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Comment by ydb | Hacker News Reader

> but I'd argue that is (in most instances) the only class of people who likely have to deal with a barrage of negative news coverage to begin with.

They experience a barrage of negative press because they deserve it. The ultra-wealthy of the world (I'm not talking SV tech salaries, those are practically working class in comparison) are the ones doing the majority of harm to this pale blue dot we all have to live on. Climate catastrophe is well on its way to undermining society, and it could have easily been addressed decades ago if the ultra-wealthy weren't Biblical levels of greedy.

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> They experience a barrage of negative press because they deserve it.

Ah, how could I forget, humans are one-dimensional cartoon characters and moral complexity is tossed out the window the moment you own a certain amount of property.

I have no idea how you would become that rich without awful exploitation of consumers or workers.

You'll find lots of "how they did it" in the biography/business section of the library/bookstore.

Great idea + great execution. Lots of people have made impressive fortunes from widely used everyday things like food packaging (eg Tetra Pak), ballpoint pens (Biro) or escalators (Kone).

This ignores that in order to become rich, you must be paid more money than you can generate with your own labor. You must have your workers make something for cheaper than you sell it for and take the excess and give it to yourself. This is business, and there is literally no way to become wealthy without severe exploitation.

Some exceptions: the lottery (which abuses the desperate), inheritance (which has no meritorious justification)

That's a pretty reductionist view of wealth creation and capitalism.

I hope the inherent irony of making that statement to an audience of people united by a common interest in technological progress, entrepreneurship, and startups (on a forum maintained by the world's most recognized startup accelerator) isn't lost on you.

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