Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023) • Hacker News Board

Re: Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023)

#11

Post by dsgnr » Thu, Aug 10, 2023, 2:14 AM UTC

jollofricepeas wrote: post #10

lapcat wrote: post #2

Published: November 1, 2022 8.45am EDT Updated: January 2, 2023 11.05am EST > In the United States, the 10% earning the highest incomes take home nearly half of all income and the richest 10% of all households own more than 70% of all the wealth. > Inequality tends to be greater in developing countries than wealthier ones. The United States is an exception. > The rich tend to spend less of their money than the poor.…

Maybe the Bible has the answer? “The Jubilee is the year at the end of seven cycles of shmita (Sabbatical years) and, according to biblical regulations, had a special impact on the ownership and management of land in the Land of Israel. According to the Book of Leviticus (Chapter 24-25), Hebrew slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven, and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest.” SOURCE…

Interesting. Debt falls off a credit report after 7 years, so there is that.

Re: Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023)

#12

Post by 6510 » Thu, Aug 10, 2023, 2:34 AM UTC

jollofricepeas wrote: post #9

korpsey wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I shared that way of thinking in the past but I noticed that there is a subset group of religious people that wouldn't consider atheists/non-believers human either. I am very skeptical about the benefits of fearing "burning in hell" in the long run.

Agreed. But there is something we can learn from the Bible as it deals with wealth redistribution. There was a Jewish fellow on here some years ago who proposed in a thread that modern societies consider a jubilee year as mentioned in the Tanakh or Laws of Moses. “The Jubilee is the year at the end of seven cycles of shmita (Sabbatical years) and, according to biblical regulations, had a special impact on the ownersh…

If you want to go down that rabbit hole....

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/21/debt-jubi... > Until recently, historians doubted that a debt jubilee would have been possible in practice, or that such proclamations could have been enforced. But Assyriologists have found that from the beginning of recorded history in the Near East, it was normal for new rulers to proclaim a debt amnesty upon taking the throne. Instead of blowing a trumpet, the ruler “raised the sacred torch” to signal the amnesty.

The Romans ended the tradition which was ultimately their unmaking.

"Debt" was creatively replaced with "sin". The Italians still pray nostri debiti.

Jesus wanted the debt forgiven. He died for your debt, pretty much.

Empire and Economics: The Long History of Debt-Cancelation from Antiquity to Today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4DkZ3CWFOk

Bertrand Russell, "The Golem of Venice"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTiztUNrhhM

Re: Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023)

#13

Post by ttymck » Thu, Aug 10, 2023, 2:39 AM UTC

6510 wrote: post #5

I have a new more general answer: Atheism! I don't subscribe to any religion but burning in the fires of hell for eternity seems like a powerful incentive. It's funny but don't take it as a joke entirely. Christian bankers use to pretend they never borrowed money to people unable to pay back. There was a strong incentive to give back to society. Usury was not portrayed as leadership. Of course people were always expl…

> Imagine among god fearing people someone was to propose to make it illegal to feed the homeless. They would lynch em good and proper.

I wonder, what country are your picturing when you suggest this? Or, what God?

My experience with "God fearing people" does not lead to the same conclusion you drew. But I can agree they would kill someone for simply suggesting something.

Re: Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023)

#14

Post by 6510 » Thu, Aug 10, 2023, 2:58 AM UTC

ttymck wrote: post #13

6510 wrote: post #5

I have a new more general answer: Atheism! I don't subscribe to any religion but burning in the fires of hell for eternity seems like a powerful incentive. It's funny but don't take it as a joke entirely. Christian bankers use to pretend they never borrowed money to people unable to pay back. There was a strong incentive to give back to society. Usury was not portrayed as leadership. Of course people were always expl…

> Imagine among god fearing people someone was to propose to make it illegal to feed the homeless. They would lynch em good and proper. I wonder, what country are your picturing when you suggest this? Or, what God? My experience with "God fearing people" does not lead to the same conclusion you drew. But I can agree they would kill someone for simply suggesting something.

Many religions instruct to help people in need. To forbid it is to forbid the faith. You could argue they will kill you for less.

I'm not suggesting we go back to burning all the wimmen but at some point people should be so called evil enough even for our taste?

Re: Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023)

#15

Post by predictabl3 » Thu, Aug 10, 2023, 11:00 AM UTC

6510 wrote: post #5

I have a new more general answer: Atheism! I don't subscribe to any religion but burning in the fires of hell for eternity seems like a powerful incentive. It's funny but don't take it as a joke entirely. Christian bankers use to pretend they never borrowed money to people unable to pay back. There was a strong incentive to give back to society. Usury was not portrayed as leadership. Of course people were always expl…

This is satire, right? It absolutely has to be.

You understand one major political party does exactly that while claiming the religiosity too, right?

Re: Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023)

#16

Post by predictabl3 » Thu, Aug 10, 2023, 11:02 AM UTC

6510 wrote: post #8

korpsey wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I shared that way of thinking in the past but I noticed that there is a subset group of religious people that wouldn't consider atheists/non-believers human either. I am very skeptical about the benefits of fearing "burning in hell" in the long run.

Religious people are far from model citizens. From the perspective of non-religious people they deeply believe in something without any evidence. But specially the more fanatic atheist has this aura of superiority around him. There is this sense of liberation when you free yourself from bunch of lies or when you oppose a bunch of lies. (or think you do) But then we are stuck with these annoying christian values baked…

> But specially the more fanatic atheist has this aura of superiority around him. There is this sense of liberation when you free yourself from bunch of lies or when you oppose a bunch of lies. (or think you do)

> But then we are stuck with these annoying christian values baked into our culture. Annoying since you cant just get rid of them because they are good ideas.

I'm done here for a while. This place is turning into a complete joke.

Re: Why inequality is growing in the US and around the world (Jan 2023)

#17

Post by barbazoo » Thu, Aug 10, 2023, 4:12 PM UTC

jollofricepeas wrote: post #10

lapcat wrote: post #2

Published: November 1, 2022 8.45am EDT Updated: January 2, 2023 11.05am EST > In the United States, the 10% earning the highest incomes take home nearly half of all income and the richest 10% of all households own more than 70% of all the wealth. > Inequality tends to be greater in developing countries than wealthier ones. The United States is an exception. > The rich tend to spend less of their money than the poor.…

Maybe the Bible has the answer? “The Jubilee is the year at the end of seven cycles of shmita (Sabbatical years) and, according to biblical regulations, had a special impact on the ownership and management of land in the Land of Israel. According to the Book of Leviticus (Chapter 24-25), Hebrew slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven, and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest.” SOURCE…

The Bible actually does have the answer:

> Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

https://biblehub.com/matthew/19-21.htm