The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats - Polidicks

By NICK HANAUER | July/August 2014 [t]http://images.politico.com/global/2014/06/25/lead_option21.jpg[/t] [quote]Memo: From Nick Hanauer To: My Fellow Zillionaires You probably don’t know me, but like you I am one of those .01%ers, a proud and unapologetic capitalist. I have founded, co-founded and funded more than 30 companies across a range of industries—from itsy-bitsy ones like the night club I started in my 20s to giant ones like Amazon.com, for which I was the first nonfamily investor. Then I founded aQuantive, an Internet advertising company that was sold to Microsoft in 2007 for $6.4 billion. In cash. My friends and I own a bank. I tell you all this to demonstrate that in many ways I’m no different from you. Like you, I have a broad perspective on business and capitalism. And also like you, I have been rewarded obscenely for my success, with a life that the other 99.99 percent of Americans can’t even imagine. Multiple homes, my own plane, etc., etc. You know what I’m talking about. ... But let’s speak frankly to each other. I’m not the smartest guy you’ve ever met, or the hardest-working. I was a mediocre student. I’m not technical at all—I can’t write a word of code.[U] What sets me apart, I think, is a tolerance for risk and an intuition about what will happen in the future.[/U] Seeing where things are headed is the essence of entrepreneurship. And what do I see in our future now? [U]I see pitchforks.[/U] ... If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. [U]No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out.[/U] You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when. Read more: [url]http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014.html#ixzz35xZRA1gt[/url] [/quote] An interesting op/ed about inequality in the united states from one of its richest members. It's 4 pages long but still a very interesting read. The paragraphs I've pasted are just the tip of the iceberg.

But muh privilege That aside, it's a pretty thought-provoking article, though I dunno how many people are going to actually realise what kind of powder keg we're sitting on with regards to inequity.

I honestly think most people are too lazy to get the pitchforks out

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;45238770]I honestly think most people are too lazy to get the pitchforks out[/QUOTE] Hungry people tend to bring the pitchforks

Didn't that already happen with Occupy Wall Street, which did pretty much nothing?

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;45238770]I honestly think most people are too lazy to get the pitchforks out[/QUOTE] That's a major point addressed in the article, that people have this strange cognitive dissonance that [I]somehow[/I] this time is different, that [I]somehow[/I] history won't repeat itself like it has countless times before.

[QUOTE=Sableye;45238869]Hungry people tend to bring the pitchforks[/QUOTE] So they can do what? Eat entire cows at once?

[QUOTE=Cabbage;45238878]Didn't that already happen with Occupy Wall Street, which did pretty much nothing?[/QUOTE] One incident does not a failure make. Just because one thing went bad doesn't mean somebody else won't try to rally the disenfranchised behind any cause.

eh... i live in one of the most unequal countries in the planet, we never had a truly serious case of "pitchforks" against the rich lol, if anything people tend to whine against the poor existing, and the poor are unlikely to protest(every protest in brazil was generally from the middle class, not the poors), i honestly doubt the US will be any different, take a good look at brazil, thats probably where you're headed, except more nukes and guns. :v:

It's very interesting to see that the plutocrats have acknowledged their impending demises. Hopefully this encourages them to play along with the rest of us middle-classers a little more fairly.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;45238770]I honestly think most people are too lazy to get the pitchforks out[/QUOTE] I think it's just that despite inequality and such, most people in 1st world nations have it quite good and have no reason to get up and fight to change something.

The guy is very well spoken and makes a ton of good points actually, honestly was expecting something else

From the word "Plutocrats" in the headline, I thought people were going to start rioting so they'd classify Pluto as a planet again. That aside, after reading I really like this article. This man's a good person, and the fellow "Zillionaires" oughta listen to him.

Ah, here we go back again to the 50's....how to resolve for a few years the push between the labour force and capital for income.

[QUOTE=Zakkin;45239089]From the word "Plutocrats" in the headline, I thought people were going to start rioting so they'd classify Pluto as a planet again. That aside, after reading I really like this article. This man's a good person, and the fellow "Zillionaires" oughta listen to him.[/QUOTE] they're probably laughing at him tbh.

American business really has no other choice: they must pay their employees more and hire more people or risk having no one left who can actually afford their products. Until people are being paid a living wage and companies respond appropriately to it, the middle class will be stuck subsidizing the employees of these companies in what is really just an indirect form of corporate welfare.

[QUOTE=Wizards Court;45238906]eh... i live in one of the most unequal countries in the planet, we never had a truly serious case of "pitchforks" against the rich lol, if anything people tend to whine against the poor existing, and the poor are unlikely to protest(every protest in brazil was generally from the middle class, not the poors), i honestly doubt the US will be any different, take a good look at brazil, thats probably where you're headed, except more nukes and guns. :v:[/QUOTE] Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it never will.

[QUOTE=Wizards Court;45238906]eh... i live in one of the most unequal countries in the planet, we never had a truly serious case of "pitchforks" against the rich lol, if anything people tend to whine against the poor existing, and the poor are unlikely to protest(every protest in brazil was generally from the middle class, not the poors), i honestly doubt the US will be any different, take a good look at brazil, thats probably where you're headed, except more nukes and guns. :v:[/QUOTE]Like, do you honestly think Americans, of all people, would prefer reasonable discussion and verbal discourse over shooting up some posh mansions and burning them to the ground? You are aware that we started a revolution because we didn't like taxes, right?

[QUOTE=JumpinJackFlash;45239951]Like, do you honestly think Americans, of all people, would prefer reasonable discussion and verbal discourse over shooting up some posh mansions and burning them to the ground? You are aware that we started a revolution because we didn't like taxes, right?[/QUOTE] and plenty of americans also hate the poor, perhaps far more than taxes lol so.... welp.

[QUOTE=JumpinJackFlash;45239951]Like, do you honestly think Americans, of all people, would prefer reasonable discussion and verbal discourse over shooting up some posh mansions and burning them to the ground? You are aware that we started a revolution because we didn't like taxes, right?[/QUOTE] Its the Europeans that have a greater history of cutting the heads off their elite. Here in the U.S. we worship them, and even if we did want something done, we prefer a comedy shitshow of a news story or talk show to anything serious.

honestly if anything it's going to end up being one of those crazy militia groups that starts shit

[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;45240040]Its the Europeans that have a greater history of cutting the heads off their elite. Here in the U.S. we worship them, and even if we did want something done, we prefer a comedy shitshow of a news story or talk show to anything serious.[/QUOTE] you are ex-europeans, ex-slaves or trampled natives, youve got alot of head-cutting in you im sure.

[QUOTE=Zakkin;45239089]From the word "Plutocrats" in the headline, I thought people were going to start rioting so they'd classify Pluto as a planet again. That aside, after reading I really like this article. This man's a good person, and the fellow "Zillionaires" oughta listen to him.[/QUOTE] The poor in America have it pretty bad to be honest, I wouldn't blame them for revolting between the terrible conditions for the poor and the terrible excuse for democracy they have.

[QUOTE=Wizards Court;45240012]and plenty of americans also hate the poor, perhaps far more than taxes lol so.... welp.[/QUOTE]Like, you could not possibly have missed the point any more than you just did. [QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;45240040]Its the Europeans that have a greater history of cutting the heads off their elite. Here in the U.S. we worship them, and even if we did want something done, we prefer a comedy shitshow of a news story or talk show to anything serious.[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Sprockethead;45240131]you are ex-europeans, ex-slaves or trampled natives, youve got alot of head-cutting in you im sure.[/QUOTE]The only reason why Europeans have a greater history of violently overthrowing the elite is the fact that they've simply been around longer than we have. You want proof of our innate brutality, Zedacon? Dwarf Fortress is an [i]American[/i] invention.

It's about time

[QUOTE=Wizards Court;45238906]eh... i live in one of the most unequal countries in the planet, we never had a truly serious case of "pitchforks" against the rich lol, if anything people tend to whine against the poor existing, and the poor are unlikely to protest(every protest in brazil was generally from the middle class, not the poors), i honestly doubt the US will be any different, take a good look at brazil, thats probably where you're headed, except more nukes and guns. :v:[/QUOTE] Except you know, the crippling riots and such that have been happening since right before the World Cup. Because those are totally still happening. [editline]28th June 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=JumpinJackFlash;45240551]Like, you could not possibly have missed the point any more than you just did. The only reason why Europeans have a greater history of violently overthrowing the elite is the fact that they've simply been around longer than we have. You want proof of our innate brutality, Zedacon? Dwarf Fortress is an [i]American[/i] invention.[/QUOTE] The Civil War. [editline]28th June 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;45240040]Its the Europeans that have a greater history of cutting the heads off their elite. Here in the U.S. we worship them, and even if we did want something done, we prefer a comedy shitshow of a news story or talk show to anything serious.[/QUOTE] We worship the terrible shit they do. We covet, let we do with politicians, when they fuck up because it feels nice to see rich people and powerful people fuck up.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;45238770]I honestly think most people are too lazy to get the pitchforks out[/QUOTE] yeah, we're all passive cows until three things happen. 1) we lose our source of money 2) we lose our source of food 3) we lose our housing then guess what? no one's a docile cow then. They're ready to kill people over such things.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;45238770]I honestly think most people are too lazy to get the pitchforks out[/QUOTE] I wouldn't say lazy, but if you're in the situation you can manage with what you have or risk it to try and getting something better, most people will stick with trying to manage with what they have, if not for themselves then for their families. If things change so that people can't manage or survive, that's when the pitchforks will come out. The 2008 financial crisis should be a warning to the incredibly wealthy that things can very easily turn bad very quickly.

I think people really underestimate what starving people will do when things get really bad. Starving people with starving kids? They go to war in other countries, I don't really believe modern first nation citizens are docile enough to not do the same when they're dying of starvation as well. I remember reading a book about police management of riots and situations that eventually became riots and ones that didn't. Several officers and some of the figures showed that heat, and hot weather increases the likelyhood of riots. I think it's more than possible if things do get desperate.

[QUOTE=Cabbage;45238878]Didn't that already happen with Occupy Wall Street, which did pretty much nothing?[/QUOTE] If you look at it from a societal background, it had a large, profound effect on the way Americans view the economy, and had become a staple of a lot of american culture in recent years. It happens just as it is that ows simply brought these issues to light. Even now I hear people complain about the inequality while on campus, and even walking the streets every day. People are starting to get fed up with the inequality issues America faces, on a day to day basis. This might not be the best example, but on Facebook there was a photo shared over 10m times within a week about the inequality America faces. It's a powder keg waiting to burn, if the indicators are believable. We have these people who are constantly fed up, and want change, but aren't getting it. It'll only serve to push each side deeper in their ideology, and eventually there will arise conflict between the two groups.