I was gonna include a third option about how money is easier to achieve without considering the morality of your actions but that’s not really a philosophy as much as it is an objective fact.
I don’t think money itself corrupts, but power does and power comes with money. Im currently reading a book “Human Kind” that argues that people are generally pretty decent, but that even a little bit of power almost always starts changing people’s behaviour, affecting their empathy, etc.
The Mode of Production determines what ideas and traits are more expressed among society. The Base determines the Superstructure, which in turn reinforces the Base.
Ok yes but this makes no sense to someone with zero background in marxist theory.
This is what is being referenced ^
This means that the values of a society are determined by the economic structure but also that these values then reinforce that structure. So you end up with societal values that closely allign with whatever best reinforces the base. In the case of capitalism that is typically greed. So no, money alone doesn’t corrupt people or make them greedy but the economic system that money facilitates does.
Correct me if I am wrong about anything 👍
Fantastic elaboration, comrade, that’s exactly what I am saying.
Money doesn’t corrupt people; it’s more like a truth serum for the morally flexible. It’s not that money changes people; it just gives them a megaphone to broadcast their inner used car salesman.
Suddenly, those “creative accounting” skills you never knew you had emerge faster than a politician’s promises during election season. It’s like money has a magical power to turn “I would never” into “Well, just this once” quicker than you can say “offshore account.”
No one is perfect, and money reflects the not perfect side very well in many!
all people are questionable. the love of money is envy manifest.
envy is the most destructive compound human emotion.
Yes.
I think it seperates people, and that can have a harmful effect on people.
You slowly whether living for the good of all mankind (in your mind), excessive pleasure, or avoid the world more and more, just start living an experience that doesn’t make sense to more and more people.
It happens on small scales too. Like a trip to Hawaii or Disney world, or being able afford only “ethically” sources goods and having time to volunteer at your local animal shelter. These are experiences that people have seen have wanted but ultimately never afforded.
Like having time and money to travel to you families for thanksgiving, that is just not going to happen for some people, and the experience of begging for overtime to stock before black Friday is something those people may never experience or even think about.
Just like that stocker may never experience taking the kids to dump to sort through trash to find things to sell to help make it to next year’s seasonal work.
We view world through our eyes alone and can only fathom the rest.
Yes. Most people stop making more when they have enough.
People who don’t stop are already broken and corrupted. They have nothing better to do. No better idea. No other desire. Than to accumulate more. It’s degenerate, sad, to keep wanting more, to feel that hunger when it is already satiated. Like a rat addicted to cocaine, still pushing itself to push the button for more and more.
Yes
/thread
In this world, money is power, and power absolutely does corrupt people.
I’ve seen a lot a fair amount of people that started off with humble beginnings, got really popular, made a ton of money, and turned into shitbags as a result because they can just fork up a bunch of cash to make problems go away.
Money and power enables you to get away with immoral stuff, if not straight up illegal.
This is a very moral framing, maybe even a Christian-adjacent one, which I don’t think is helpful. Historical materialism, which other commenters are working from, is an amoral framing.
Speaking of morality & philosophy, here’s prof. Hans-Georg Moeller:
For every asshole billionaire there’s at least one millionaire you’ve never heard of, giving money away and never trying to have too much to themselves. At least, I’d like to believe that.
“Momma said there’s only so much fortune a man really needs and the rest is just for showing off.”
Anything in where there is a motive for competition, will attract questionable people, especially if competition would not benefit the general populace.
Not really sure. Somebody wire me an obscene amount of money and I’ll report back. Probably.
Has something to do with the emotions that one is subjected to upon receiving
