inequality
by rantywoman
So it was revealed last night on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills that Kyle’s husband is raking it in; I guess he is worth about 100 million:
It’s hard to comprehend, given that they are both attractive but just so ordinary. Not particularly smart or witty– Kyle is not even a Bethenny-level wit.
I can’t begin to just “let it go” politically when it comes to the ridiculous level of inequality we exist with here, but I can do so emotionally by realizing that no matter how much money someone has, they still only get one life. They still abide by the laws of time and space like everyone else.
Meaning, you can be a wealthy Beverly Hills wife/mother/socialite but you probably also can’t be a dedicated bookworm, or a serious surf bum, or a downtown scenester, or an archaeologist, or any other lives one can dream up.
In short, you can have it all but still not have it all. So there, 1%!
thebitterbabe 
As a recovering alcoholic all I can say is that I have been despairing and drunk in some of the world’s most exotic locations. I grew up lonely in enormous English houses. But I have only found happiness via connection with other meaningful people and enjoying what I do day to day. Going into ‘recovery’ helped me see that the outsides can look amazing but the insides do not always match. I don’t need to complicate my life at 40 by having kids either, it’s all about keeping it simple (and positive).
Just an honest inquiry ranty but I don’t understand your envy. You make much more than the vast majority of people with job security and benefits people would die for. Yet you keep looking at the extreme examples to be envious about. I live on much less than you do but I do not have this anger. Probably because I feel most of the 1% do not take from me, they create jobs which is good which is good for us all. Just an honest inquiry.
Actually, they mostly don’t create jobs, they just bank their money, which is why the economy has been stagnant, but that’s a whole other story. As is the ways in which such vast inequality actually does make life more difficult and expensive for everyone else. Those are book-length arguments, which I can’t make here, but that is why I get pissy seeing some people have way more than they could every possibly use while the rest of us are understaffed, overworked, swamped in college loans, unable to find a job, etc. Just because I’m more fortunate in some of those respects than others (although not all) doesn’t mean I don’t have empathy for those issues.
But it does help to remind me that even though they try to hoard all the bananas in a larger sense they can’t steal everything.
I agree with you Rantywoman. It’s insane..I recently watched one of these “desperate housewives” shows (the NY) one and it was compulsive viewing – mainly because for all their wealth, they came across as uneducated (Aviva aside), shallow, mind-numbingly boring and vacuous. How, How, How do they have so much money!? That Romana singer women is completely unbalanced to the point that she can barely exist in the real world, yet somehow can make millions? It’s just bizarre. I work in poverty/development as mentioned once before, and yes, of course there are people (billions, the majority in many countries) that are desperately poor – and of course, as you say Yogagurl is is not just important but integral that we realise this and count our many many blessings.
But I also think getting annoyed about the 1% (as applied in a western country context) is normal and important if there is ever to be change. And even within the west people can be struggling due to this ridiculous recession brought about by these bankers and banking system, which are carrying on as normal (indeed, one of the desperate housewives NYC woman – Sonja – is a Morgan Stanley by-marriage). What bothers me is that, of Course, money makes a difference to one’s life – to options, freedom, security, health – far and above merely consumerism – and it’s maddening to think these women, these boring, uninspired women and men are the ones at the top of the mountain? People like Obama and Clinton and scientists, etc can make money and deserve it.
I agree with all your points and wonder the exact some things, like in what universe does Ramona Singer become a millionaire?? I actually think the Real Housewives shows are kind of subversive in that way because they show America that those at the top of the wealth pyramid are not particularly smart or special.
The only thing I really envy about wealth is that it buys you some freedom— I don’t care about all the “stuff.” But maybe even wanting permanent financial freedom and thus some insulation from the slings and arrows of life is not the route to happiness. I definitely think we should have more of a social safety net though and saner job loads and and more affordable health care and more work/life balance, etc.
Banking money does not create stagnancy. Banking money allows the bank to make loans for others to create a life. Most of the 1% ers have incredible drive and vision, something most of us do not have. Most of us just want to work to live and go home and forget about it. They are driven to create, to make things better, to sacrifice their lives to do so. Without the 1% who have this drive to create and build there would be NO JOBS .
I had to cut my reply in half because of a weird malfunction of the computer. Without the driven 1% there would be no large companies or businesses that create JOBS, which in turn create everything we have, including tax revenue that pays for your job. Without them, we’d all be workers seeking a job because most do not have the drive, the know how to create them. I do not have that drive, and neither do you as you’ve said many times you are sick of rthe responsibility.
Most people do not want to dedicate their lives to a company or business. I know, my bf has his own business. He works NIGHT AND DAY. There is no security for him. Things can go sour at any moment if he drops the ball. There is no health benefits, he must create it. And he gives work to others because he is a hard worker and job creator. Without him, there would be less work.
What causes stagnation in the economy is not people saving and banking their money (that does cirulate money by the way) but it’s people having less money to spend and feeling fearful of the future. When they have less money to spend they don’t hire others for products and services. For me, when I am taxed more, I spend less on contractors (who need it the most now) and thus it effects their ability to make a living.
You know who I feel for in this economy? I feel for those who have lost everything. Talented wonderful individuals who just were stuck in the wrong industry during a recession. The building trades are one. Many creative trades went downhill. That is who I feel for. Yet there are some groups in our society who have privilege and perks and because of that will never share in the sacrifice of this economy. To me that is unjust.
One last comment. What creates a recession is when businesses pull back out of fear of what is next and/or not having the money to hire. What is happening now, businesses have no idea what is around the corner with Obamacare, the Fiscal Cliff, taxes and ditto for Calfornia with the new Democratic super majority. If you were a business under this climate would you feel comfortable expanding? Probably not. Because they do not know what they will be on the hook for. So they wait and for good reason. If our leaders would be more supportive of business, both large and small, and give them more assurances they support them, rather than want to always look for ways to TAKE from them, they would hire. And there would be more prosperity for all. I feel it in my own small little life. I probably could go buy a car now but I won’t. Because I don’t feel secure about what will happen next year, the tax situation in CA and with the Feds so I hold off. And another sale out of millions is lost.
I do agree there is a lack of balance here. No one needs that much money. After a certain amount it’s meaningless (unless you give it away). I am just not sure how to balance things out without causing more harm or impinging on freedoms. But that’s a whole other topic.
btw – sorry for always such long posts..I just click on the blog, usually after I’ve sat down for a 5 min break 😉 read a post and quickly type something out …I don’t know – must type faster than I realise!
“Most of the 1% ers have incredible drive and vision, something most of us do not have. Most of us just want to work to live and go home and forget about it. They are driven to create, to make things better, to sacrifice their lives to do so. Without the 1% who have this drive to create and build there would be NO JOBS .”
Sorry, I have to reply to this. Yogagurl, you seem nice but this is a load of utter uneducated crap. Says who? So, I gather You want to just work and go home and not create? That’s such a sad thing to say. Speak for yourself – I certainly don’t agree with you and you don’t represent anyone I know. Most people I know have worked and lived all over the world, most have dual citizenship, speak several languages and have multiple degrees, very good jobs and have lived interesting to fascinating lives – and no one NO one makes even Close to what the women on these shows make – who are, very much, representative of many of the 1%. The people who DRIVE anything are the educated. In the US – this would be Harvard and Stanford, Berkley and Yale, Cal Tech and MIT, Vassar etc etc – this includes scientists, mathematicians, novelists, campaigners, activists, researchers, designers, architects, artists, academics, Doctors, etc etc – THESE are the people drive and creation comes from – what new ideas and innovation is based on – NOT a bunch of insipid over-rich. You have every right to your views, but I think your comment is appalling.
The 1% is made up – almost solely of people who, in fact, have not earned it but rather live off the riches of earlier generations, interest, overwhelming capital. With regard to the banking “mess” – of course the economy depends on people spending and not banking everything, but that is ridiculously simple. The crash was caused in large part – if not entirely – by a unsustainable credit system whereby- to put it in the most basic terms – the banks were over charging and encouraging debt – which created a cycle. The whole thing was a pack of cards. And while it is important for people to spend there needs to be some safety nets in place in terms of government and civil society etc (the US should thank their lucky stars for Obama). Really, you seem to be pro-Palin, which is the equivalent of being pro-stupidity. Anti-Obamacare? Is the best thing to happen to the US in health care in years (ever). Before you are so quick to blast common sense, as someone who has lived in many countries (including the US) my advice to you is before you make sweeping comments re Obama and the 1% leave the US go to countries that have actual workable health care and government systems and then judge. Ultimately if you want to place yourself at the bottom of the heap and worship at the feet of the rich, stupid and insipid – please be my guest – but you may want to rent “idiocracy” – so you know what to expect from your false gods. Please don’t say you believe in creationism!!
Yogagurl
Here is the Nobel list from this year – you should have a look:
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/year/
These men and women have been awarded the Nobel for breakthroughs in ideas/science etc that will benefit us all – including you…and look! Not a banker in site. Gosh, how very surprising!
btw – final comment Yogagurl…I just want to clarify when I say “uneducated” comment – I don’t mean that towards you of course, I don’t know you! I wouldn’t be so assumptive or rude, I mean it broadly Not personally.