  will you hire more local labor?

5. If you are poor, are you willing to work harder? Take some night classes, increase your skillset to gain employment?

6. If you are gov't,  are you willing to reform taxes? Stimulate SMEs & increase social programs so the underclass can get more education? Focus on employment rather than GDP

The problem can only be solved if the entire society wants it solved

1. That would be even harder to achieve. Every class in a society have different goals.

2. They are already paying more taxes compared to an average guy, otherwise, the Internal Revenue would be chasing them.

3. Not all middle class are into business or SME's. Some are just contend being an employee of some giant corporations.

4. That could be work out.

5. Working harder is all they could do. How could they even take night classes to upgrade their skill when they are already having hard time to make ends meet.

6. No comment on that. Politicians are trying to balance their their positions on tax reforms, otherwise, they wont get any contributions to fund their campaign.

Apply this to past problems.  Slavery, labor rights, civil rights and whatever else

Sounds impossible to solve at the time but society did progress. It can either through democratic process or bloody process.  Personally, I prefer the non violent way

The problem w inequality issues is not everyone even recognize its an issue.

The problem w individuals only thinking about themselves and not caring about society as a whole.  Shit doesnt get done.  Trying to blame someone.  Yeah it feels good but its the wrong mindset

[ARadzi]

The biggest issues are the fact that it's inflationary and debt-based.  It's also controlled by those with political connections and used as a political tool.

I certainly agree with you on that. From the time of campaign up to the time when they are already elected, money is what makes some politicians go round.

[ARadzi]

I think you have to steer the conversation away from "who to blame".

1. The only solution is to acknowledge the problem and come up w solution w everyone involved.

2. If you are super rich or corporations, are you willing to pay more taxes?

3. If you are middle class are you willing to spend more on supporting SMEs

4. If you are an SME,  will you hire more local labor?

5. If you are poor, are you willing to work harder? Take some night classes, increase your skillset to gain employment?

6. If you are gov't,  are you willing to reform taxes? Stimulate SMEs & increase social programs so the underclass can get more education? Focus on employment rather than GDP

The problem can only be solved if the entire society wants it solved

1. That would be even harder to achieve. Every class in a society have different goals.

2. They are already paying more taxes compared to an average guy, otherwise, the Internal Revenue would be chasing them.

3. Not all middle class are into business or SME's. Some are just contend being an employee of some giant corporations.

4. That could be work out.

5. Working harder is all they could do. How could they even take night classes to upgrade their skill when they are already having hard time to make ends meet.

6. No comment on that. Politicians are trying to balance their their positions on tax reforms, otherwise, they wont get any contributions to fund their campaign.

Apply this to past problems.  Slavery, labor rights, civil rights and whatever else

Sounds impossible to solve at the time but society did progress. It can either through democratic process or bloody process.  Personally, I prefer the non violent way

The problem w inequality issues is not everyone even recognize its an issue.

The problem w individuals only thinking about themselves and not caring about society as a whole.  Shit doesnt get done.  Trying to blame someone.  Yeah it feels good but its the wrong mindset

Blaming someones misfortune to others is inherent quality as a human. But it does not necessarily mean that the one who is finger-pointing is not taking himself into account. It could be that he has already done all what he could do to address such issues but unfortunately, "OTHERS" are into the equation that ain't doing their part, hence the blaming game starts.

[shawshankinmate37927]

The biggest issues are the fact that it's inflationary and debt-based.  It's also controlled by those with political connections and used as a political tool.

I certainly agree with you on that. From the time of campaign up to the time when they are already elected, money is what makes some politicians go round.

Yep, people that have the ability to create money buy out the politicians.  Then the politicians use the money to buy votes.

[RobertDJ]

It's much worse than the flu, it's a defective heart.  The only way to survive is with a transplant.

Fortunately, Bitcoin is a voluntary monetary system.  Those who feel their needs are being met with the existing fiat monetary system and prefer to continue using it are free to do so.

So our current system, what exactly is wrong with it?

The biggest issues are the fact that it's inflationary and debt-based.  It's also controlled by those with political connections and used as a political tool.

Most central banks are generally independent from political affiliation and are not controlled by any political appointee.

[odolvlobo]

Lets face it, there's a colossal gap between the rich and the poor, and that gap is certainly getting wider. But whose to blame in this economic inequality? Is it the government that favors capitalist who contributed large amount during their campaign periods? Is it our constitution that institutionalized the practice of contractualization and other forms of labor flexibilization, hence undermining job security? Like a joke from my previous job, "If you are not a regular employee, you are casual. And after 5 or 6 months, your employer says TY (Thank You) to you which makes you a casualTY. Can we blame capitalist that hoard as much wealth as possible leaving only a thin slice of the .pie for the average guy to share among themselves?

First, I object to the concept of people as "workers". "worker" is just a euphemism for "serf" or even "slave". People should take responsibility for their own lives and stop looking for other people to support them. If people approached work not as employment, but as self-employment, they would be much better off.

Second, the claim that capitalists "hoard as much wealth as possible" is odd, since the most successful capitalists hoard very little of their wealth. Instead they utilize it to increase their wealth.

I believe the reason for the disparity is that it takes money to make money and thus people with wealth are able to increase their wealth more than those without. If income disparity has increased, it is probably due to technology increasing the efficiency of using money to make money.

I think it is very apparent that the solution to the problem of income disparity in the past has been revolution. Unfortunately, the ability of people to revolt against their subjugators has been diminished by the growth of government, which ironically also has resulted in the institutionalized corruption that has contributed to this income disparity. In order to eliminate income disparity, there must be a revolution of some kind, and in order to achieve a successful revolution, the size of the government must be reduced. Unfortunately, the people that suffer from income disparity are the majority and they tend to believe that more government is a solution to the problem, when the truth is that big government perpetuates the problem and prevents the revolution.

I believe that Bitcoin may be the revolution we are looking for. Governments certainly see it that way. Just look at how they approach it -- with fear and trepidation. They know how dangerous it is to them.