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by temp10298385 1838 days ago
It erodes social cohesion. When I went to elementary school in Sweden I shared a classroom with both a child that came to our country has a refugee and another whose parent sat in parliament. Different social classes intermingled frequently. While there are clear class divisions in Sweden, the distances are not so great. There is a sense of security that comes with a more equal society that I think can't be replicated by any other means. I think that once you've lived in a fairly equal society, though Scandinavia does have its shortcomings, it is hard to excuse inequality.

How does Bezos harm you? I don't want to put the blame squarely on his shoulders but I would like to point out an apparent dynamic. When a class of people are decoupled from the issues the majority faces the outcome is resentment. Recordbreaking growth for billionaires while many are suffering their most trying year to date is creating tension.

There is definitely a narrative that can explain why Bezos fortune is rightfully his down to the last cent and why he is a net positive in this world. And it wouldn't necessarily be incorrect. However you can't avoid the fact that his wealth is manifasted as unaccountable power. A society plagued by unaccountable power, which is what I believe that inequality ultimately is, is not healthy.