Earlier quoted context omitted.
they're also a lot closer to dead.
So be will you, in 2031.
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Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
51–60 of 72 posts
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#52Rich in 1973, because people who were rich in 1973 are, by and large, even richer in 2011.
they're also a lot closer to dead.
Or your mind could be running on some cloud somewhere. Perhaps, a dozen instances of you could be forking and merging all the time.
2031 seems a bit early for that, but, if you go back to 73 knowing what you do now, you may be able to pull that one off.
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#53If I can have dinners at expensive restaurants, yachts, manors, apartments throughout the world, unlimited access to high class prostitutes, the respect, deference, fear, and love of the masses who stand in awe of my wealth... rich in pretty much ANY time. No matter what year it is it's always better to be on top. That's where most of the human pleasure comes from. Xboxes and iPhones are really no substitute for bein…
Sorry, but you sound like a shallow prick and possibly a sociopath. If I can see my (future) children grow up happy and healthy, keep learning my whole life, earn my living solving interesting problems, etc., that's not just quantitatively worth more than a yacht; it's qualitatively a better life. To answer the actual question, of 1973 vs. today, I'd take today. The Internet is, frankly, awesome. Not having the entir…
>If I can see my (future) children grow up happy and healthy, keep learning my whole life, earn my living solving interesting problems
If you're rich you can still do these things. Whether you're rich in Ancient Egypt or rich in 1973 you'll have access to this stuff.
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#54If I can have dinners at expensive restaurants, yachts, manors, apartments throughout the world, unlimited access to high class prostitutes, the respect, deference, fear, and love of the masses who stand in awe of my wealth... rich in pretty much ANY time. No matter what year it is it's always better to be on top. That's where most of the human pleasure comes from. Xboxes and iPhones are really no substitute for bein…
> No matter what year it is it's always better to be on top. That's where most of the human pleasure comes from. You know you will be happier if you enjoy what you have, not the fact you have and others don't.
I wouldn't be enjoying what others don't have.
I would be enjoying what I DO have. Which is the ability to pay others to do whatever I want.
I want massages and blowjobs and chefs and chauffeurs and butlers and servants. Who doesn't want these things?
A rich person can get these things no matter what year it is. A poor person will always be denied these things no matter what year it is.
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#55"more authentic pleasures like books, films, music, and jet travel to exotic spots (without T&A frisking at airports)"
Yeah, but... 2011 is a win on every front there except the last. (And that may be debatable; you better like your exotic spots very exotic.) If you do not confine yourself to pre-1970s books, firms, and music right now, it's because you like the stuff that came later better, no matter how nostalgic you think you are. You may think there's more garbage in 2011 but there's a lot more good stuff, too, and a lot more well-populated niches.
I mean, sure, wealthy in 1973 over middle class today in the broad sense, but not for that reason. And I will take middle-class 2011 over rich 1900. I'm not sure where the exact cross-over is, but it's certainly within that bound.
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry, but you sound like a shallow prick and possibly a sociopath. If I can see my (future) children grow up happy and healthy, keep learning my whole life, earn my living solving interesting problems, etc., that's not just quantitatively worth more than a yacht; it's qualitatively a better life. To answer the actual question, of 1973 vs. today, I'd take today. The Internet is, frankly, awesome. Not having the entir…
>If I can see my (future) children grow up happy and healthy, keep learning my whole life, earn my living solving interesting problems If you're rich you can still do these things. Whether you're rich in Ancient Egypt or rich in 1973 you'll have access to this stuff.
I don't disagree with you. I was responding directly to the person...to whom I was responding, who said:
>No matter what year it is it's always better to be on top. That's where most of the human pleasure comes from.
The second half of my comment addressed the 1973 question, and made it clear that it was doing so.
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
No sushi. No TV. Few interesting books. I could go on.
Dude. I already know how to make sushi, and I don't have a TV now. There are plenty of interesting books in a library that's way classier than the one we have now - and the Wright Brothers live down the street (well; they might have gone to Dayton by 1900) and plenty of other tinkers and inventors. There were more patents in this county in 1900 than any other county in the United States. 1900 in Richmond, Indiana was…
Umm... how are you getting sushi quality fish in Richmond, Indiana in 1900? What's your source of nori and wasabi?
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#58If I can have dinners at expensive restaurants, yachts, manors, apartments throughout the world, unlimited access to high class prostitutes, the respect, deference, fear, and love of the masses who stand in awe of my wealth... rich in pretty much ANY time. No matter what year it is it's always better to be on top. That's where most of the human pleasure comes from. Xboxes and iPhones are really no substitute for bein…
Sorry, but you sound like a shallow prick and possibly a sociopath. If I can see my (future) children grow up happy and healthy, keep learning my whole life, earn my living solving interesting problems, etc., that's not just quantitatively worth more than a yacht; it's qualitatively a better life. To answer the actual question, of 1973 vs. today, I'd take today. The Internet is, frankly, awesome. Not having the entir…
Well I would have thought rich in 1973 would have been a no brainer. Not because of affording expensive things yada yada (ok thats a huge bonus too but not for me). But because having the (relative) wealth would mean having the luxury of choosing my job without having to worry about how the bills were being paid. Having the dough to invest in my passions (assuming one had them). Having the dough to invest in technology at the early stages! I mean yeah the internet is great now. But you could just as well ask, would you rather be rich now or middle class in 40 years time?
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#59Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry, but you sound like a shallow prick and possibly a sociopath. If I can see my (future) children grow up happy and healthy, keep learning my whole life, earn my living solving interesting problems, etc., that's not just quantitatively worth more than a yacht; it's qualitatively a better life. To answer the actual question, of 1973 vs. today, I'd take today. The Internet is, frankly, awesome. Not having the entir…
Well I would have thought rich in 1973 would have been a no brainer. Not because of affording expensive things yada yada (ok thats a huge bonus too but not for me). But because having the (relative) wealth would mean having the luxury of choosing my job without having to worry about how the bills were being paid. Having the dough to invest in my passions (assuming one had them). Having the dough to invest in technolo…
Definitely middle class in 40 years. I suspect 2051 will be as far ahead of us now as 2011 would be to someone in the 1940's or so.
Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?
#60Earlier quoted context omitted.
That doesn't seem relevant though - you have to judge 2011 against 1973 based on the conditions of the time. In 500 BC I wouldn't know about vaccines so I wouldn't miss them, but that doesn't change the fact that living in a world with vaccines is a hell of a lot nicer.
That works for vaccines but what about smartphones? Do they really make the world a hell of a lot nicer, or are they just inextricably tied into our lifestyles?
I truly enjoy having a large library in my pocket. My commute is a lot better with it than without it.