Johns Hopkins Medical Centre - World Coronavirus infection Map by Country.

[Marco]

I dislike ALL forms of extremism, which is why I hate 'ist' and 'ism' labels, as they're too black and white and only represent one way: 'my way or the highway', when no such rigid way is ever right. Such selfish and blinkered absolutism only leads to division and hatred.

I like 'happy mediums' and middle grounds, as that's usually where there's most chance of achieving fairness and equality for everyone, in all aspects of life, which is my mantra. The biggest problem with the world, especially now, is the existence of GROSS INEQUALITY, especially when it comes to the division of wealth.

However, I also support entrepreneurialism, and the right to 'build one's own empire', within reason. Therefore, I believe that personal wealth, whilst allowed to flourish, should always be capped and never provide any single person, or small groups of people, with such levels of power, that it gives them the ability to impose control or rule over huge sectors of human life, solely in the pursuit of personal gain.

So with that in mind, stick whichever political label on me you like!

Marco.

[walpurgis]

So with that in mind, stick whichever political label on me you like!

Marco.

I'll give that some thought.

[Pigmy Pony]

I dislike ALL forms of extremism, which is why I hate 'ist' and 'ism' labels, as they're too black and white and only represent one way: 'my way or the highway', when no such rigid way is ever right. Such selfish and blinkered absolutism only leads to division and hatred.

I like 'happy mediums' and middle grounds, as that's usually where there's most chance of achieving fairness and equality for everyone, in all aspects of life, which is my mantra. The biggest problem with the world, especially now, is the existence of GROSS INEQUALITY, especially when it comes to the division of wealth.

However, I also support entrepreneurialism, and the right to 'build one's own empire', within reason. Therefore, I believe that personal wealth, whilst allowed to flourish, should always be capped and never provide any single person, or small groups of people, with such levels of power, that it gives them the ability to impose control or rule over huge sectors of human life, solely in the pursuit of personal gain.

So with that in mind, stick whichever political label on me you like!

Marco.

The "Idealist in a Vague Way" party. I got it it printed on a label for you. Where would you like it to be stuck?

[Marco]

Yesh, shweety... Can I tell you which 'special place' I'd like it stuck in?

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Yesh, shweety... Can I tell you which 'special place' I'd like it stuck in?

Marco.

Think you could stick it to one side of your 'special place' - the label is quite stiff, and if placed correctly, and with a bit of practice, your farts could play a tune. Like a walking kazoo

[Macca]

I dislike ALL forms of extremism, which is why I hate 'ist' and 'ism' labels, as they're too black and white and only represent one way: 'my way or the highway', when no such rigid way is ever right. Such selfish and blinkered absolutism only leads to division and hatred.

I like 'happy mediums' and middle grounds, as that's usually where there's most chance of achieving fairness and equality for everyone, in all aspects of life, which is my mantra. The biggest problem with the world, especially now, is the existence of GROSS INEQUALITY, especially when it comes to the division of wealth.
.

The division of wealth thing always interested me. What would happen if we pooled all the wealth in the world and divided it out equally?

If you don't count derivatives but do count everything else then there's approx £175.5 trillion dollars of wealth in the world. Assume 7 billion people so if we whacked it out we'd each get £25,000 dollars. Bear in mind that this includes the value of property so a lot of us would be considerably poorer. However the poorest 2 billion people would be 25000 times wealthier than they are now.

Trouble is this does not take into account debt. Global debt (individuals and countries) is approximately 200 trillion dollars. So if we clear all the debt before dividing up the wealth we're left with minus 25 trillion dollars. In other words we'd each be left with a net debt of $3.5K.

Those already in more debt than that would no doubt find this welcome. For the rest of us not so much, including the poorest 2 billion who would actually be much worse off than they are now. But it would be fair and equal.

[struth]

thought world debt was about 65 trillion dollars... just cancel the whole debt thing.. that will take the smile off a few faces

[Marco]

Martin, by 'fair and equal', as with everything else (as I'm a 'happy medium' guy), I mean *within reason* and as far as possible. Perhaps I should rephrase it as (much) fairer and more equal than it is now?

And major steps should be taken, in order to achieve that. As I've said before, the BIGGEST beef I have with the division of wealth that currently exists, is that such vast amounts of the world's wealth is divided among so few people - the 'super elite'.

In my world, there would be NO multi-BILLIONAIRES, verging on or becoming TRILLIONAIRES

You'd be allowed to attain a certain level of personal wealth, say for talking sake, £50 million, and then be forced to donate the rest (in a properly controlled and managed way) to the poor and needy worldwide, and in the process begin to build a fair(er) and more equal world than the one that currently exists!

Marco.

[struth]

Martin, by 'fair and equal', as with everything else (as I'm a 'happy medium' guy), I mean *within reason* and as far as possible. Perhaps I should rephrase it as (much) fairer and more equal than it is now?

And major steps should be taken, in order to achieve that. As I've said before, the BIGGEST beef I have with the division of wealth that currently exists, is that such vast amounts of the world's wealth is divided among so few people - the 'super elite'.

In my world, there would be NO multi-BILLIONAIRES, verging on or becoming TRILLIONAIRES. You'd be allowed to attain a certain level of personal wealth, say for talking sake, £50 million, and then be forced to donate the rest (in a properly controlled and managed way) to the poor and needy worldwide, and in the process begin to build a fair(er) and more equal world than the one which currently exists!

Marco.

so your into big brother tactics

[Marco]

No. What makes you say that?

There are ways and means of doing things as upfront and fairly as possible, without needing to be underhand or devious.

Marco.