*I can't see how one can become so obscenely wealthy in a morally right way.*

An interesting point, Individual. But they actually can.

If you look at the serious so called new money around, a huge
chunk of it has actually been made by university drop outs who
studied computer programming. The internet has created such a huge
global market, that when they get it right, returns are enormous
and in fact quite moral.

The young kid who came up with Facebook, is now worth billions.
So are the guys who created Zynga, Linkedin, Twitter, Oracle,
Microsoft, Google and all the rest.

Who is becoming poorer? The latest Economist contains an interesting
article which shows that most of the Japanese electronics manufacturers are on the ropes. Sharp, Sony, NEC, Panasonic, are
worth a mere fraction of what they were, just 10 years ago.
So much for the benefits of manufacturing.

The 1% and i bet they are all liberals.

Poirot

Your interpretations of what I said says more about your dogmas than my post. You are very predictable.

runner,

ha! - that's the pot calling the kettle predictable.

*This way, however, most people exist anesthetised and in reasonable comfort while the mega-rich keep adding to their coffers.*

Yeah Poirot, but the story does not end there. Firstly, the mega
rich only hold it temporarily, they die just like the rest of us.
So it all gets split up, wives, mistresses, children, employees,
charities, foundations and the rest.

The mega rich don't achieve much by sitting on it either, inflation
eats it away. 10 years at 4% and nearly half of it is gone. So
they invest in new ideas, new technologies, new ventures, which
creates new jobs, new benefits for all. Venture capital for instance, is huge
in a place like the US and that is how new
creative ideas come to fruition. Even Poirot benefits, by being
able to post on OLO, because of their risks and investments.

I must be quite fortunate. I simply don't envy the mega rich.
I am quite content with life as it is. But clearly many think that
only by winning lotto will they ever be happy. How sad really.

I have met good and bad people from both ends of the financial scale as far as income goes.
Although I fall in around the middle of the income scale, I sure would at least like to try living at the upper end!
One thing I would love to be able to afford is to travel first class anywhere... sigh :)