The Triviality of Capital Ownership

[William S. Lear]

On Thu, December 17, 1998 at 05:49:59 (EST) boddhisatva writes:
>		C. Lear,
>
>	In fact you are the one who should reflect on the facts of the
>case.  The benefit you get from stock ownership is obvious.  You receive
>the benefit of work that others do because you own that work.  They
>receive their wages and nothing more.  I don't care if you work a million
>hours, paint hammers and sickles on the wall in your spare time, and live
>in a janitor's closet. Your "merit" is completely superfluous.  You are
>profiting from those who work but do not own.  How do you think Bill Gates
>got rich, by being the smartest programmer in the world or by owning the
>rights to the work product of thousands of other programmers?

Gosh, I'm shocked.  I was *totally* unaware that the benefit I get
from my stock ownership was so obvious.  I was totally unaware that
stocks enable me to capture wealth that others produce!  Think of it!
Golly!  But now, thanks to your tough-minded tutelage I have seen the
light.  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, for pointing this out to me!!
How can I ever repay the debt, oh Enlightened One?  I can now get rid
of all of my dirty shares, because owning shares of whatever sort, in
whatever amount, is obviously immoral capitalistic behavior.

Tell me, Steve (or is it David?, Nancy? I forget), do you own stock of
any sort?  Pension perhaps?  You will of course immediately divest
your dirty source of unearned lucre as well.

Bill