This article raises that interesting question.
http://fee.org/anythingpeaceful/what-can-the-rich-afford-that-average-americans-cant/
In a way most of us don’t really understand how differently we live from even a very short time ago. Read the comments in this excellent piece from Sarah Hoyt.
http://accordingtohoyt.com/2016/01/08/burning-rousseau-in-effigy/#comments
The fact is that right now just about everybody in the Developed nations can afford products that are better and cheaper than anything has ever been made. For instance my car is almost ten years old and has never required major maintenance and the body is as free of exterior rust as when it was new. The computer I’m writing this on is more powerful than ANY computer that you could buy in 1980. The clothes I’m wearing are more durable and sewn better than anything you could buy in 1950. And everything is essentially so cheap that just about everybody can afford it.
The fact is that, because of the constant improvement of manufacturing techniques the difference between the highest quality and lowest quality goods has become essentially nonexistent.
The advent of cheap and easily available energy has changed the game as far as relative wealth and what you can do with it are concerned If we all have 600 invisible slaves working for us all the time, aren’t we all incredibly wealthy?
https://theartsmechanical.wordpress.com/2015/11/25/you-have-450-slaves/
Consider the changes since the turn of the last century where, like the anime series “Emma” the wealthy had armies of servants at hand and foot. Just look at them all.
https://theartsmechanical.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/emma-a-victorian-romance-anime-review/
https://www.youtube.com/show/emmaavictorianromance/videos
Of course nowadays, except for royalty, who are sort of bound by tradition, that sort of life style is not only wasteful, it’s constraining and rather stupid. Sure the wealthy have people working for them, but the waiting hand and foot thing, who wants that. And if you take a trip just about everybody gets pretty good service.
The great gap in lifestyles due to wealth is by and large gone, which begs the question, what can the wealthy buy with their money? The answer isn’t very pleasant.
What they buy is access and power. You don’t have to look much further than Warren Buffett, George Soros or Tom Steyer to see that. Or the Koch Brothers for that matter. All of these people and other have created large influence building organizations for the sole purpose of influencing the rest of us stupid schmucks to do what they want us to. What they want us to do all too often is to give up the liberties and standard of living that our parents and grandparents worked so hard to build and retreat back to a lifestyle that will not compete with our “betters.” Sorry, but I’m not going for that.
For more on the dysfunctional economy click Here or on the tag below.
The Arts Mechanical 
Reblogged this on Crazy Pasta Child.
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Saw/read that attitude in a recent article from Robert Tracinski (http://tracinskiletter.com/2016/03/21/the-perils-of-populism/), who is usually quite even-handed.
However, when I got to “the rank-and-file of the right has … stopped listening to the intellectuals, even when we’re right” , I had to close the window and walk away.
Who says the intellectuals are right and the people leaning towards populism are wrong, most especially when the reasons why people are leaning more strongly towards populism are ignored or papered over?
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I agree with most of the article, but you’re wrong on the Kochs. Unlike the others you mentioned, they are Constitutional libertarian ideologues. They are spending to defend our original American liberties and human rights. They don’t want favors or special deals from a powerful government – they want maximum liberty for all of us so that we can succeed in life without having to buy favors from the government.
There are good guys and bad guys in this war. The Kochs are on the side of the good guys. Buffett, Steyer, Pritzker, and most of all Soros (the Sauron of the fascist Left) are the bad guys. I’m very glad that some people with great resources are stepping up for us.
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Lol, Soros is as close to a real life bond villain as you’re going to find.
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I believe it’s a bit unfair to lump the Koch brothers in with the likes of Soros, Steyer and Buffett. Contrary to propaganda from the authoritarian left, the Koch’s record is one of influencing public policy for the sake of individual liberty – even when it may be contrary to their own immediate business interests.
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to be clear the Koch Brothers do not advocate giving up freedom and standard of living. They want to increase both.
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I put the Koch’s in there as an example of what happens even when I agree with it. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and the feeding of government only increases it’s size and effect no matter who does it and why. And if I hadn’t mentioned them, the Progs would all be in here saying, “well what about those demon Kochs.” As far as I’m concerned It’s not why that matters in this case, it’s the effect of the actions.
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I don’t care much what the progs (better known as “liberal fascists” – thanks, HG Wells) say. When they aren’t deliberately lying, they are simply wrong – about everything.
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I don’t know about your theory. Who really wants to talk to politicians. From what I can see the bureaucrats of the leviathan state run the show, and little that anybody can do changes anything.
I have always thought that the real gap between the really rich and even the garden variety millionaires is the ability to afford jet air airplanes and 200 foot yachts. Yes, I know that you can fly on an airliner, even first class, pretty cheaply. And, Carnival Cruise lines will take you out for a boat ride. But, your own Gulfstream or your own mega-yacht are really sweet things. The difference is more than the difference between sugar and aspartame.
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What billionaires can buy than the rest of us can’t are really, really hot chicks (or guys).
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