Book 'pirate' goes underground after being named by Terry Goodkind

[DarkScribe]

Originally Posted by plib

FFS. I give up, there is no point in talking to those who will not listen.

You are so wrong. I do listen, I listen with fascination. What I don't do is believe. You have done nothing to convince me. You provide no explanation as to why good planning does not aid in acquiring high levels of wealth. You give no evidence that wealthy people achieve that status by luck alone.

Originally Posted by plib

But if it's Alice's looking glass you want, just reread the above post, or in fact all of them, where what is written is somehow transformed to what you think is written.

Enjoy your world. It must be a fun place, for you.

It is, it is a fun place. I enjoy my little world but I do like to peek outside on occasion - I sometimes find the most fascinating things. Such as people who vehemently insist that planning and hard work don't lead to success (or the wealth that usually accompanies it), that life is governed by chance alone. I would never meet such people or become aware of such beliefs if I remained in my world.

I see little point in not enjoying as much of life as is possible. The first and possibly most important thing a person must do in order to do that well is not take themselves too seriously. I don't, but then I take little else seriously either - not unless it truly warrants doing so.

You are really going? You were providing such fine entertainment - I'll miss you. I will have to find some pretend Christians to play with. Their beliefs are often as bizarre as yours. They don't believe that life is governed by chance, they claim that life is governed by an invisible omnipotent being who lives in the sky and is served by dead people who have wings. They claim that if you kiss his ass fervently enough and for long enough, you will get to spend eternity with a bunch of other ass-kissers. Doesn't sound like much fun to me.

C'mon, be a sport, tell me more about how the one percenters don't have to plan or work to become successful. (Or wealthy - I keep forgetting, you disassociate the two.) How does not making the right decisions lead to wealth - if you aren't able to inherit it? I really want to know. Maybe I am missing out on something. I have an uncle who inherited a company worth about thirty-five million back in the late seventies. He is now worth several billion. Do you believe that was purely chance, that the decisions he made over the past thirty years had nothing to do with it?

I made a decision back when I was a teen, one that resulted in pissing his grandfather (my great Uncle) off. Really pissing him off. (It was his grandfather who left my uncle the bulk of the company.) You don't think that my decision back then had anything to do with why I only got a token amount in the will, while the rest of the cousins received substantial sums? All of these years I thought that it was because he didn't like me for calling him a racist and a bigot while he was attending a public function. If you are correct, that had nothing to do with it. Still I managed to make my own money, currently doing just as well as most of the cousins. Of course if you are correct, none of the decision that I made in order to do that had anything to do with it.

How do you explain that all of my children, even though only in their twenties and thirties, are already wealthy enough to retire? I thought that it was because they made a decision to invest in property at the start of Australia's huge property boom a few years back. You don't believe that to be so? One of them is almost certainly going to be in the top one percent and well before she reaches retirement age. She has a hugely impressive portfolio and her own investment company.

What about those women who marry men who are already in the top one percent? That is a decision, a choice, one that takes them straight into that one percent. Yet you claim the choices we make have little affect on our success (ooops sorry - acquisition of wealth).

Even lottery winners made a choice to buy their winning ticket.

Everything we achieve, as well as everything we fail at, everything that happens to us is governed by the choices we make. How can you believe otherwise? How can you claim that our choices, the decisions we make, the things we do, have little affect on our lives? How can you possibly believe that it is all luck. Just fate, random chance.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by plib

The important issue isn't earned income, it's wealth. The top 1% would be the highest income earners without raising a finger. In fact a large number of them are. If you're born into a billion dollar trust fund it really doesn't matter what you decide to work at, or whether you decide to work at all. Same concept with the top 10%, being in the top 10% of income earners is a far, far cry from being in the top 10% of wealth owners. If you're interested it might pay you dividends (non-cash and not tax deductible) to read the referenced article.

First, who is to say that top 10% percent refers to wealth and not income? Second, and more importantly, it doesn't matter.

Being in the top 10% (of income earners or wealth holders) means just what 10% implies - 10 out of 100 qualify. It doesn't matter whether you are talking about wealth or income; the top 10% is still 10 out of 100. It may be the case, as you say, that

"being in the top 10% of income earners is a far, far cry from being in the top 10% of wealth owners.

But they are still just 10 out of 100. If you take a random group of 100 people, 10 of them will be in the top 10% of wealth. (And 10 will be in the top 10% for income, which may or may not overlap). In the US, 30 million people are in the top 10%. That's not a small number.

So, yeah, MR with its thousands of members is likely to have many people in the top 10% by wealth and by income. It would be highly unlikely for that not to be the case.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

First, who is to say that top 10% percent refers to wealth and not income? Second, and more importantly, it doesn't matter.

Being in the top 10% (of income earners or wealth holders) means just what 10% implies - 10 out of 100 qualify. It doesn't matter whether you are talking about wealth or income; the top 10% is still 10 out of 100. It may be the case, as you say, that
But they are still just 10 out of 100. If you take a random group of 100 people, 10 of them will be in the top 10% of wealth. (And 10 will be in the top 10% for income, which may or may not overlap). In the US, 30 million people are in the top 10%. That's not a small number.

So, yeah, MR with its thousands of members is likely to have many people in the top 10% by wealth and by income. It would be highly unlikely for that not to be the case.

Statistically I agree and it may be true, but many thousands go to McDonalds or Walmart or even to the foodbanks daily. Many thousands dig ditches, deliver flyers, clean toilets, or work at Walmart or McDonalds.

Doubtless a few of the wealthy top 10% are eccentrics and do these things, but I think not 10%.

Still the math is flawless and maybe someone should do a poll

Helen

[plib]

Wealth inequality in the United States

Socio-economic mobility in the United States

Read them, or not. Believe them, or not.

I don't really care any more. I'm out of here.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by plib

Wealth inequality in the United States

Socio-economic mobility in the United States

Read them, or not. Believe them, or not.

I don't really care any more. I'm out of here.

Well I don't care either and possibly never did on this issue.

But if I did, I would argue that the wealthy today are descended from people who were not wealthy, and that many poor people of today are descended from the wealthy of another age.

And that most wealthy people in North America would not be in North America if they were wealthy before getting on the boat.


Myself I am not wealthy, but I would be a lot less comfortable, perhaps even poorer than I started out, if I had just sat around blaming the wealthy for raining on my parade.

Helen

[WritePR]

Originally Posted by DarkScribe

You are really going? You were providing such fine entertainment - I'll miss you. I will have to find some pretend Christians to play with. Their beliefs are often as bizarre as yours. They don't believe that life is governed by chance, they claim that life is governed by an invisible omnipotent being who lives in the sky and is served by dead people who have wings. They claim that if you kiss his ass fervently enough and for long enough, you will get to spend eternity with a bunch of other ass-kissers. Doesn't sound like much fun to me.

This is BEYOND inappropriate and has been reported. You and Plib can have your pissing contest for all eternity if you want, but how dare you think you have the right to hurl such insults and judgment on a religion simply because YOU believe differently. I respect your right to be atheist if that's what's right for you. It's too bad you have absolutely NO respect in return. Disgusting!

[DarkScribe]

Originally Posted by WritePR

This is BEYOND inappropriate and has been reported. You and Plib can have your pissing contest for all eternity if you want, but how dare you think you have the right to hurl such insults and judgment on a religion simply because YOU believe differently. I respect your right to be atheist if that's what's right for you. It's too bad you have absolutely NO respect in return. Disgusting!

I have to same right to not believe in anything as you have to believe in it. You clearly do not respect my right to be an atheist or you wouldn't bother to post on the matter. You seem to have had a lot of problems with a lot of people since your arrival. Are you sure that internet forums are the right place for you?

BTW, this is not a thread about religion, that was just an aside. If you want to argue about religion, take to the appropriate area - MR has provided one especially for people like yourself. I have no wish to argue about it, you have my opinion in passing, that is the end of the matter as far as I am concerned.

[WritePR]

Originally Posted by DarkScribe

I have to same right to not believe in anything as you have to believe in it. You clearly do not respect my right to be an atheist or you wouldn't bother to post on the matter. You seem to have had a lot of problems with a lot of people since your arrival. Are you sure that internet forums are the right place for you?

I respect your right to be an atheist. Did you see me posting insults and name calling about your belief that God does not exist? No, and I would not. I have several friends that are atheists. I respect their beliefs and they respect mine. I have no problem with atheists. I do have a problem with people who think they have the right to insult and name call those who don't share their beliefs. I will let the moderators decide what, if anything, should be done about you and your nasty remarks about Christians.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by DarkScribe

I have to same right to not believe in anything as you have to believe in it. You clearly do not respect my right to be an atheist or you wouldn't bother to post on the matter. You seem to have had a lot of problems with a lot of people since your arrival. Are you sure that internet forums are the right place for you?

BTW, this is not a thread about religion, that was just an aside. If you want to argue about religion, take to the appropriate area. I have no wish to argue about it, you have my opinion, that is the end of the matter as far as I am concerned.

Hey, I have a problem with a lot of WritePR's other posts, but she's right in calling you out on your disrespect of an entire religion. You're free not to agree with Christianity, but the mockery is quite offensive. Bigotry and intolerance are unacceptable.

I stopped reading the lengthy back-and-forth between you and the other poster, so I didn't see your remarks till she quoted them.

[DarkScribe]

Originally Posted by WritePR

I respect your right to be an atheist. Did you see me posting insults and name calling about your belief that God does not exist? No, and I would not. I have several friends that are atheists. I respect their beliefs and they respect mine. I have no problem with atheists. I do have a problem with people who think they have the right to insult and name call those who don't share their beliefs. I will let the moderators decide what, if anything, should be done about you and your nasty remarks about Christians.

I said before, if you want to argue about religion, take to the MR forum set aside for that purpose. But, for your information, I am a Christian, I follow the teaching of Christ, what I don't believe in is man made Churches and their concept of God per the Old Testament. It is not something that Christ taught or believed in. Now if you want to argue about Churches and their bigoted attitudes, take it here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=229

[DarkScribe]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Hey, I have a problem with a lot of WritePR's other posts, but she's right in calling you out on your disrespect of an entire religion. You're free not to agree with Christianity, but the mockery is quite offensive. Bigotry and intolerance are unacceptable.

I stopped reading the lengthy back-and-forth between you and the other poster, so I didn't see your remarks till she quoted them.

As I suggested to the other party, if you want to discuss this I would be happy to do so, but not here. Take it the appropriate area.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=229

[dreams]

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Thread closed and under review due to continued reports.