• xenomor@lemmy.world
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    10 days ago

    What is the causal relationship between sociopaths and billionaires? Does becoming billionaire make you sociopathic, or do sociopaths have an easier time becoming billionaires?

    • Fern@lemmy.world
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      10 days ago

      As I’ve heard it said. It’s practically impossible to be a billionaire without being a sociopath. The sheer amount of exploitation required to make that kind of money is dumbfounding.

    • futatorius@lemm.ee
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      10 days ago

      It’s very much the latter. Sociopathy in the C-suite occurs at twice to three times the prevalence in the general population.

      We are living under a system that disproportionately rewards sociopathy, and so far I haven’t seen any credible systemic solutions.

      • GoofSchmoofer@lemmy.world
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        10 days ago

        so far I haven’t seen any credible systemic solutions

        There are many credible systemic solutions to this problem but over the past 40+ years those solutions have been watered down and killed off.

        Things like:

        • High tax rate on the wealthy and a well funded IRS to enforce those laws
        • Strong regulations and well funded departments to enforce those regulations
        • Better education for the population at large and enough funding to give all members of the country free access to it
        • Strong labor unions and an well funded FTC to help protect them
        • A strong and FAIR justice system and the funding to keep it fair

        I’m sure there are others

        • Telodzrum@lemmy.world
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          9 days ago

          None of those are solutions to the problem (assuming it even is a problem) pointed out by the comment that you replied to — sociopaths tend to be more effective at climbing hierarchies and convincing people to follow them.

          • GoofSchmoofer@lemmy.world
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            9 days ago

            Right they are effective in becoming more of a leader and I’ll admit I went off on a bit of a tangent with my previous comment. What I was getting at was there is a system that can at least fence in the C suite sociopath from getting out of control, but we don’t have that system any more due in part to the sociopaths in power. So well maybe I’m just wrong.