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herrcaptain ,

It’s weird how in the Western world we rarely call them oligarchs. That seems to be reserved for the wealth-hoarders in former-Soviet countries.

BubbleMonkey ,

I’ll use it if you do.

Pinky swear?

herrcaptain ,

I’ve been trying my best for a while now, friend. I’m also trying to normalize treating having too much wealth as embarrassing. Like, it should fully be seen as a character flaw to have more money than anyone could ever use. I’m far from advocating for enforced equality, but there should be some limit to wealth upon which exceeding it is viewed as gross by the rest of us plebs. Those parasites certainly shouldn’t be fawned over like so many people do now.

BubbleMonkey ,

You are the first rando to ever call me friend like my friend does and I’m super here for it. Thank you for that, I really liked it. :)

I’m super behind you, friend. I will continue to call them oligarchs, I will continue to make wealth an embarrassment. I mean I’m poor and always have been so of course I’ll rail against the overlords… but 40% of the US population is poor, we are nearing a majority and that is super fucked, and that’s a huge potential voting bloc! We should really do shit with that!

Gosh, it must suck to have so much money and not do anything good for society with it. How embarrassing for you to have so much and do so little with it.

I mean look, if we just taxed shit appropriately we’d probably be mostly ok. There’s a reason tax cuts are so influential. And there’s a reason anyone over a certain income bracket should have $0 worth of loopholes. I’m down with tax loopholes but if you have more than $x in any bank account you are disqualified from claiming. Why not, right? Who does it harm? Nobody who matters.

herrcaptain ,

I’m truly glad I was able to help you have a nicer day. We all need to look out for each other and prop our friends (current or future) up in this system rigged against us.

I’m with you in that most of the population are comparatively poor. The problem is that the oligarchs know exactly how to keep us down, by playing our minor differences off against each other. We need a whole lot of love and understanding to counter that power.

I mean, I’m so goddamn fortunate compared to like 95% of the earth’s population. I grew up fairly poor to working-class parents who had to really struggle to provide for us and keep a roof over our heads. But poor in Canada is a whole world’s difference from poor (or even doing okay) in most other places, and I include the USA in that latter category.

I’m now nearing 40 and for the first time in my life I don’t have to outright directly stress about money. My wife and I are lower-middle-class, and along with the rest of my family were able to buy the business we all worked for. It’s still a struggle - now I have to worry about keeping the business afloat for everyone who depends on it, and we had to make a lot of sacrifices to make this happen. (It’s still up in the air whether my mom, the president of our company, will be able to retire in time to enjoy it.) That said, part of the reason we could make this happen was because we had my wife’s family to fall back on and have “temporarily” been living rent-free in their basement for 9 years now. This is something else that so many other people lack. I can’t remember the technical term for it, but having a family or other social network to lift you up is so crucial to keeping people out of poverty or otherwise helping them better their lives.

This is getting stupidity long-winded, but the point I’m getting at is that for the first time in my life I have the potential to become very wealthy over the next few decades. However, myself and my family are in full agreement that we don’t want that. As our business becomes less of a struggle we certainly want to pay ourselves a little better (with our skills and experience we could make far more anywhere else than we can currently afford to pay ourselves), but we want to raise the wages of our staff right along with our own - never making much more than the average person we employ. To us, that’s the real mark of business success - creating a thriving organization that lifts up everyone involved.

We’ve all seen what egregious wealth can do to a person and want no part in it. If our business does well enough to potentially make us rich, I want us to be taxed punitively- to properly incentivize us to reinvest our profits into creating more jobs and paying them increasingly well. To get rich would be the death of who we are as people.

With this all being said, all of us who want to make the world better in spite of the egregious power of the rich need to stick together. Leftism is so prone to infighting over minute technical details when we ultimately all want the same core things. I’m certainly critical of certain strains of leftism, but at the end of the day I have way more in common with ya’ll than I do with the rich. (In fairness, my family technically owns some of the means of production, but the tiny sliver we own is worth less than a typical house in our low cost-of-living area and we don’t own houses because of it. As such, I think the worst we could be accused of is being petite bourgeoisie.)

The rich, on the other hand, possess a remarkable class consciousness. A white warehouse worker has far more in common with a black supermarket worker than a Saudi Sheik has with an American or Russian oligarch, but you’d never know it. They’ve gotten so good at playing us against each other while cooperating to keep us all down. It’s a tale as old as time.

BubbleMonkey ,

I really liked you long winded post… genuinely.

And I wrote out a really long reply but… I deleted it. Because it was probably too much trauma to throw at someone I don’t know :) and I really enjoyed what you wrote to me, but I know that I’m “much”, sometimes “a bit much”, sometimes “too much”… either way I don’t want to lead on that because it never works out for me so.

I really enjoy you friend and I want you to know I read everything you wrote I just don’t have the gonads to actually engage with this the way I want to.

Instead, here’s something that helped me be who I am today (jokingly, old humor you may recognize)

m.youtube.com/watch?v=ygQ8mFo9cHY

herrcaptain ,

I definitely recognize that video! I’m sure I saw it on Ebaums World or something way back before YouTube.

As to your comment itself - don’t worry about being “too much” with me, especially after that info dump I fired at you. Many of us at my work struggle with mental illness and joke about how blatantly we trauma-dump on each other all the time. Sooooo, I’m used to it, and regularly perpetrate it myself. I’ve also been through two full-on mental breakdowns myself so not a lot can shock me.

It’s late and I need some sleep but if you ever need a friendly ear to vent to, add me on Mastodon ( @herrcaptain ) or straight up shoot me an email ( [email protected] ). I skimmed some of your comment history and you seem like a good egg and we have a lot of common ground for a friendship.

BubbleMonkey ,

I appreciate you friend. It’s been a solid while since I drank (which is better for everyone, I’m a fucking mess!) and so I’m kinda very aware of myself. I’m trying to be a better person and I fail every time. So if I limit my exposure surface area I can’t be so abrasive right…? Or something? (Frankly idk what’s wrong with me, but I’m clearly unlikeable so I try to limit my… exposure surface area I guess? Hence deleting my post. But telling you about it because i want to social…

I hope you have a wonderful night, and sleep wonderfully. I always like to encourage my friends to have soecific thoughts, so if you read this before you go to bed, I hope you fall asleep thinking about a random mountaintop stream leading into a lakebed. I hope you see trees around you, filled with fireflies. You see the lake lapping at your feet with the wind, and bioluminescent glow around your toes.

Have a great night friend and wonderful dreams :)

herrcaptain ,

You as well, my dude! And for the record, you seem very likable to me. Please do feel more than welcome to reach out if you ever need a friendly ear. I often feel powerless in the world, but one thing I am capable of is acting as a sounding board for someone who needs to vent. As I said in another comment earlier today, I’m pretty pessimistic about the state of the world, so these days I focus on just helping people where I can.

BubbleMonkey ,

Aww that’s super nice of you :) even my friends struggle to…. Not dislike me :) I struggle with it myself but you made it a bit easier today, being very open to things.

It won’t be tonight but I do hope to run into you again. I… can’t reach out to you, it just isn’t a thing I can do at this point (always goes horribly) but if you do want to keep touch, please do feel free to dm me, or whatever that looks like on Lemmy/fediverse…?

Honestly it has not happened, and irl people who give me their contact info tend to do so with zero expectation of follow-up (I have learned through failed attempts to follow up), so idk how to do it or what it looks like… but I would like to keep contact if you’d be into it.

But if not o hope you have a great night all the same :) no pressure or whatever :) but do think of that mountain stream, maybe throw in glowing trees if you feel adventuresome! I have a whole dream town and it’s so fun to have a place to explore. Give yourself a glowing woods while you can ;)

herrcaptain ,

Well, I’ve favorited you here on Lemmy and will make sure to keep in touch. I wasn’t sure there was a DM feature, but looking in my app it appears there is, so I’ll do that in the coming days to check in.

No glowing trees in my dreams, but a good sleep nonetheless so thanks for that!

BubbleMonkey ,

Zomg I totally missed this message, I’m sorry, so I guess this is ME checking in on YOU a couple days later ;)

Sorry to hear the glowing didn’t work but thrilled to hear you had a good sleep anyway. That’s hard to come by sometimes :)

herrcaptain ,

No worries! I just shot you a DM being that this thread is already so long. It’s the first I’ve sent on this platform, so let me know if you don’t end up receiving it.

CarbonatedPastaSauce ,

The problem is they don’t give a flying fuck what we think of them because they don’t have to and never will.

psycho_driver ,

They can buy an army of bots on xitter to say nice things to them.

jaybone ,

Also you will buy their products and watch their movies and work for them so you don’t starve to death.

eldavi ,

or create a tv show and watch as millions fawn over their every move

undergroundoverground ,

As a British person, I had a few awkward conversations with other British people when I’ve asked them to explain the difference between a royal or a higher level aristocrat and an oligarch.

It seems to be something to do with the length of time society had to endure their bastardry. Well, it’s either that or that they’re not from the Oligar region of Russia. Its one of the two.

herrcaptain ,

I guess the technical difference would be that one had ancestors who took their power by force and managed to cement it into hereditary rule, while the other acquired it as a “captain of industry” and then largely did the same thing through lobbying or other forms of cronyism.

Mostly the same end result, but for some reason we put one on our coins and hold celebrations in their honor.

I do prefer your champagne analogy though.

undergroundoverground ,

Would you still feel that way, about the very first part, if I was to remind you that some of the Russian oligarchs were crime bosses who took power and wealth by force?

Admittedly, it doesn’t have the hereditary rule part but that, for me, would simple fall under “the difference is the passage of time.” I see it much like the difference between a cult and a religion.

herrcaptain ,

Very fair point. And just to clarify, I loathe them all about equally regardless of how they obtained their wealth/power or what country they’re from.

rockerface ,

Here in Ukraine, we don’t really have those illusions about them, yeah. Some of it might be remainders of Soviet collectivism, but even back then there were people who hoarded money and power, just under different pretenses

herrcaptain ,

So it really is the same everywhere.

AceFuzzLord ,

I personally like to reserve “parasite” for the investors, the ones who will literally send you to court if you try to be human to your employees.

Jakeroxs ,

It’s the same picture

jaybone ,

No you are Spiderman dot jpg

rockerface ,

Parasite species at least actually require resources from their host to survive. I think it might be too generous of a label

10_0 ,

True and the worse the people are the higher up they go, great for the inverters tho, bad for society as a whole (www.yewtu.be/watch?v=STYgeA9VSc) (the video goes over how the biggest investment companies stagger society as a whole, and how the normal person buying shares in a company DONT use their voting power to change the company for the better.)

10_0 ,

Someone I strive to be, more money for the money pit, more food for the fridge, more education for my kids, more opportunities for the family, more money for charity

Agent641 ,

Wealth crimes

CableMonster ,

You guys should put in this much effort and hate to the government. Billionaires play very little role in my life, but the government is in every aspect, but for some reason we are focusing on them.

BobGnarley ,

For real lol just a nice diversion to distract everyone from the real problem.

Leviathan ,

The government is directly controlled by their individual billionaires.

CableMonster ,

I somewhat agree, but the influence on the government spans much more than billionaires. The powerful do control much of the government, but its also a bunch of assholes that abuse their power.

Routhinator ,
@Routhinator@startrek.website avatar

They are paid to abuse that power, by the billionaires. The billionaires also pay them to keep folks fighting over any topic that keeps the people away from realizing what they are up to. Usually most of the more ridiculous claims from folks at outlets like Fox come right before billionaires cram themselves a tax break into an omnibus bill or repeal some fundamental human right or cut critical parts of your social services and supports.

CableMonster ,

I agree but its more than just the billionaires. For instance where I live there are no billionaires and the government is still the biggest thorn in my side.

Leviathan ,

Where do you live?

CableMonster ,

Idaho. How about you?

NutWrench ,
@NutWrench@lemmy.world avatar

It is long past time we got over our child-like worship of billionaires.

mihor ,
@mihor@lemmy.ml avatar

Indeed, there’s nothing inherently exceptional in billionaires wealth hoarders, according to many studies of this phenomenon. They are literally just lucky enough that they managed to get their hands on such a ludicrous amount of money, they really aren’t anything special.

Dyskolos ,

I never understood people instantly behaving differently the second they smell money in a person. It gets uglier the more they smell. Noone with money will ever deal with them. Never ever.

It’s epitome is this cult-like following or even worshipping of silly ass-clowns like musk.

I tried to look as poor as possible when i last dated. Golddiggers quickly leave then. I don’t get the followers and i even less get the rich fucks boasting around so they can never trust anyone ever anymore. Great tactics 😁

chemicalwonka ,
@chemicalwonka@discuss.tchncs.de avatar

or oligarch

InternetUser2012 ,

Parasitic wealth hoarder, If you’re looking for something a little shorter, assholes works.

TheReturnOfPEB ,

Plantation Owner

Lucidlethargy ,

Hoarders don’t take things from others (not explicitly). So this term is too kind, and inaccurate.

They are stealing from us, folks. They’re fucking criminals.

OneWomanCreamTeam ,

I like “Robber Barrons”. I just wish it didn’t sound so cool.

rockerface ,

Following the people from another comment thread - oligarchs. It might sound post-Soviet and old-fashioned to some, but it is a rather apt description - the power of few, if you translate literally

CCF_100 ,

“dragon”

Manalith ,

Not incorrect. Makes them sound way too cool, however.

rockerface ,

We might be in need of a Dovahkiin

assassinatedbyCIA ,

‘Money pervert’ also works

herrcaptain ,

I like this but I can see them leaning into it and taking it as a badge of honor.

LemmyHead ,

Wealth predator. It has more of that negative connotation it deserves

mojo_raisin ,

Sometimes I use the term “psychopathic hoarder class” when referring to this group of people.

chonglibloodsport ,

Too broad. Wealth hoarder describes everyone with a mortgage as well as grandma Sally and her pension plan. Anyone who saves for retirement is a wealth hoarder.

explodicle ,

It’s not hoarding if it’s only a little. Everyone who actually earned it themselves through wage labor is not hoarding.

chonglibloodsport ,

There are millions of people in the U.S. whose wealth comes from the increase in the property value of their family home. This is unearned wealth.

Of course, you’ll have a hard time convincing most people of that last bit. Which is why billionaires are the more popular enemy rather than the middle class.

Asafum ,

And I fucking hate it. It just incentivizes not allowing more housing for those that need it because MuH PrOpErTy VaLuE!!

Fucking greed everywhere…

explodicle ,

What if you just save money for retirement, not property?

chonglibloodsport ,

You mean by investing the stock market?

explodicle ,

Literal cash under mattress

chonglibloodsport ,

Why not do that? Because of inflation, you lose money doing that. It’s the last resort of someone who has no other options for saving their money, such as low level drug dealers.

Adalast ,

I’ve become personally partial to “landleech”.

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