[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 16-30 of 100 comments

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 5 Aug @ 2:52am

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".🙄

To directly respond to the petty jabs:

I'm not jealous. I would never hold that amount of wealth; it's relatively immoral

You're trying to strawman the severity of the impacts that this has on everyone. You'd feel a lot different if we were on an island together, and had to survive. Let's say there was a finite dish of food, and I ate 97.5%, leaving you with only 2.5% of the food. "Why are you so eaten up with jealousy over the fact that I ate way more than you? I honestly could not care less if you ate a zillion times more than I, so why do you?"

Do you see how backwards that is?

Think critically.

Last edited by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙; 5 Aug @ 2:57am

#16

Top Cat 5 Aug @ 3:15am

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

There is absolutely NOTHING I NEED to read on OT. Take the stick out mate.

#17

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 5 Aug @ 3:18am

Originally posted by Top Cat:
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

There is absolutely NOTHING I NEED to read on OT. Take the stick out mate.

Media literacy, please. Why are you stripping the context in which it was said?

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

#18

Prinny 5 Aug @ 3:20am

chatgpt thread

#19

Donut 5 Aug @ 3:20am

But how does wealth distribution work in russia? We always talk about the US like it's the only bad guy all the time. What about russia?

Last edited by Donut; 5 Aug @ 3:24am

#20

EASY PETE 5 Aug @ 3:20am

Yes i know i’ve read about this before, greed is what makes up a large portion of the nature of man

#21

Top Cat 5 Aug @ 3:21am

I quoted the part that concerned me. It's quite simple

#22

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 5 Aug @ 3:22am

Originally posted by Donut:
But how does wealth distribution work in russia? We always talk about the US like it's the bad guy all the time. What about russia?

You're staring at a house-fire while warning the firefighters trying to put it out about a wildfire on the opposite side of the world

Just because it's worse elsewhere doesn't mean that it's good here. That's backwards thinking and just trying to draw attention away from how things are here

#23

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 5 Aug @ 3:22am

Originally posted by Prinny:
chatgpt thread

You're just scared of math

#24

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 5 Aug @ 3:23am

Originally posted by EASY PETE:
Yes i know i’ve read about this before, greed is what makes up a large portion of the nature of man

Fair enough, but it's the arrogant ignorance to this that baffles me. Look at the responses to the thread so far as key evidence

#25

Prinny 5 Aug @ 3:23am

redistribute these

#26

NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙 5 Aug @ 3:24am

Originally posted by Top Cat:
I quoted the part that concerned me. It's quite simple

Why even come here, to a forum based around reading to tell people you're not going to read? Go leave "didn't watch" comments on YT vids or something. I figured you'd have better things to do in your retirement years, but I guess not

#27

Top Cat 5 Aug @ 3:26am

Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:
Originally posted by EASY PETE:
Yes i know i’ve read about this before, greed is what makes up a large portion of the nature of man

Fair enough, but it's the arrogant ignorance to this that baffles me. Look at the responses to the thread so far as key evidence

It's an open forum. Get used to people disagreeing with your own arrogance in TELLING other what they should think about your post. Now that is arrogance and ignorance.

#28

Top Cat 5 Aug @ 3:26am

Originally posted by NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:
Originally posted by Top Cat:
I quoted the part that concerned me. It's quite simple

Why even come here, to a forum based around reading to tell people you're not going to read? Go leave "didn't watch" comments on YT vids or something. I figured you'd have better things to do in your retirement years, but I guess not

I have no desire to repeat myself again... duh...

#29