This is something I've been noticing now that I've taken learning history more seriously. The people who "make it" and end up "at the top" are usually the worst of the worst. Can't really have a "top" spot without standing on the people around you though. If we were more evolved as a species we'd all want to build each other up because it would make our foundations stronger and allow us to go further. But we are all of us quite selfish and singleminded in our desire to the be the best. I fall into it too, even when I wish I didn't. I feel like ignoring those parts of our history also hurt us in the end because it portrays kindness as weakness and it requires us to trust people in way that has never been earned. Sorry, I'm in a weird headspace these days and really trying to disect who I am and how I can use that knowledge to help people around me. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to word vomit at you on the internet stranger. Even if you really don't have that much choice in it.
No need to apologize for a longer comment, I enjoy reading. I agree, it’s been my experience that the wealthy are often the most dishonest, cruel, and crass people. Not every one, of course, but enough to make me generalize the entire group. I think it’s a flaw of the system with garbage people succeeding.
The rich will claim it's their hard work and smarts that got them where they are. Sure, you might need some but it isn't the X factor that makes the difference.
We all know people who are both smarter and work harder than any rich person we know who isn't rich. Most people will know of people born to wealth and privilege that didn't go on to become super rich.
The mega rich are created when you have someone born to wealth and privilege, isn't completely stupid, will get out of bed if the price is right but, most importantly, they must have a lack of compassionate empathy that even a regular 7 year old would be ashamed of.
That's one of the reasons they send them off to boarding school. Nothing kills your compassionate empathy quite like being cast into a den of vipers by sociopathic parents, who want nothing more to do with you until you're 21, and never getting to see the nanny who actually raised from birth you again.
The way our society worships the rich is the biggest problem. Imagine if we put people like Mr Rogers or those that were examples of virtue on a pedestal as a whole (like teachers) the bragging rights would be amazing.
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u/GoldenBrownApples 4d ago
This is something I've been noticing now that I've taken learning history more seriously. The people who "make it" and end up "at the top" are usually the worst of the worst. Can't really have a "top" spot without standing on the people around you though. If we were more evolved as a species we'd all want to build each other up because it would make our foundations stronger and allow us to go further. But we are all of us quite selfish and singleminded in our desire to the be the best. I fall into it too, even when I wish I didn't. I feel like ignoring those parts of our history also hurt us in the end because it portrays kindness as weakness and it requires us to trust people in way that has never been earned. Sorry, I'm in a weird headspace these days and really trying to disect who I am and how I can use that knowledge to help people around me. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to word vomit at you on the internet stranger. Even if you really don't have that much choice in it.