Why are there rich people and poor people? (for a 4 year old)

[DCal430]

The truth is their are two kinds of rich people, those who trampled over the poor and disadvantage to take their wealth, and those who inherited from some who did or some prior ancestor who did.

No one deserves to be rich, for the wealthy are among the most evil things.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

The truth is their are two kinds of rich people, those who trampled over the poor and disadvantage to take their wealth, and those who inherited from some who did or some prior ancestor who did.

No one deserves to be rich, for the wealthy are among the most evil things.

So the nurse or doctor that spent a decade longer in school and then risks her or his life saving someone else's life is trampling over the poor and disadvantaged to take their wealth?

 

[piasabird]

There is only so much money in this world and some people just have more of it. Some people are born rich and waste all their money, some people go to school and are hired for a lot of money by a large corporation. Some people go to school but don't study and don't graduate and they get a lousy job. Some people get jobs but they rob and steal and they get fired by everyone they work for. Some people don't want to work so they have babies and government pays them just enough to stay alive. The world has a lot of possibilities.

 

[DCal430]

So the nurse or doctor that spent a decade longer in school and then risks her or his life saving someone else's life is trampling over the poor and disadvantaged to take their wealth?

If a doctor is making 400,000 a year he is guilty of exploiting the sick to make money.

 

[HeXen]

To be fair you normally would become a doctor because you have a passion and care about helping people, saving lives and making people feel better. Not to get rich. Some doctors live in crap conditions to do just that.
That kinda goes along with just about anything. You start a business, become a pastor or work your way to being a CEO to get rich.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

If a doctor is making 400,000 a year he is guilty of exploiting the sick to make money.

I hope you don't think many in here take anything you say seriously.

 

[Fern]

The truth is their are two kinds of rich people, those who trampled over the poor and disadvantage to take their wealth, and those who inherited from some who did or some prior ancestor who did.

No one deserves to be rich, for the wealthy are among the most evil things.

You need to meet more people.

There are definitely people who've made a lot of wealth in other ways. I've seen hard work in the right place at the right time make a bunch. I've seen inventors lucky enough to profit from their inventions(s) and not get ripped off by big companies etc.

Fern

 

[werepossum]

So the nurse or doctor that spent a decade longer in school and then risks her or his life saving someone else's life is trampling over the poor and disadvantaged to take their wealth?

Silly bear, you're interpreting his words as though they are English. Fortunately for you, I speak a bit of loon - comes in handy getting laid in college. Allow me to translate:

Gimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimmegimme!

Nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom . . .

Never forget the loons' national motto: They also serve who smoke weed and play XBox in their mom's basement.

 

[Moonbeam]

So the nurse or doctor that spent a decade longer in school and then risks her or his life saving someone else's life is trampling over the poor and disadvantaged to take their wealth?

I don't think they are. But let us imagine a world full of people similarly educated and similarly motivated so that now we live in a world where everybody is a doctor or nurse. Isn't the new millionaire going to be the garbage collector.

Also, do you think that one of the reasons why it takes so much time and schooling at high cost, with so many tests and hurtles to cross to become a licensed doctor or nurse because the folk making those high salaries want to limit the competition?

I have heard that selling diamonds is quite profitable because supply is carefully throttled by the De Beers diamond cartel.

Imagine a world where any young person with the capacity and inclination to be a doctor were educated by the state for free, and medical science and facilities similarly paid for. In such a world, at least, there would fewer who would suffer the he poverty brought on by disease. So while there might be fewer rich doctors, there might also be many many fewer who suffer bad health.

So while I don't blame any who are rich as doctors, when I look at the sick of this world, I see fault with the system.

 

[HomerJS]

Base formula is simple

If you have a skill/product that many value but few can do/provide you will be rich.

 

[Jaepheth]

Monopoly would be a horrible example, because we DON'T start with the same thing. Some kids are born to rich folks; some kids are born to parents who wouldn't strike a lick at a snake and have to beg someone else just to afford to pay attention. Some kids are born smart, and some are born slow. The smart kids have a much easier time than the slow kids, and the rich kids have a much, much easier time than the poor kids. Likening life to Monopoly risks a poor kid looking around and deciding the game is already lost - or a rich kid looking around and deciding the game is already won.

While that's true for any single human lifetime I was going for a big-picture explanation as to how rich and poor first arise. In the Monopoly analogy the player's aren't people, but more like lineages.

Since we all come from a common ancestor, then at one point all was equal. But then as I said, primates won the dice roll for opposable thumbs; someone won the dice roll for a better harvest; someone won the dice roll for better looks; someone won the dice roll for higher intelligence, etc. Evolution runs its course, with each generation picking up roughly where their parents left off, and then eventually we get the vast inequalities we have today.

 

[Zorkorist]

I don't think they are. But let us imagine a world full of people similarly educated and similarly motivated so that now we live in a world where everybody is a doctor or nurse. Isn't the new millionaire going to be the garbage collector.

Also, do you think that one of the reasons why it takes so much time and schooling at high cost, with so many tests and hurtles to cross to become a licensed doctor or nurse because the folk making those high salaries want to limit the competition?

I have heard that selling diamonds is quite profitable because supply is carefully throttled by the De Beers diamond cartel.

Imagine a world where any young person with the capacity and inclination to be a doctor were educated by the state for free, and medical science and facilities similarly paid for. In such a world, at least, there would fewer who would suffer the he poverty brought on by disease. So while there might be fewer rich doctors, there might also be many many fewer who suffer bad health.

So while I don't blame any who are rich as doctors, when I look at the sick of this world, I see fault with the system.

Take it up with God, Moonbeam.

Let us know when He tells you how to make sure no one dies, or is sick.

Thanks,

-John

 

[Dr. Zaus]

I don't think they are. But let us imagine a world full of people similarly educated and similarly motivated so that now we live in a world where everybody is a doctor or nurse. Isn't the new millionaire going to be the garbage collector.

This would be a wonderful world, where the remuneration was tied to how much physical anguish it costs to undertake the work.

Also, do you think that one of the reasons why it takes so much time and schooling at high cost, with so many tests and hurtles to cross to become a licensed doctor or nurse because the folk making those high salaries want to limit the competition?

It may well be; but it may well be that too many people get through such programs. I know the latter is the case for Lawyers, who for the most part make much less than the public perception of the profession.

I have heard that selling diamonds is quite profitable because supply is carefully throttled by the De Beers diamond cartel.

I've heard that too.

Imagine a world where any young person with the capacity and inclination to be a doctor were educated by the state for free, and medical science and facilities similarly paid for. In such a world, at least, there would fewer who would suffer the he poverty brought on by disease. So while there might be fewer rich doctors, there might also be many many fewer who suffer bad health.

I hear that there are actually a number of options for those properly motivated; for example being a DO which will allow you to fully serve as a general practitioner or even a specialist. Further, the limitations of nursing are very low, with only a 2 year degree needed to enter the profession, but it is still in stark need of people and sees ever growing pay for the profession.

So while I don't blame any who are rich as doctors, when I look at the sick of this world, I see fault with the system.

I agree. But perhaps the real problem isn't legitimate structure (i.e. I just can't get in even though I'd do a good job) but social-structural (i.e. I can't see myself being a Doctor or Nurse, I don't care enough about people).

 

[DCal430]

I will say this, in a truly civilized society, their will be no rich and no poor. Their will be no wealth, in fact money shouldn't even exist. Goods should be produced as needed, and goods should be distributed as needed. Rich and poor are due to defects in society.

 

[Zorkorist]

That's a pretty stupid point of view, aka, Communism.

-John

 

[Moonbeam]

I will say this, in a truly civilized society, their will be no rich and no poor. Their will be no wealth, in fact money shouldn't even exist. Goods should be produced as needed, and goods should be distributed as needed. Rich and poor are due to defects in society.

Mulla Nasrudin lived on a civilized commune where everything was shared equally. He would often be seen in the community grain room transferring wheat from various people's store into his own. When he was asked why he did this he replied that he couldn't tell their grain from his. And when asked why he never was seen transferring his grain into somebody else's store, he answered that it was easy to tell his grain from theirs.

 

[Moonbeam]

DixyCrat: This would be a wonderful world, where the remuneration was tied to how much physical anguish it costs to undertake the work.

M: It would be a step in the right direction, I would say, if it were at least not inversely tied to it. We have this thing called hunger and a structure that insures enough of it to also insure masses of people who will do any kind of work to survive.

DC: It may well be; but it may well be that too many people get through such programs. I know the latter is the case for Lawyers, who for the most part make much less than the public perception of the profession.

M: People dream.

DC: I've heard that too.

M: Well the point is that those who have are protective of what they have and do what they can to prevent a true market system.

DC: I hear that there are actually a number of options for those properly motivated; for example being a DO which will allow you to fully serve as a general practitioner or even a specialist. Further, the limitations of nursing are very low, with only a 2 year degree needed to enter the profession, but it is still in stark need of people and sees ever growing pay for the profession.

M: There may be psychological factors involved in people's interest in health care, but there is also a big cost to surmount before there is any reward. That is a problem many can't address.


DC: I agree. But perhaps the real problem isn't legitimate structure (i.e. I just can't get in even though I'd do a good job) but social-structural (i.e. I can't see myself being a Doctor or Nurse, I don't care enough about people).

M: Personally, I don't think you can have winners without those who lose, that one creates the other. But if what you say is the basic fact then perhaps it adequately explains why people go into medicine, for the money, and not to serve. That's great for the doctor, but maybe not so good for people who are sick.