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A very interesting and thorough research project on whether excessive wealth creates dishonesty and lack of empathy. I don't think the results are all that surprising.

http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_piff_does ... e_you_mean#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One would think top-earning actors wouldn't become so open-minded that they have no room for brain tissue.

BOO FVCKING HOO

They should do a study on whether or not being poor makes you stupid

It would be just as valid and just as useful

CID1990 wrote:BOO FVCKING HOO

They should do a study on whether or not being poor makes you stupid

It would be just as valid and just as useful

I'm sorry human psychology and motivations upset you. Are going to be ok?

Believe me, Klam... I couldn't be finer

i sleep with the conscience of a baby

because the tears (yours included) from progressive angst over rich people are like vermouth for my martini

CID1990 wrote:Believe me, Klam... I couldn't be finer

i sleep with the conscience of a baby

because the tears (yours included) from progressive angst over rich people are like vermouth for my martini

I was just saying that about the Republican HATE for President Obama...
In fact I believe my exact quote was: The most enjoyable thing about Obama has nothing to do with the man himself or his reasonably failed presidency... but the absolute hatred and agony he constantly delivers to the Conservatives in this country

Brings a joyous smile to my face

CID1990 wrote:Believe me, Klam... I couldn't be finer

i sleep with the conscience of a baby

because the tears (yours included) from progressive angst over rich people are like vermouth for my martini

Wealth creates bubble living and a slight amount of sociopathy. It's mostly true for all of us. Again, no real surprise other than the notion really seems to bother you. Btw, ditch the vermouth and learn to drink your vodka like a man.

Do you guys ever get sick of envy?

kalm wrote:

CID1990 wrote:Believe me, Klam... I couldn't be finer

i sleep with the conscience of a baby

because the tears (yours included) from progressive angst over rich people are like vermouth for my martini

Wealth creates bubble living and a slight amount of sociopathy. It's mostly true for all of us. Again, no real surprise other than the notion really seems to bother you. Btw, ditch the vermouth and learn to drink your vodka like a man.

With the amount of angst being summoned against rich people by those who aren't rich, apparently sociopathy can also be created by not being rich. I guess that's mostly true for all of us too.

I watch some episodes of The Men Who Built America on the History Channel last weekend. Good program, I recommend it.

Anyway, I found it interesting that people were complaining about the rich then just as they are now. Our technology may be far advanced from where it was then, but people haven't changed.

GannonFan wrote:

kalm wrote:


Wealth creates bubble living and a slight amount of sociopathy. It's mostly true for all of us. Again, no real surprise other than the notion really seems to bother you. Btw, ditch the vermouth and learn to drink your vodka like a man.

With the amount of angst being summoned against rich people by those who aren't rich, apparently sociopathy can also be created by not being rich. I guess that's mostly true for all of us too.

This is true.

BlueHen86 wrote:I watch some episodes of The Men Who Built America on the History Channel last weekend. Good program, I recommend it.

Anyway, I found it interesting that people were complaining about the rich then just as they are now. Our technology may be far advanced from where it was then, but people haven't changed.

It's as if the only era where didn't complain so much was when the wealth gap narrowed and the middle class was thriving. Amirite, Ganny?

This thread reminds me of the All in the Family episode where Archie is complaining to a successful black guy about how much he pays in taxes to support the welfare system. The black guy responds: "I leave more in tips than you pay in taxes."

Noblesse oblige! Ain't America great?

kalm wrote:

BlueHen86 wrote:I watch some episodes of The Men Who Built America on the History Channel last weekend. Good program, I recommend it.

Anyway, I found it interesting that people were complaining about the rich then just as they are now. Our technology may be far advanced from where it was then, but people haven't changed.

It's as if the only era where didn't complain so much was when the wealth gap narrowed and the middle class was thriving. Amirite, Ganny?

No, you're not right. The wealth gap narrows in times of economic recession or depression. Basically because the poor can't get much poorer and the rich really get hit. However, in times of any economic expansion, the rich always increase their wealth more, nominally, than the poor or even a "thriving" middle class as you say. Think of it this way, if everyone doubles their money, rich or poor, then the wealth gap has increased.

We had a good period when the wealth gap really narrowed in this country - it was during the late 1920's and into the 1930's. I dare say quite a few people were complaining a lot then, even though the wealth gap shrunk.

Inequality for all......watch it on Netflix

GannonFan wrote:

kalm wrote:
It's as if the only era where didn't complain so much was when the wealth gap narrowed and the middle class was thriving. Amirite, Ganny?

No, you're not right. The wealth gap narrows in times of economic recession or depression. Basically because the poor can't get much poorer and the rich really get hit. However, in times of any economic expansion, the rich always increase their wealth more, nominally, than the poor or even a "thriving" middle class as you say. Think of it this way, if everyone doubles their money, rich or poor, then the wealth gap has increased.

We had a good period when the wealth gap really narrowed in this country - it was during the late 1920's and into the 1930's. I dare say quite a few people were complaining a lot then, even though the wealth gap shrunk.

I was actually guessing at this but…





And people complain about more than the wealth gap. They tend to complain when their standard of living takes a hit. Which again is true at all income levels.

But the rich have been championed as the producers, the job creators, for quite awhile now so perhaps expectations in their abilities have been a bit high? Oh well, at least income equality has remained flat over the last recessionary period.

kalm wrote:A very interesting and thorough research project on whether excessive wealth creates dishonesty and lack of empathy. I don't think the results are all that surprising.

http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_piff_does ... e_you_mean#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Plenty of flaws in this guy's presentation...and his experiments...and it all gets wrapped up at the end when he reveals that he has no point.

The guy destroys his own arguments by saying that if you show a person a 45 second film about a poor person's plight, levels of empathy, which he claims his experiments showed were skewed, suddenly become equal.

In other words, rich people should go to church and everything will be OK.

These kids wouldn't last two minutes in 'Merica. Holding hands and sharing leads to gay communism.

kalm wrote:

GannonFan wrote:
With the amount of angst being summoned against rich people by those who aren't rich, apparently sociopathy can also be created by not being rich. I guess that's mostly true for all of us too.

This is true.

So, we're all sociopaths then?

AZGrizFan wrote:

kalm wrote:
This is true.

So, we're all sociopaths then?

We're talking about sociopathic behavior here, and It's a spectrum. You can be so wealthy as to not empathize with the plight of the average person. You can be so poor that you'll scratch, bite, kick, and claw over other people to stay alive.

kalm wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
So, we're all sociopaths then?

We're talking about sociopathic behavior here, and It's a spectrum. You can be so wealthy as to not empathize with the plight of the average person. You can be so poor that you'll scratch, bite, kick, and claw over other people to stay alive.

And you can be so middle class and ordinary that you envy and hate the rich person for having more and you can hate and despise the poor person for being so poor. I don't think sociopathism is neatly contained to just the people at the two ends of the spectrum. We could have no wealth gap and people would still find a way to envy and hate someone else.

GannonFan wrote:

kalm wrote:
We're talking about sociopathic behavior here, and It's a spectrum. You can be so wealthy as to not empathize with the plight of the average person. You can be so poor that you'll scratch, bite, kick, and claw over other people to stay alive.

And you can be so middle class and ordinary that you envy and hate the rich person for having more and you can hate and despise the poor person for being so poor. I don't think sociopathism is neatly contained to just the people at the two ends of the spectrum. We could have no wealth gap and people would still find a way to envy and hate someone else.

Great post. However, the very wealthy have done a great job convincing the middle class that the undeserving poor are the root of all the problems of the world. Conks falling for it hook, line and sinker.

D1B wrote:

GannonFan wrote:
And you can be so middle class and ordinary that you envy and hate the rich person for having more and you can hate and despise the poor person for being so poor. I don't think sociopathism is neatly contained to just the people at the two ends of the spectrum. We could have no wealth gap and people would still find a way to envy and hate someone else.

Great post. However, the very wealthy have done a great job convincing the middle class that the undeserving poor are the root of all the problems of the world. Conks falling for it hook, line and sinker.

I don't buy that at all. The current "occupy" movement or even that we're talking about this is because there's a solid segment of the middle class that believe the exact opposite and that the rich (the 1%) are the root of all the problems of the world. Like I said, people don't need a lot of help to envy or hate someone else.

GannonFan wrote:

D1B wrote:
Great post. However, the very wealthy have done a great job convincing the middle class that the undeserving poor are the root of all the problems of the world. Conks falling for it hook, line and sinker.

I don't buy that at all. The current "occupy" movement or even that we're talking about this is because there's a solid segment of the middle class that believe the exact opposite and that the rich (the 1%) are the root of all the problems of the world. Like I said, people don't need a lot of help to envy or hate someone else.

To be fair, it is understandable that the 1% get more flak since they have much more influence than the poor or middle class.

Seahawks08 wrote:

GannonFan wrote:

I don't buy that at all. The current "occupy" movement or even that we're talking about this is because there's a solid segment of the middle class that believe the exact opposite and that the rich (the 1%) are the root of all the problems of the world. Like I said, people don't need a lot of help to envy or hate someone else.

To be fair, it is understandable that the 1% get more flak since they have much more influence than the poor or middle class.

Ganny, wealth worship and welfare envy have been core principles of the Republican Party for decades and there are plenty of rich people who also recognize this and push back. Sure there's an opposing take from the other side that wages class warfare, but there is also a very legitimate concern that the deck has been stacked and that a good chunk of the top end wealth that has been created is not based on merits or hard work, but on a system that entrenches that wealth and power.