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David Skoglund's avatar

I believe greed and acquisition affect the brain the same way addictive substances like alcohol, heroin and meth do. Addiction grows and billionaires become pleasure seeking junkies. Always craving more. Never satisfied!

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Ruth Sheets's avatar

David, you are right, and because of their intense addiction, a whole lot of people's lives are damaged which those addicted billionaires will never see because they think those folks are so far beneath them. We the People could do something about this if we would elect people with the brains and will to make the necessary changes without the huge billionaire financial infusions so many candidates now depend on.

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JennSH from NC's avatar

The Koch network does not want politicians with brains or morals. People with brains and morals are more difficult to manipulate than those without.

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Daniel Solomon's avatar

Addiction. Think oxy. Heroin. Alcohol. Tobacco.

I play the lottery. I also own copyrights to books and art that may/may not be valuable. Does that mean I have an addiction? Robert has much more "product" than I do. Is he addicted to the money it generates?

Although there may be a "money disorder" as of 2023, money disorder is not a clinical diagnosis in either the DSM or ICD medical classifications of diseases and medical disorders. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_disorder

Some of the most successful sales people make a living selling to pathological gamblers, who speculate on practically anything. Stocks, real estate, commodities, etc. Bookies, In the end the "winner" invariably is the salesman.

Love of money. I'm not supposed to know about this but in 1 Timothy 6:10 "the love of money is the root of all of evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Although Jesus said "it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven" according to a study from 2015, Christians hold the largest amount of wealth (55% of the total world wealth), followed by Muslims (5.8%), Hindus (3.3%), and Jews (1.1%). According to the same study it was found that adherents under the classification "Irreligion", or other religions, hold about 34.8% of the total global wealth.

Paradoxically, the prosperity gospel, also called prosperity theology, in Protestant Christianity, preaches that faithтАФexpressed through positive thoughts, positive declarations, and donations to the churchтАФdraws health, wealth, and happiness into believers' lives.

Tough to justify. As of 2023, there are a mere 735 billionaires in the U.S. Millionaires are more plentifulтАФalmost 22 million.

As an investor, I wanna know how many became billionaires through faith?

Any?

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Ruth Sheets's avatar

Daniel, you have a lot to work through here. However, just because an "addiction" is not in the book of Mental Health disorders does not mean it is not real. The very rich are gamblers of a sort and they will do whatever they can to keep the gambling going. I am guessing they get a hit of adrenalin when they get a win, whatever they think of as a win and get adowner when they lose. They, alas, are gambling with the future of our nation when they buy candidates, influence justices and judges, and buy up properties they mean to drive low income renters out of. That sounds pretty serious to me, someone having to win with the suffering of others. There is a lot of that going on right now, perhaps always, but it does not have to. I will continue thinking on this one. Thanks for the info, as always. I appreciate your insights from down there in FL.

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David Skoglund's avatar

Ruth, I love your take on this. Thanks a lot!

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Daniel Solomon's avatar

IMHO it has a lot to do with risk tolerance. Lots of psychologists, sociologists, economists have devoted their lives to analyzing it. Many, if not most people can't resist some risk. But I know extremity rich people who only buy/sell the least risk resistant investments like government backed bonds and notes. I used to deal with some bank trust officers who held literally billions for their clients and were paranoid about their fiduciary duties.

I can testify that many rich people are gamblers, but not all of them.

Once upon a time, I represented some of them. Most had a system Bet on sports. Played the ponies. Needed the excitement. Most real gamblers sometimes have many games going simultaneously.

Some of them don't. As I said elsewhere, I don't begrudge inventors who built the "better mousetrap." I don't begrudge people like Taylor Swift.

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David Skoglund's avatar

In time, there may well be a clinical diagnosis for тАЬMoney disorderтАЭ.

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ЁЭРУЁЭРвЁЭРж ЁЭРБЁЭРЪЁЭРеЁЭРЭЁЭР░ЁЭРвЁЭРз's avatar

Some people confuse their net worth with their self-worth. They measure their "success" in life by how much money they have.

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Daniel Solomon's avatar

Before the internet, gamblers were limited to sies like casinos, racetracks and brokerage firms. After state lottos were legalized, many people bet their existences on games that had impossible odds.

These days, the big casino is available to anyone who can access the internet and has a credit card. Incidence has to be high.

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Daniel Solomon's avatar

For some reason, the software cut off:

Tough to justify. As of 2023, there are a mere 735 billionaires in the U.S. Millionaires are more plentifulтАФalmost 22 million.

As an investor, I wanna know how many became billionaires through faith?

Any?

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Michael Cunningham's avatar

None yet are billionaires, but it's not for want of trying. https://yen.com.gh/183456-top-richest-pastors-america-net-worth.html

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Daniel Solomon's avatar

Prey [pun intended] on love of money just like the salesmen who sell to pathological gamblers? How many of their followers are billionaires, if any?

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Vicki, MSN's avatar

There is a Mirroring effect between the highest and 'lowest ' of us in society, Addiction to money and power, addictions fueled by despair of drugs, etoh...

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Laurie Blair's avatar

David Skoglund : I wonder how that type of compulsion could be cured? Maybe the environmental disasters will slow 'em down !?

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David Skoglund's avatar

Laurie. You are probably right, but by the time that happens, itтАЩs most likely too late.

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Laurie Blair's avatar

I'm hoping it is not too late.

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