Al Gore stands to gain about $70 million after selling Current TV to al-Jazeera

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62. I half agree with you, but half disagree.

I'm afraid the part where I disagree is at the heart of the problem here.

I don't think it's that how people get their money that is the problem. There is an insidious idea in our culture that one's money is/was dependent on their actions, whether it be from selling something, getting a contract worth x dollars, or won at a casino. The reality is that the money comes from the entire economy and culture. The fact that we have a fiat currency should further drive this point home.

I think the problem is that we DO criticize the business someone is involved with the get the money they do, when it's all part and parcel of the reigning system. The people making money while also polluting air, water, food, etc. are making that money because people are allowing them to by the part they play in the society. The question is, what do we as a society feel we are getting in return for this? We get angry, because we are short changed.

Instead of criticizing and individual financial decision, perhaps we should criticize the system. In our laws, we determine what is profitable. If we had actual progressive taxation and social welfare programs, I suspect that either a) we wouldn't feel short-changed by many financial decision, or b) those decisions would not be made, because the return would no longer be worth it to the individual.