# Affluence is morally corrupt (example inside) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 14, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957 "2015-03-14T03:44:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/161 "2015-03-16T11:40:44Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Astonishingly enough, the OP’s join date is 2005, so he must be at least in his 20’s. Physically, sure. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/162 "2015-03-16T11:55:03Z")
> [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](#): > > Why? Seems pretty good to me. Because the OP seems to be only upset at some unknown tipping point. The folks walking by are fine except for those who have expensive cars who should be rendering medical aid. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/163 "2015-03-16T12:35:19Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Because the OP seems to be only upset at some unknown tipping point. The folks walking by are fine except for those who have expensive cars who should be rendering medical aid. Also, random “assistance” from passersby could make the victim’s situation worse despite good intentions. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/164 "2015-03-16T12:49:31Z")
I agree with OP . I work for someone on the Forbes list of billionaire. She gave away 500k to a certain uneducated republican governor. Just imagine what good could have come from that amount of money in this community. It’s stunning if you think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/165 "2015-03-16T13:25:55Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > I don’t want a society where people are not allowed to accumulate excess. I want a society where excess is frowned upon and wealth and extravagance are viewed with skepticism and distaste instead of something to be worshiped and chased after. OK, so you don’t want laws against the accumulation of wealth; you just want the accumulation of wealth to be socially unacceptable. Why do you favor social proscriptions, but not legal ones? If you are opposed to the accumulation of wealth on an individual basis, why do you not want to utilize social _and_ legal tools to achieve your goal? These days, most wealthy people are wealthy because they did something that was very valuable for other people. Should we all approach Michael Jordan and tell hm, “look, we know you entertained _millions_ of people with your athletic prowess, but we think it’s wrong for you to drive a $100,000 car and just golf for fun all the time.”? How would you feel about a person who has the ability to earn money very quickly (in terms of dollars per hour), but then chooses to work only an hour or two a day, living a life of leisure on a modest income, instead of working full time and earning boatloads of cash to pay the rent for a neighborhood full of low-income folks? [quote=Robert163)It is my position that a society where people worked harder to help each other than on getting a better car is a better world for people to live in. [/quote] The problem is that you are not arguing for a society in which people work hard to help _each other_; you’re arguing for a society in which high earners work hard to help everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/166 "2015-03-16T13:27:16Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Because the OP seems to be only upset at some unknown tipping point. The folks walking by are fine except for those who have expensive cars who should be rendering medical aid. Well, to the guy lying on the ground writhing in the pain of a heart attack, walking might seem to be a excessive luxury. If the bystanders had any morals at all, they would start snarfing down fried Twinkies and Big Macs so they could be down there with them. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/167 "2015-03-16T13:55:13Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > If the bystanders had any morals at all, they would start snarfing down fried Twinkies and Big Macs so they could be down there with them. Now _there’s_ a philosophy I can get behind! 🙂 I also noticed our snivelly little OP seems to have vanished. Because “Thinking is hard”, no doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/168 "2015-03-16T15:06:32Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I think the only way to eliminate excess is to create a system in which there is common ownership of the means of production. Only then will there be a truly classless society. If only we could find some place to institute that system so we can see how well it works. Detroit? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/169 "2015-03-16T18:28:18Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I think the only way to eliminate excess is to create a system in which there is common ownership of the means of production. Only then will there be a truly classless society. If only we could find some place to institute that system so we can see how well it works. Tragedy of the Commons! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957/170 "2015-03-16T23:12:15Z")
However, if the OP were about the wealth gap causing social, political & economic issues—that would have been a lot closer to the mark. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affluence-is-morally-corrupt-example-inside/714957.md?page=8)