Against Oppression, Against Bullying

Some people have so much more wealth than others. (The wealthiest one percent control 90% of the nation's wealth!)

What is required in order to amass such wealth? Is this wealth the result of merit and hard work, or is it possible that some of this extreme wealth actually requires some form or another of oppression? Does some (or maybe even much) of this wealth depend on some form of putting others down?

Is there bullying? If so, why.

Why does bullying go on?

Is wealth a measure of success?

Are wealthy people superior to other (less wealthy) people?

Is it possible that wealth is not so often based in merit, but instead in pure ambition, maybe even a certain amount of ruthlessness?

Is it possible that in the drive to get ahead, some others are forced behind?

Survival of the fittest? Or survival of the meanest?

Why is ambition, even when it verges on ruthlessness toward others, rewarded with wealth?

After all, we teach children that bullying is not okay.

If bullying is not okay for children, then why should it be okay for adults?

Why don't we have policies in order to regulate against economic oppression and bullying? (e.g. Wall Street, war profiteering, exploitative labor practices, companies that have extreme discrepancies in pay between highest and lowest, hoarding and destruction of natural resources [which ought to belong to all of us or to none of us at all.])



People destroy each other with war. People destroy the environment. These activities, which are detrimental to all of us, should not lead to wealth for some few. We need to regulate against harmful economic activities—in the interest of the common well-being of all.