Will the disparity of weath distribution destroy America?

[msmith537]

@Askance

No. America is (I think) unique in modern prosperous societies in having somehow convinced their middle and lower classes that the interests of the upper class are their own interests too, in that should they ever happen to chance their way through then wealth redistribution would work against them. The fact that it would work for them in the meantime (always of course assuming that each individual considering this choice believes that they themselves will be the in the 1 in 100 who makes that transition) seems to be considered un-American. As Kurt Vonnegut said "every (working class) bar has a sign saying “if you’re so smart why ain’t you rich” ". The plain implication being that poverty is its own reward; the un-rich are so because that’s all they deserve. They just don’t try hard enough - lack of opportunity or fortune is nothing to do with it.

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?