[ExI] Capitalism, anti capitalism, emotional arousal

James Clement clementlawyer at gmail.com
Sat Nov 12 18:29:37 UTC 2011


Stefano Vaj <stefano.vaj at gmail.com>

> This is a very important point.
>
> There is a limit to the number or quality of steaks money can allow you to
> eat, and the marginal utility function of money drops quite precipitously
> at, say, Soros's  level. What makes you still work, often much longer hours
> than your average Wal-Mart employee?
>
> The answer of course is power. Now, I may be more comfortable with the
> will to power than others. What I am not comfortable with is that power be
> allocated exclusively on the basis of your worth in dollars, to the
> detriment of whatever other features and selective criteria one can imagine.
>
> Stefano,

What's wrong with wanting to create a hugely successful company? Are the
values of some (for time to read, hang out with friends, be entertained,
etc.) override the values of others to be successful in the business world?
Do you really think that wanting to have money to keep your business on
top, start new businesses, invest in other companies that interest you,
donate to charities/causes you support, etc. are any less desirable than
the quality of the steaks you eat? If one is "power" then the other is
"power" too, in which case your analysis is meaningless.

Celebrities, teachers, authors, journalists, clergy, politicians, and many
others have "power," having nothing to do with money, over people. Why
would you single out the wealthy as the only group whom you'd be
uncomfortable with having power over people?

James Clement
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