The Good Ship Earth - a picture of wealth distribution (INFOGRAPHIC)

Comment

Comment by ryan cameron on February 25, 2011 at 7:58pm

oh and vince, I think you are mistaking a lack of cynicism for a lack of understanding.  A negative attitude is not an indicator of intelligence, as you appear to believe.  You provide no argument, just empty commentary and condescension.  If you have an actual counter argument, present it!  Making snide, cutting remarks betrays an emotional response rather than a rational one.

Comment by ryan cameron on February 25, 2011 at 7:54pm

Vince, Im not proposing anything, just showing what appears to be the case.  I am certain this is all very complex, but the fact is, we have the few with 90% of the apples, and the many left with 10%. 

 

Of course there is some inequality in any system, but to what extreme would you like to see this continue?  Should one cockroach have free reign over the entire planet while all life is rounded up and stuck on an island they can barely fit on?  I mean, its headed that way fairly quickly as wealth continues to consolidate at an almost unprecidented rate. 

 

Should we not point out the imbalance ?  Would you rather we just stay on the same pattern and ignore our predicament proclaiming that its just "the way it is"?

 

I love science, and technology, and I believe that while the problem is very, very complicated, its also solvable, but it certainly wont be solved if we can't even acknowledge that it is a problem.  That's the first step.

Comment by Vince Watkins on February 23, 2011 at 5:06pm

Ryan, I have seldom seen such a poor understanding of economics. Perhaps you would prefer the poor not be exploited to produce a $2 hamburger? In which case they get to starve, I suppose.

Or are you of the opinion that Henry Ford stole all those cars from the poor so he could resell them? I mean, just where do you think wealth comes from?

@John... ahh... the guesses at what I probably am... followed by very odd rambling. You're kind of... odd.

Comment by ryan cameron on February 22, 2011 at 5:59pm

Thanks folks!  If you like the concept, please join our fan page on facebook and spread the word.  I think the more people see the graphic the more might be concious of the wealth disparity and help try to do something about it.

 

http://www.facebook.com/GoodShipEarth

Comment by John Camilli on February 22, 2011 at 4:43pm

Here here, Ryan! Indeed, that was well spoken. I couldn't have said it as well myself. Vince, you could learn something about proper debate from this guy.

Comment by Glen Rosenberg on February 22, 2011 at 10:00am

Not to mention Ford and his son were both nazis and traitors. Excellent response, Ryan.

Comment by ryan cameron on February 22, 2011 at 8:11am

And incidentally, Henry Ford got wealthy by exploiting workers, the environment, and many other things to make cars as cheaply as possible, with no recourse to him.  The costs were borne by the workers and the environments he exploited, and THEY are the ones who paid dearly to provide the few with convenience.  As workers died and got diseases in Fords' factories, he got richer and richer, and he simply paid off the governments as necessary because that was cheaper than taking care of his workers.

 

Capitalists would point out that is the only way progress can occur, at the expense of humans and the environment.  I would argue that modern technology has made that untrue, and now capitalists build in "planned obsolescence" and purposefully choose the most destructive paths to ensure the workers continue toward an abyss of debt and despair.

 

So no, I wont "shut the fuck up", clearly you have no interest in the truth or reality, perhaps you should return to religion where you can enjoy a delusional lifestyle of wealth and entitlement and make sure you change the channel lest you might glance the face of poverty.

Comment by ryan cameron on February 22, 2011 at 8:05am

*in the mean time, passing that $200 in lost money over to the public debt, effectively robbing the poor to pay the rich.  He pays no taxes, and continues on finding new ways, new products to take from the masses.  Since the masses assets are getting increasingly smaller, he found a new way to exploit them: TIME.  By creating longer debts of 40-60 year mortgages etc, he's found a way to further increase his wealth while effectively disempowering the poor for generations.

Comment by ryan cameron on February 22, 2011 at 8:01am

Interesting comments.  Vince, I dont think I indicated anywhere that the ship belongs to any of us.  We're just passengers.  And sure, I'm in the upper blue section so life isn't too bad for me, I have lots of room, lots of stuff.  The purpose of this isnt to necessarily demonize anyone, but rather, to simply illustrate the INTENSE wealth disparity that exists, its really extreme when you  have some people with 5 houses and an island, and some who have to live on 1 dollar a day.  I'm all for capitalism, but to what extent do you support it?  To the extent that 1 person has all the money and 6.7 Billion have zero dollars and live in a mud hole?  When, if ever, does the extreme of a "free market" break down and become as bad or worse than the extreme of a nanny/government totalitarian state?  Why does it have to be one extreme or the other?  Why do we have to call each other "100% capitalist" or "100% socialist" ??  Isnt that kind of stupid?

 

In my opinion, free market capitalism REQUIRES strong government regulation.  Since the "captains of industry" have effectively bought the government in the form of national debt that is completely out of control, we effectively have lost the check and balance system that ensured that while some were free to "earn excess" with the sweat of their brow, they no longer are required to ensure their fellow man has basic necessities like a blanket, food, and shelter.

 

To Wit: When you buy a cheeseburger at $2, you are literally costing the poor in the US about $200 in the form of healthcare costs, environmental damage, and inefficiency, not to mention the cost to the poor who are exploited to bring the raw materials to produce that burger.  So who bears that cost?  The government, and ultimately the public in the form of national debt.  So Joe "Captain of Industry" makes $1 profit from that $2 burger, and puts it in his pocket, pays no tax, and carries on, adding $200 to the national debt in the mean t

Comment by Glen Rosenberg on February 22, 2011 at 7:23am

Show me where a man gets his corn pone and I will show you where he gets his pinions.

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