Snakes in Suits

Agreeing with you is the easiest thing to do. Not simply because you're right; nor also because the topic is a deserving one. It's just that the sentiment of almost everyone who's not in the leagues of these people, is against them. To begin with, it's a favorite pastime to blame the rich and the powerful for being what they are; and for the plight of the less fortunate. And surely no one would want to even think of defending these people. (Should I say monsters?) So, the best thing is, join in the chorus. But I wouldn't be what I am if I didn't take the unpopular side in such discussions. I won't go out on a limb and actually try and defend them. But I do have to point out that these people wouldn't be where they are if they weren't what they are. That is to say, you can only get to their position if you are such a person. Or, conversely, it is only such people who can get to such positions of wealth and power. Another thing is, it's not only in the field of business and politics that you will find such people. In every position, and in every field, where someone has to be in a position of authority, you will find people of a similar nature. These will be the people who got to where they are because they were able to be such brutes. This comes down to having a sort of killer instinct. It is the same instinct that you are required to have if you're going to win at competitive sports. You basically have to be an animal; or to put it differently, you have to allow your savagery to come to the surface if you're going to win. This ugliness just happens to be more noticeable in public and powerful figures. Or should I say, it's just easier to notice, and point fingers (or cast stones) at public figures. It's a fact of life. And who'd do all the dirty work (the hatchet jobs) if we were all nice people? There, Lash. I've said it. You're a philosopher; you're not going to accept this without a fight. I know whatever you say will be worth hearing.

Interesting, there does seem to be more of these types around these days. Maybe because the corporations have made it possible. There have always been rich and poor and I believe there always will be but there seems to be an increase in the nasty kind of rich because corporations are the breeding ground of nasty. It is taught in seminars all around the world that you must be nasty to succeed. It is not the only way but it has become the work culture of big corporations. Any examination of history will find that wealth was possible without being a predator of other humans. There have always been human predators but only in modern day has this become the ideal to be asprired to. In the past wealth was usually inherited but it was possible for people to rise from the ranks of the poor and succeed. But then in the past they had a moral economy. That did not mean that there were no poor but it meant that the poor could buy basic food and goods at a price they could afford. It meant that people were forced to lower their prices just for the poor so that they did not starve through prices being too high. They knew that society needs its poor because they do important jobs that only the poor will do. They knew that you had to look after all people from all walks of life. Today the attitude is that the poor are useless and we would be better off without them. Very shortsighted attitude.

There are people like that all over the world. Some are dictators and some are in the White House. I thought Bush was all those and I think the current resident is all those too. I could find you at least 2 dozen in my own neighborhood who fit that and at least half of them are on welfare. None of what you wrote describes left, right, liberal or conservative. It doesn't even describe rich or poor. It just describes A holes and you can find them everywhere.