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wryme  ·  4801 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: A note of appreciation from the rich
I don't think it is necessary or desirable to paint such a black and white picture of relations between the rich and the poor. We risk pulling ourselves into the same divisive trap of tainting our world view based on arbitrary distinctions. It used to be the religious versus the heathens. Then it was Colored versus Whites. Now it is Rich versus the middle and lower classes. Is the distinction really any different? In each case we're focusing on one aspect of a group of people and forming prejudices around this singular thing. It is dehumanizing.

The reality is more complex than any simplistic interpretation of the facts may lead us to believe. It insults both our intelligence and our cause when embrace such tactics. I feel silly quoting a Cracked article to make my point, but it is surprisingly appropriate for this very topic:

"Train yourself to get suspicious every time you see simplicity. Any claim that the root of a problem is simple should be treated the same as a claim that the root of a problem is Bigfoot. Simplicity and Bigfoot are found in the real world with about the same frequency. So reject binary thinking of "good vs. bad" or "us vs. them." Know that problems cannot be solved with clever slogans and over-simplified step-by-step programs."

Quote source: http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html