Are You Addicted to Making Money?

[madokie]

Curing wealth addiction won't change America's runaway inequality. We need to end Wall Street as we know it.


Now that inequality is finally on the mainstream media's agenda, we're hearing a lot of trash theories about why the top one-tenth of one percent is grabbing the nation's wealth. Conservatives will blame the poor for being poor and claim that the rich are rich because... well, they're just smarter than the rest of us.

TheNew York Times has added yet another dubious dimension this week by featuring a poignant piece by Sam Polk, a former hedge fund trader, who claims that he, and most others on Wall Street, are addicted to money: "I wanted more money for exactly the same reason an alcoholic needs another drink: I was addicted."

Polk sure had quite a Jones: "I wanted a billion dollars. It’s staggering to think that in the course of five years, I’d gone from being thrilled at my first bonus — $40,000 — to being disappointed when, my second year at the hedge fund, I was paid 'only' $1.5 million."

Yep, we feel your pain. But after suffering a rebuke from his billionaire boss, Polk saw the light:

Link: http://www.alternet.org/economy/are-you-addicted-making-money

[Uben]

1. I'm addicted to not making money

....and I'm pretty damned good at it! I never wanted to chase the dollar and make some other POS a million dollars while giving all my free time to it. Aint gonna happen. I'd rather spend my time helping others, enjoying my family and kids before they grew up, and taking leisure time for myself. Is that Mercedes more important than your kids ballgames? Hell no! Is that million dollar home worth more than taking your son or daughter fishing? Is it worth forfeiting your marriage because your job requires so much time you neglect your wife. You would probably be amazed at how many do exactly this in their quest for wealth.

My 10 yr old vehicle with 100K+ on it still runs fine. My home, though 40+ yrs old, still looks fine and keeps me warm and comfortable. And, I have the time to enjoy these things. You can make all the money you want, but your time is limited, and you don't know how much you have left, so why give it all to some asshole millionaire who doesn't give a damn about you or your family?

WE have to work to support ourselves and families, but we don't have to give an employer more than 40 hrs a week. That's enough...or maybe too much.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Every time this gets posted and I see it

I'm giving it a rec.

How much is enough?

I don't hold it against the family of four living on $40K a year for their desire to make more, save more, and desiring financial stability. That's sane.

But these folks who don't make anything? Who just move money around? They are sick twists.

[madokie]

3. Wall street as we know it today

is pretty much our biggest problem. Too few skimming too much of the cream off the top leaving the rest of us tired and hungry and a little bit pissed off.

Personally I'll be happy when enough of us gets pissed off so we can put a stop to this

[AngryAmish]

4. not me

I figure about four and a half years more of work then I'm done.

The houses are paid for and we should finish paying for the kids education this year.

After that you can reach me at the golf course.

[democratisphere]

5. Addiction always causes tremendous destruction.

Money or wealth addiction is absolutely no different!

[madokie]

6. Welcome to DU

happy to see you here

[democratisphere]

7. Happy to be here!

Thank you!

[madokie]

8. Very welcome

[Iggo]

9. No. I'm addicted to paying my bills.

[CFLDem]

11. Lol

I guess that's one way to look at it!

[Orrex]

10. I am at very low risk for this kind of addiction

I am equally likely to become addicted to raw Tyrannosaur eggs.

[scarletwoman]

12. I think I may be addicted to survival.

You know, figuring out how to keep a roof over my head, staying warm in the winter, having enough to eat, having shoes without holes in them.

That's not to say that I'm not big on having certain luxury items like electricity, a car that runs, food for my dog, a little chocolate now and then.

[RadiationTherapy]

13. I don't know...let me have a hit of that shit.

I can quit anytime. I know I can.