From: Jason Joel Thompson (jasonjthompson@home.com)
Date: Sat Sep 23 2000 - 03:06:07 MDT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Randy Smith" <randysmith101@hotmail.com>
> I would choose not to give it to him. I do so because I know that if this
> person (person Y) is wealthier, then that means that whatever wealth I
have,
> is lessened. If Joe X wants to sell some property and I want to buy it,
then
> have if I let this person Y have the oil wealth which would otherwise
remain
> unfound, then there is more competition for the property I bidding for,
and
> the price goes up.
Alright, let's say the amount in question is, oh, say, a thousand bucks.
The amount of personal impact you are likely to experience from a random
person on planet Earth receiving a thousand bucks is exceedingly low. Hell,
for most of us, even if -we- were to receive it ourselves, it wouldn't
exactly be a life changing experience.
However, given the non-linear distribution of wealth on this planet, odds
are good the money's going to go to someone for whom it -will- have a
noticeable impact.
So if someone were to walk up to me and say, "Jason, we got a thousand
bucks, and we're gonna send it to someone randomly, yea or nay?" Me, I say,
go for it. What the hell? Make someone's day.
What about a million bucks?
Well, frankly, again, I'd probably say go for it. People win lotteries. A
one-time random blessing of a million bucks to some unsuspecting soul is not
really going to make much difference to me.
A billion?
Okay, now we're talking serious cash.
There's a very slim chance that the money will fall to someone within my web
of aquaintances and that would likely be a generally positive result. It
might go to someone interested in investing in me. It might land in the
Third World somewhere and create an instant economy-- probably good for
planet Earth in general. Wherever it goes, it's going to be spent. Instant
injection of this sort of cash is likely to cause a bit of a flutter in the
economy, but nothing life changing. It's worth about 15 cents to me if I
say yes (hey, -I- might win...)
Mmm.... nah.
Too much.
--
::jason.joel.thompson::
::founder::
www.wildghost.com
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