My left winged extremist econ teacher...

[GasX]

I saw a video tape of her working PRETTY DAMN HARD!

😛

 

[StageLeft]

Of course the rich are greatly advantaged to stay that way, but most are probably not lazy, since not being lazy is often part of their upbringing (Sure I can think of lazy well off people, but I can think of lazy poor ones too!). Rags to riches is possible, though generally if you're born to somebody who lives in a trailer, you'll probably die in one, and if you're born to somebody who owns a mansion, you'll probably die in one as well. Being brought up wealthy affords you not just a good education, but also money to do things (like not start life in debt), and when you're accustomed to a certain lifestyle, it becomes expected of you by others and by yourself. There is some class swapping up and down, but definitely a big correlation between one's being born into a certain life and living that way.

I can't find the article at work, but go to theonion.com. Couple days ago they posted an article on how best to be rich. It should be on the front page there 🙂

 

[dullard]

With respect to the Left / Right argument, I'll point out that many conservative groups list subsidies as one of the worst government programs. For example: Farm subsidies are #4 on the National Conservative Weekly listing of worst government programs.

To avoid me getting pulled into a flame war, I won't mention my opinion on subsidies.

Virtualgames0, what is your opinion of duopoly pricing vs. monopoly pricing?

 

[nageov3t]

just to make the point, Russia, Cuba, and China were not Communist governments. True communism = no government; it's just people helping people. It has worked on a small, communal scale, but is unrealistic insofar as converting an entire country

the "big three" of Communist governments were all really facist governments.

edit: not that I spent 4 years studying sociology or anything 😉

 

[biostud]

Subsidies is opposite of a free market. If you're against Subsidies you're definately not a communist, but an ultra-liberalist. In some cases subsidies can prevent really bad things like preventing all the plane companies from bankrupcy, but generally they should be avoided since it hinders free trade.

A communist would want the state to own all the companies controlling which should have more money etc. etc.

BTW I find that many uses the "communist" word about anything that oposes their beliefs, even if has absolutely nothing to do with it at all. Are communist just the same as f*cktard? It would be nice if people knew what they talked about before posting.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: elanarchist
Actually, if you look at the research by sociologists, you would find that the rich have tremendous advantages to keep them rich and that the old Hoartio Alger story of rags to riches is basically a myth. This has been proven in study after study. Of course, since most of us have probably heard of or know a person who has beat the odds, depending on your existing political views, you could use this limited sample from your own experience and erroneously apply it to make a generalization to support your beliefs. Its the same logic as saying that newegg sucks because I know a person who got screwed when 99% of their customers are happy.

You know, strangely (and I know this won't be popular), it also depends on on nationality, and with it, upbringing. For instance, the vast majority of Chinese coming over here in the last generation to generation and a half were seriously dirt poor. In this time, there's a big percentage who have gotten to upper middle class or above. You see this happening a LOT in California, especially in LA and SF.

America is minting new millionaires at an incredible rate.

 

[yhelothar]

I agree that subsidies has nothing to do with him being a communist.. but the fact that he says all rich people are lazy and should be heavily taxed, and all poor people are really hard workers that are helpless and need to be helped is EXTREME left. Yes not communism left, but almost socialist left.
Though that is the ideology of communists, that rich people are lazy and don't deserve their money, while poor people are helpless and deserve as much as the rich, since they're the one doing the labor.
So yes, in a way he is spreading communist beliefs to students.

Virtualgames0, what is your opinion of duopoly pricing vs. monopoly pricing?

With two companies, there would be a lot more competition, obviously, which causes companies to lower their prices to remain competitive. If there is only one company, then the company can sell it for a lot more and people will still buy because they have no alternative.
Isn't this common sense/knowledge?

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
I agree that subsidies has nothing to do with him being a communist.. but the fact that he says all rich people are lazy and should be heavily taxed, and all poor people are really hard workers that are helpless and need to be helped is EXTREME left. Yes not communism left, but almost socialist left.
Though that is the ideology of communists, that rich people are lazy and don't deserve their money, while poor people are helpless and deserve as much as the rich, since they're the one doing the labor.
So yes, in a way he is spreading communist beliefs to students.

Virtualgames0, what is your opinion of duopoly pricing vs. monopoly pricing?

With two companies, there would be a lot more competition, obviously, which causes companies to lower their prices to remain competitive. If there is only one company, then the company can sell it for a lot more and people will still buy because they have no alternative.
Isn't this common sense/knowledge?

It was for me.

<--- econ major

 

[yhelothar]

Ok, lets consider... oh... someone you'd be familiar with. Oh! Mickey Mouse! You must like him, right? And his "boss", CEO Michael Eisner of Disney.

"Michael Eisner was born in Mt. Kisco, New York. His father was a well-to-do lawyer and investor. Eisner was raised in his parents' apartment on Park Avenue in New York City. Despite the luxurious surroundings, discipline in the Eisner household was strict." (http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/eis0bio-1)

Guess he's old money, eh? Now, take almost any CEO / CFO / hell, high upper management position in an long-established company and 99% of the time they'll be part of the old boys network of long-term family wealth. Granted, it sounds like your teacher took the 95% figure out of his ass, but the fact is most of the rich are old money.

Yeah you're right.. it's not 95%... it's 99% :roll:

 

[OokiiNeko]

Thanks Loki, at least someone had a clue.

Marx stated that socialism had to come before communism. First the State owns and runs all, then gradually everything runs itself.
Even Stalin admitted that socialism would be around a while before true communism could be acheived (A History of Twentieth-Century Russia by Robert Service, 1997).

The only two communist societies I know of were basically wiped out or co-opted by America.

The Native Americans and Eskimos.

 

[digitalsm]

Ironically for the left, most of these subsidies we are talking about were started by Democrat Presidents.