[REASON] When you know you're being unreasonable, why do you continue to be unreasonable rather than adopt reasonable beliefs?

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NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 4 Aug @ 5:01pm

Politics can be boiled down immensely by this question.

Do you, the unbelieving reader, not believe in populism? Regardless of what leaning -- or lack thereof -- of populist flavour, why can't you see that you're demonstrably, and very clearly, being abused by the wealthy?

Compare the percentage distribution from 1990 to today

1990:Q1
Top 0.1%: 8.6%
Top 99-99.9%: 14.2%
90-99%: 37.7%
50-90%: 36%
Bottom 50%: 3.5%

2025:Q1
Top 0.1%: 13.8%
Top 99-99.9%: 17%
90-99%: 36.4%
50-90%: 30.3%
Bottom 50%: 2.5%

This data shows that the USA is ONLY benefiting the top 1%. Look at how they've grown while the bottom 99% has only continued to lose their total shares.

Class

1990:Q1 Share (%)

2025:Q1 Share (%)

Change in Share (pp)

Relative Change (%)

Top 0.1%

8.6%

13.8%

+5.2%

60.47% INCREASE (13.8 / 8.6)

Top 99-99.9%

14.2%

17%

+2.8%

19.58% INCREASE (17 / 14.2)

90-99%

37.7%

36.4%

-1.3%

-3.44% DECREASE (36.4 / 37.7)

50-90%

36%

30.3%

-5.7%

-15.83% DECREASE (30.3 / 36)

Bottom 50%

3.5%

2.5%

-1%

-28.57% DECREASE (2.5 / 3.5)

This is indefensible

The top 0.1% is 60% richer, the top 1% as a whole is 74% richer. This isn't a hard problem to solve. The bottom half of the USA has lost 28.57&% of their share of the total wealth. No ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ wonder people are struggling to live

Then there's how very clearly America is a corporate oligarchy. Look at how the asset distribution clearly shows this:

https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/z1/dataviz/dfa/compare/chart/#quarter:142;series:Assets;demographic:networth;population:1,3,5,7,9;units:shares

1990:

Wealth Component

Top 0.1% (%)

99–99.9% (%)

90–99% (%)

50–90% (%)

Bottom 50% (%)

Real estate

8.7

16.7

24.4

37.9

48.0

Consumer durable goods

10.3

5.6

5.1

8.8

22.0

Corporate equities and mutual fund shares

15.8

18.4

9.4

4.1

1.1

Defined benefit pension entitlements

1.1

5.6

19.1

18.9

7.3

Defined contribution pension entitlements

1.1

3.0

5.7

4.6

3.4

Private businesses

32.6

24.3

12.4

6.6

2.3

Other assets

30.4

26.6

23.8

19.2

15.8

2025:

Wealth Component

Top 0.1%

99–99.9%

90–99%

50–90%

Bottom 50%

Real estate

8.6

16.2

23.6

38.5

48.4

Consumer durable goods

2.9

1.4

2.8

6.2

19.7

Corporate equities and mutual fund shares

49.6

43.5

28.0

9.7

4.9

Defined benefit pension entitlements

1.3

3.2

11.0

16.4

4.8

Defined contribution pension entitlements

0.9

5.2

10.1

9.8

6.6

Private businesses

19.5

13.9

7.9

4.0

1.7

Other assets

17.1

16.6

16.6

15.5

13.8

Top 0.1%
(2025%) 49.6 / (1990%) 15.8 = 3.14
That’s a (3.14 - 1) * 100 = 214% increase in Corporate equities and mutual fund shares

99-99.9%
(2025%) 43.5 / (1990%) 18.4 = 2.36
That’s a (2.36 - 1) * 100 = 136% increase in Corporate equities and mutual fund shares

The top 1%'s Corporate equities and mutual fund shares growth:

93.1 - 34.2 = 58.9

(58.9 / 34.2) * 100 =

172.2% INCREASE

It's blatant corruption with a very simple solution; stop feeding corporate elites with more power (money)

Why are you so easily manipulated into believing it's Juan at Home Depot's fault, or not enough gay-black representation in movies? Why do people argue about the most meaningless things relative to what'd actually improve everyone's quality of life across the board?

Last edited by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙; 5 Aug @ 3:13am

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Showing 1-15 of 100 comments

Me and my girlfriend are rich 4 Aug @ 5:06pm

dude go to Cuba if you don't like it

Last edited by Me and my girlfriend are rich; 4 Aug @ 5:06pm

Fake 4 Aug @ 5:07pm

Bro, this is Steam OT. You know full well that no one is going to read all that.

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 4 Aug @ 5:09pm

Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
dude go to Cuba if you don't like it

Originally posted by Fake:
Bro, this is Steam OT. You know full well that no one is going to read all that.

These are the attitudes you adopt, and that's why you're the people who need to read it the most. If you're fine being easily manipulated, then carry on; though you should know that you're hurting everyone else by doing so

Me and my girlfriend are rich 4 Aug @ 5:10pm

Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:
Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
dude go to Cuba if you don't like it

Originally posted by Fake:
Bro, this is Steam OT. You know full well that no one is going to read all that.

These are the attitudes you adopt, and that's why you're the people who need to read it the most. If you're fine being easily manipulated, then carry on; though you should know that you're hurting everyone else by doing so

The guy who thought he was saving the world by cryin about some anime artwork is now doing the exact same but for human nature

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 4 Aug @ 5:12pm

Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

These are the attitudes you adopt, and that's why you're the people who need to read it the most. If you're fine being easily manipulated, then carry on; though you should know that you're hurting everyone else by doing so
The guy who thought he was saving the world by cryin about some anime artwork is now doing the exact same but for human nature

The irony of you demonstrating an inability to be reasonable is palpable

Me and my girlfriend are rich 4 Aug @ 5:14pm

Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:
Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
The guy who thought he was saving the world by cryin about some anime artwork is now doing the exact same but for human nature

The irony of you demonstrating an inability to be reasonable is palpable

Same for you except it's in every thread you make

There's a reason it's "you Vs the entire forum" whenever you make a point and no, it's not that everyone else here is dumb, can you figure out what it is?

Grendalcat 4 Aug @ 5:18pm

And yet somehow I managed to achieve a comfortable standard of living in early retirement, despite dropping out of university and working a series of semi-skilled jobs for less than three decades. Capitalism works, if you know how to work within it, instead of fruitlessly railing against it all your life, until you wind up old, sick and broke, having sacrificed EVERYTHING for your precious "values".🤨

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 4 Aug @ 5:20pm

Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

The irony of you demonstrating an inability to be reasonable is palpable
Same for you except it's in every thread you make

There's a reason it's "you Vs the entire forum" whenever you make a point and no, it's not that everyone else here is dumb, can you figure out what it is?

"I know you are, but what am I?" Clever

That's not the case, and once again, you viewing things so extremely should tell anyone reading all they need to know about you. I didn't claim that everyone else here was dumb. I'm claiming that there are unreasonable people here who know they're unreasonable by deduction, as they cannot reasonably justify their own beliefs, but still choose to believe them regardless. That is a fact, and evident throughout the forum

Me and my girlfriend are rich 4 Aug @ 5:21pm

Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:
Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
Same for you except it's in every thread you make

There's a reason it's "you Vs the entire forum" whenever you make a point and no, it's not that everyone else here is dumb, can you figure out what it is?

"I know you are, but what am I?" Clever

That's not the case, and once again, you viewing things so extremely should tell anyone reading all they need to know about you. I didn't claim that everyone else here was dumb. I'm claiming that there are unreasonable people here who know they're unreasonable by deduction, as they cannot reasonably justify their own beliefs, but still choose to believe them regardless. That is a fact, and evident throughout the forum

Yea cause you are one of the least reasonable people here. my dude you genuinely call people who disagree with you bots lol

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 4 Aug @ 5:25pm

Originally posted by Grendalcat:
And yet somehow I managed to achieve a comfortable standard of living in early retirement, despite dropping out of university and working a series of semi-skilled jobs for less than three decades. Capitalism works, if you know how to work within it, instead of fruitlessly railing against it all your life, until you wind up old, sick and broke, having sacrificed EVERYTHING for your precious "values".🤨

When were you born? '60s? '70s? You're not actually engaging with the post, showing how times used to actually be liveable for the bottom half of the USA, and are now unlivable. You're essentially bragging about how you were able to succeed when the bottom half of society had about 50% more wealth than they did relative to today.

In short, you're bragging about succeeding during a time which was verifiably AT LEAST 50% easier than it is today. It comes off as detached

Last edited by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙; 4 Aug @ 5:27pm

#10

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 4 Aug @ 5:26pm

Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

"I know you are, but what am I?" Clever

That's not the case, and once again, you viewing things so extremely should tell anyone reading all they need to know about you. I didn't claim that everyone else here was dumb. I'm claiming that there are unreasonable people here who know they're unreasonable by deduction, as they cannot reasonably justify their own beliefs, but still choose to believe them regardless. That is a fact, and evident throughout the forum
Yea cause you are one of the least reasonable people here. my dude you genuinely call people who disagree with you bots lol

You haven't said a word about the post yet; just petty personal attacks which further showcase the inability I was talking about

#11

Grendalcat 4 Aug @ 5:32pm

Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:
Originally posted by Grendalcat:
And yet somehow I managed to achieve a comfortable standard of living in early retirement, despite dropping out of university and working a series of semi-skilled jobs for less than three decades. Capitalism works, if you know how to work within it, instead of fruitlessly railing against it all your life, until you wind up old, sick and broke, having sacrificed EVERYTHING for your precious "values".🤨

When were you born? '60s? '70s? You're not actually engaging with the post, showing how times used to actually be liveable for the bottom half of the USA, and are now unlivable. You're essentially bragging about how you were able to succeed when the bottom half of society has about 50% more wealth than they did relative to today.

In short, you're bragging about succeeding during a time which was verifiably AT LEAST 50% easier than it is today. It comes off as detached

Nah, not bragging, just stating the facts. My question for you is, why are you so eaten up with jealousy over the fact that other people have more than you? I honestly could not care less that Elon Musk is worth a zillion times more than I, why do you?

And as to "verifiably AT LEAST 50% easier than it is today", I can tell you did not live through the 60's and 70's, and have no idea what the inflation of those times was like.

Times are always hard, the details just differ. The question is, what are you going to do, wallow in self pity and complaints, or set goals, make a plan to achieve them, and then work toward it.

Do you think it's worse now than the 1930's and 40's? My parents and grandparents would laugh at your definition of "hard times".🙄

#12

Me and my girlfriend are rich 4 Aug @ 5:37pm

Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:
Originally posted by Me and my girlfriend are rich:
Yea cause you are one of the least reasonable people here. my dude you genuinely call people who disagree with you bots lol

You haven't said a word about the post yet; just petty personal attacks which further showcase the inability I was talking about

Of course, why would I entertain the idea of one of the least reasonable people here talking about being reasonable? That's like gumball making a thread about how people should be more humble or less inbred

Last edited by Me and my girlfriend are rich; 4 Aug @ 5:37pm

#13

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 5 Aug @ 2:43am

Originally posted by Grendalcat:
Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

When were you born? '60s? '70s? You're not actually engaging with the post, showing how times used to actually be liveable for the bottom half of the USA, and are now unlivable. You're essentially bragging about how you were able to succeed when the bottom half of society has about 50% more wealth than they did relative to today.

In short, you're bragging about succeeding during a time which was verifiably AT LEAST 50% easier than it is today. It comes off as detached

Nah, not bragging, just stating the facts. My question for you is, why are you so eaten up with jealousy over the fact that other people have more than you? I honestly could not care less that Elon Musk is worth a zillion times more than I, why do you?

And as to "verifiably AT LEAST 50% easier than it is today", I can tell you did not live through the 60's and 70's, and have no idea what the inflation of those times was like.

Times are always hard, the details just differ. The question is, what are you going to do, wallow in self pity and complaints, or set goals, make a plan to achieve them, and then work toward it.

Do you think it's worse now than the 1930's and 40's? My parents and grandparents would laugh at your definition of "hard times".🙄

It's math; you grew up in an objectively easier time regarding basic cost of living.

Cost of Living Comparison: 1960 vs 1970 vs 2025 (Adjusted for Inflation)

Real Cost Comparison (Adjusted to 2025 Dollars)

Item

1960 Price

Adjusted to 2025

1970 Price

Adjusted to 2025

Actual 2025 Price

New Home

$12,700

$138,000

$23,400

$194,000

~$400,000

New Car

$2,600

$28,200

$3,500

$29,000

~$48,000

Gallon of Milk

$0.52

$5.65

$1.32

$10.95

~$4.40

Median Income

$5,600

$60,600

$9,870

$81,800

~$75,000

Real Change vs. Inflation

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