# Interchangeable carbon blobs. Only 1% generate any wealth.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interchangeable-carbon-blobs-only-1-generate-any-wealth/581976>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 15, 2011, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interchangeable-carbon-blobs-only-1-generate-any-wealth/581976 "2011-05-15T11:53:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 41

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**Author:** ![Le\_Jacquelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interchangeable-carbon-blobs-only-1-generate-any-wealth/581976/41 "2011-05-16T07:26:58Z")

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> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> Are you saying this thread is a reference to something said somewhere else? If so, could you point us in the direction of what it is you’re talking about?

Once again:

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13705623&postcount=154](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13705623&postcount=154)

> [@Will the disparity of weath distribution destroy America?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-disparity-of-weath-distribution-destroy-america/578068/154):
>
> America is unique in modern prosperous societies in being the the most prosperous society in the history of the planet. That wealth was built by the 1 in a 100 who made the transition through innovation and creativity (as opposed to societies where the “transition” is made through being born to the right family with the right connections). Does it matter if only 1 in 100 become “rich” as long as they have an equal opportunity to attempt to do so? I mean what happens when people have the opportunity to go to the best schools and live in communities with the best infrastructure and they still turn into fuckups?
> 
> Does it matter how people found their wealth? Should Derick Jeter’s salary, an investment banker’s seven figure bonus, a multi-million dollar inheretance and the capital gains on a startup company’s IPO be taxed at the same rate?

and

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13746935&postcount=184](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13746935&postcount=184)

> [@Will the disparity of weath distribution destroy America?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-disparity-of-weath-distribution-destroy-america/578068/184):
>
> These are terrible examples you are providing. The guy designing software for Microsoft or running the marketing for a multi-billion dollar company are part of the 1% (or at least the top 5-10%). They aren’t part of the 99% pool of interchangable carbon blobs.

These arguments say that only 1% of people made wealth in the world and that the “interchangeable carbon blobs” did not make wealth.

This argument shows a jaw dropping level of ignorance of the basic laws of supply and DEMAND, the fundamental building blocks of all wealth. Plus it stands in total ignorance of the fact that all people are to some extent interchangeable.

The two arguments I just linked to are absurd on their face.

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