# The top 1% - the World over... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 6, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680 "2010-07-06T05:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/61 "2010-07-06T15:49:15Z")
According to [this site](http://www.globalrichlist.com/), whose veracity I will not vouch for, an annual salary of $47,500 per year will get you in the worldwide top 1%. That sounds about right to me. edit: Beaten to the punch. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/62 "2010-07-06T15:56:58Z")
Who holds back the electric car who makes Steve Gutenberg a star ---
**Author:** ![hdc\_bst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9f8e36/32.png) [@hdc\_bst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hdc_bst)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/63 "2010-07-06T16:05:33Z")
Another source on income distribution - much more dated than globalrichlist but with well documented methodology from the World Bank: [http://129.3.20.41/eps/hew/papers/0305/0305002.pdf](http://129.3.20.41/eps/hew/papers/0305/0305002.pdf) (Yes, it’s a pdf). In 1993, an income of $24447.1 (PPP) per individual was required to enter the top 1%. Depending on household size, that puts a large segment of the American middle class in the top 1%. The 1993 median household income was around $43,000, and the US average household size is around 2.6 (2000 figure). That suggests that about 50% of the US population in 1993 had an individual income of at least $16,500. Not enough for top 1% globally, but easily enough for top 5% globally ($13240.7). We have met the man, and he is us. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/64 "2010-07-06T16:34:38Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > You do realize that 1% is only 1 in 100, right? I mean, that’s one person on every flight you go on. That’s 4 people in your high school class. That’s at least 10 people in the office building I’m currently in. 1% isn’t really that rare. That’s about 70,000,000 people. Not what I’d call an exclusive club. I suspect most people posting on this MB are in it. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/65 "2010-07-06T16:39:26Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Who > > holds > back > > the electric > > car > who makes > > Steve Gutenberg > > a > > star **WE DO!..WE DO!** (Swings his tankard) ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/66 "2010-07-06T16:46:10Z")
Seriously though, If you don’t have a child, a 50k income for a couple is a very high standard of living. To maintain all bills, and a nice standard of living costs about 30k a year in most parts of the US (big cities excepted) that leaves nearly 20K a year in pleasure money. That standard is way way above anything in the developing or third world. All you have to do to be happy is accept a good, rather than lavish standard. As an example: AcidHouse made about 28K jointly last year. We own two nice cars, bought a motorcycle outright, took two international trips, eat well, undertook some fun but rather expensive hobby projects and is currently bankrolling a move of household. _We aren’t hurting either_. You don’t need loads of cash and expensive shit to be happy. You just have to be content with not having it all. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/67 "2010-07-06T16:56:17Z")
Okay, so what percentage of the planet’s population are in the billion pound sterling asset class? These are the people with the most money, influence and potential to cause harm in their quest for for what are barely imaginable riches to the average man on the street. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/68 "2010-07-06T16:57:10Z")
…we put our pants on one leg at a time, like everyone else :D. It’s the top 0.01% that you should worry about - they’re the ones that get lackeys to sew their pants on around them. No, really, those of us in the 99-99\*\*\*.1\*\*\* percentile are still quite far from the real power of those in the 99\*\*\*.9+\*\*\* percentile. We just get better seats and sometimes the first drink free 😛 Some people are just good at dealing with how the system functions and can succesfully achieve or maintain a position atop said system, _IF they have, or can obtain, the resources_ to get into play. Some get it fair and square, some through irregular means, but the guys in charge have sought to keep themselves (or folks like themselves) in charge since the time of Gilgamesh. It’s not news. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/69 "2010-07-06T17:08:26Z")
Just for the record, according to World Bank figures (admittedly based on late 1990s data), to be in the top 1% of worldwide wage earners, you need to be making… $47,500! [http://www.globalrichlist.com/how.html](http://www.globalrichlist.com/how.html) Methinks your rant is entirely too broadly focused: my renting, hundred-thousand-miles on one car, other one isn’t getting any newer, has a family to support ass is in fact in the top 0.9%. EDIT: man this thread is moving fast for me. =P ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/70 "2010-07-06T17:10:04Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Okay, so what percentage of the planet’s population are in the billion pound sterling asset class? > > These are the people with the most money, influence and potential to cause harm in their quest for for what are barely imaginable riches to the average man on the street. According to the same cite I just posted, that’s the top 0.001%. About a hundred thousand people, give or take. Now, a lot of these folks are likely to be worthless, not disputing that. Just keep in mind that most people in the US and Britain are just as unimaginably wealthy from the perspective of the third world as those billionaires are to you. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/71 "2010-07-06T17:14:04Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > According to the same cite I just posted, that’s the top 0.001%. About a hundred thousand people, give or take. > > Now, a lot of these folks are likely to be worthless, not disputing that. Just keep in mind that most people in the US and Britain are just as unimaginably wealthy from the perspective of the third world as those billionaires are to you. Yes, but unless people go showing them what they are missing, they wouldn’t know any different. Those of us who live in the civilised world with access to tv’s, have to ignore it consciously, which takes far more effort, and has a far more demoralising effect. On some. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/72 "2010-07-06T17:30:51Z")
Hell, I’ve heard folks ranting about **the Man** for decades and still, nobody does anything about it. It’s almost as if the top 1% is somehow too satisfied and comfortable to hear the complaints … My feeling is, if you have a computer, internet access and free time to complain you are already living large. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/73 "2010-07-06T18:50:55Z")
This is just to say I have beaten down the impoverished that were in the developing countries and which you were incoherently ranting about on the Dope. Forgive me they were so desperate so poor and I’m a self-centered American. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/74 "2010-07-06T19:25:07Z")
If I hear one more person whining about the under-privileged, and the needy I’m going to go out and get a Kentucky Bucket. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/75 "2010-07-06T19:34:50Z")
I have no idea what a Kentucky Bucket is so I’m going to have to act real cool and pretend that I knew what it was all along and hope that you are all fooled and I look suave in my knowledge of slang. I hope no one looks too closely at this cheap facade or else people may realize that I have no idea what I am talking about or that I am not really making any sense whatsoever. I know what I’ll do! Maybe if I adopt an absurd posting style, and do my best to mask my ignorance in banal insults and other troll-like mannerisms people will look past my dull wit and think of me as someone with character. That way I can compensate for my utter lack of ability. and shit. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/76 "2010-07-06T21:28:45Z")
> [@lurking\_guest](#): > > There is, apparently, no moral code, no humanity, greater than Cash. > Greater than assets. > > I guess the whole of the World agrees to this. > > Since EVERY country on EVERY continent under EVERY form of Government have let the folks with $$$$ RULE. You ever hear of Communism? > [@](#): > > $$$ is what makes the assets of the “Ruling Class” convince the (L)ower and (Middle) classes that !THEY TOO! may, one day be Millionaires or Billionaires! > > And…the Poor Middle Classes ‘buy’ it. Until very recently the ruling class never even pretended that the poor could one day be rich. > [@](#): > > And why is that? Because people have seen how communism works out for everyone? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/77 "2010-07-06T22:22:47Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > What I hate is that those fuckers have all but monopolized complete paragraphs. > Oh… wait… > Maybe it’s easier. > > To. > > Write like this. > > Is this easier for you? > > To understand? > > I like capitalism. > > It gives me access to the Straight Dope, to kitty toys, to vacations. > > I like private property. It gives me my own shoes. > > And socks. > > And a nice stereo system. > > I work with the developing. > > World. > > So my income is about a third to… > …half what it otherwise would be in… > …the PRIVATE sector. > > But just. > > Because friends from school are driving nicer cars > > and have nicer things > > Doesn’t mean I’m worse > > off > because of it. > Living under this > > social contract > > necessarily > entails that I accept some gross > wealth disparities. > You do not have to be > > Libertarian. > > You do not HAVE to be > > Republican. > > You DO not have TO be > > Democrat. > > you do NOT have to be > > Anarchist. > > To work towards LeVeLiNg the playing field > somewhat. > > Nor does doing so conflict with any of the above. > > ETA: > > Shit. > > I just noticed. > > This is IN THE pit. > > That means > > I > can > call > > you > > a > > dipshit > > with > > sophomoric > > ramblings > > and > > inane > opinions > and childish > ways > > of expressing > > yOURself … and shit. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/78 "2010-07-06T22:32:29Z")
I don’t know what we’re YELLING about! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/79 "2010-07-06T23:57:50Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > The OP is a freshman in college, and has just discovered pot. That’s my guess. Nah, high school junior who has just discovered a socialist or communist pamphlet from the 1960s or earlier. Notice how all his posts run down the page in a sort of odd attempt to look like free verse? Definitely younger. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/80 "2010-07-07T00:07:24Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Okay, so what percentage of the planet’s population are in the billion pound sterling asset class? Let’s make it clear. We are talking about net liquid worth. Pure discretionary income devoted to never having to produce beyond beneficial parasitism (good jobs and income) to its subjects. > [@](#): > > These are the people with the most money, influence and potential to cause harm in their quest for for what are barely imaginable riches to the average man on the street. What they need to do is get is that there ain’t no average. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680.md?page=5)