I’d watch a reality TV show where people like Musk had to work for a week in a mine, or on an oil rig, doing the hardest jobs. They wouldn’t last a minute.
Why can’t we, as a society, just take Musk’s money and redistribute it? It is absolutely stupid that we allow someone to have more money than he can use while so many people can’t afford to live
I swear people think billionaires have a giant vault of money like Scrooge McDuck. I have had to explain this to people so many times. His wealth is almost entered imaginary and based on the speculative possible future profits of his companies. If he ever tried to convert it into cash the value would go to zero.
His wealth isn’t imaginary when he uses it as collateral to borrow actual money, though.
That’s the weird part, when billionaires use their money, it’s real.
But when you discuss taking it away or taxing it, it’s suddenly just an imagination.
Realistically it’s not liquid assets like it is for you and me. They purchase items that “appreciate” like land and art, then take loans out using them as collateral to then get them appraised higher to take out another loan to pay off the other one then use the extra for living on. They don’t live on dividends or income, it’s a game of loans that they have a small army of accountants running. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take those assets. Just that it doesn’t translate into immediate cash flows for people.
If people had money and were able to take care of their needs, they would spend more than the billionaire who just keeps it but doesn’t use it. Money spent would drive the economy creating revenue that can be reinvested into the business to increase efficiency and capacity.
But to address your point, redistributing billionaire wealth directly into workers hands wouldn’t make everyone rich. Yes people would have more money, at least at first. This is why socialists believe in controlling the means of production. Workers should share profits.
Workers should not be so desperate that they can’t afford to go on strike or take time off work to vote, or to have the time to find a good job.
Arguing that everyone can’t be rich isn’t a sincere argument. You’re creating a fictional scenario where everyone has millions of dollars.
I wasn’t arguing against wealth distribution. Im just saying its crazy to believe if everyone were millionaire, everyone could afford what current millionaires can afford. I think the wealth assessment of few individuals is a systematic failure of capitalism. No individual can work enough that they should have a million times that of the average citizen. I think having certain variation in pay grade and wealth can be okay if it serves the best interest of the public and entices people to work hard. The economy would be driven by spending, yes but that spending would devalue money quickly. Also billionaires have most money in company shares, land etc, not liquid cash. Inheritance and wealth tax can do a decent amount to reduce inequality I believe. A good social safety net would also make the US a much better place for the average citizen.
People are just misunderstanding my argument. Although I don’t think violent means like mentioned here are the way to go. But what am I even saying we are in a shitpost community after all.
Yes, that is very reasonable and has been the standard in most developed nations for a while now outside the US. Although in the US it would quickly be decried as “communism” or whatever (ignoring the fact the US healthcare system is the most expensive in the world)
![[serious]](https://lemmy.ml/pictrs/image/5797250b-b6ab-4ec4-aa5f-c41d66a011f0.jpeg){kind=link}
kill a couple billionares and give their wealth to the poor people and they wont be poor anymore and it a lot less killing…
2 or 3 instead of millions, I think that math works out pretty well
Why kill them? I would rather they compete on a reality TV show to not get fired from a soul sucking benefitless job at their former corporations.
I’d watch a reality TV show where people like Musk had to work for a week in a mine, or on an oil rig, doing the hardest jobs. They wouldn’t last a minute.
Nah, that’s too good. He needs to work the lowest paying job in his corp.
I’d love to watch these geniuses try to “innovate” their way out of cleaning toilets.
They had that stupid undercover boss show but it was nothing but a shameless commercial for the company and patronizing pandering to the slave class.
Or Bumfights. What do you think they’ll be using the Temu Colosseum for after it’s first spectacle?
Why can’t we, as a society, just take Musk’s money and redistribute it? It is absolutely stupid that we allow someone to have more money than he can use while so many people can’t afford to live
We can
Most of those trillions are unrealized gains based on completely unrealistic valuation in “trust me bro” style
Like Tesla being worth more than all the western car manufacturers combined or xai being “worth” billions even if it’s losing billions every year.
The second he dumps those stocks, the house of cards would crash almost immediately
I swear people think billionaires have a giant vault of money like Scrooge McDuck. I have had to explain this to people so many times. His wealth is almost entered imaginary and based on the speculative possible future profits of his companies. If he ever tried to convert it into cash the value would go to zero.
His wealth isn’t imaginary when he uses it as collateral to borrow actual money, though.
That’s the weird part, when billionaires use their money, it’s real.
But when you discuss taking it away or taxing it, it’s suddenly just an imagination.
Realistically it’s not liquid assets like it is for you and me. They purchase items that “appreciate” like land and art, then take loans out using them as collateral to then get them appraised higher to take out another loan to pay off the other one then use the extra for living on. They don’t live on dividends or income, it’s a game of loans that they have a small army of accountants running. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take those assets. Just that it doesn’t translate into immediate cash flows for people.
Because it’s not “real” money
It’s real enough to use as collateral to borrow actual money from banks.
Sure, but turning it all into actual resources for the community wouldn’t be as easy as it seems (I think?)
Bro solved the trolley problem.
Jonathan Swift you card, I didn’t realize you were using Reddit now.
Money would be devalued quite a bit, since production capacity doesnt randomly jump. If everyone is rich, no one is
You wouldn’t be creating currency, only redistributing it.
If people had money and were able to take care of their needs, they would spend more than the billionaire who just keeps it but doesn’t use it. Money spent would drive the economy creating revenue that can be reinvested into the business to increase efficiency and capacity.
But to address your point, redistributing billionaire wealth directly into workers hands wouldn’t make everyone rich. Yes people would have more money, at least at first. This is why socialists believe in controlling the means of production. Workers should share profits.
Workers should not be so desperate that they can’t afford to go on strike or take time off work to vote, or to have the time to find a good job.
Arguing that everyone can’t be rich isn’t a sincere argument. You’re creating a fictional scenario where everyone has millions of dollars.
I wasn’t arguing against wealth distribution. Im just saying its crazy to believe if everyone were millionaire, everyone could afford what current millionaires can afford. I think the wealth assessment of few individuals is a systematic failure of capitalism. No individual can work enough that they should have a million times that of the average citizen. I think having certain variation in pay grade and wealth can be okay if it serves the best interest of the public and entices people to work hard. The economy would be driven by spending, yes but that spending would devalue money quickly. Also billionaires have most money in company shares, land etc, not liquid cash. Inheritance and wealth tax can do a decent amount to reduce inequality I believe. A good social safety net would also make the US a much better place for the average citizen.
People are just misunderstanding my argument. Although I don’t think violent means like mentioned here are the way to go. But what am I even saying we are in a shitpost community after all.
You don’t need to make everyone millionaires. You do need to give everyone secure access to food, housing and healthcare.
Yes, that is very reasonable and has been the standard in most developed nations for a while now outside the US. Although in the US it would quickly be decried as “communism” or whatever (ignoring the fact the US healthcare system is the most expensive in the world)
Sounds like a good thing
It’s worth it.