[ExI] Status, Envy, and Economics

[Damien Sullivan]

On Wed, Feb 13, 2008 at 12:16:09PM -0800, Lee Corbin wrote:

> 1)  it is good that people want to be richer
> 2)  it is unfortunate, and needs to be worked against
>      that people are so interested in relative differences 

Hypothetical rephrase:

1) it is good that people want to have more power over each other
2) it's unfortunate, and needs to be worked against that people are so
interested in relative differences in power.

Material wealth gives us comfort and security, and needn't be zero-sum.
But it can also be used for social power, which is zero-sum.

-xx- Damien X-)