chapotraphouse

I sort of meant that if a rich person loses a little money they're still pretty rich, if a poor person loses a little money they can't feed themselves.

This is what makes a socialist project so neat in my mind. The rich are the reason that poverty is so hellish. It's the imperialism, the cop violence, the homeless, the hunger, the grueling hours of labor, etc. It's all contrived, it's not like there's not enough houses or enough food - nor does it take all hands on deck to create it like it used to. Without a project people fuss around like "well, I can't change the system, I'm a victim as much as anyone else!" But then you have China doing something about it as a cohesive unit. Being poor is a dignified life and being wealthy with the fruit of your labor is a dignified life. You can give all your money to a cause you feel is worthy and still have a meal that night and a place to sleep. Your job as the torture manager at the adrenochrome factory isn't going to be filled in by someone even worse when you leave because the socialist project is going to make sure that the adrenochrome factory will become a library/community center instead. You're not gambling homelessness when you leave a job. You're not panicking when you need an ambulance because of the cost. You're not going to be tortured in a cell by a sadistic cop if you do drugs - hell you even have a dignified path away from addiction! Under socialism you would have this beautifully maximized way to actualize yourself and you get to contribute to a society that isn't maximally cynical.