One thing I have repeatedly noticed looking at the history of television animation is how often they make episodes based around conflict between monied classes and the less affluent. In many cases, it involves the former trying to remove from existence a very obvious public-funded resource (e.g. a park, a swimming pool, a summer camp, etc.) in favor of a private project benefitting their greed. Logically, and particularly since the protagonists are of this group, the latter faction ends up putting a stop to that. Repeat that outline enough and you've got kids like myself who grew up thinking big business was immoral and continue to hold that belief as adults.
Another Substack I read is from a couple who run heritage walking tours in Los Angeles, and they regularly bemoan the fact that the City Council favors monetary gain over history by allowing historical buildings to be neglected or otherwise destroyed. So this happens in real life as well- but it's much harder to stop in real life.
Obviously, I'm too damned cheap (and poor) to pay for Hulu and Max, but I'm glad to know somebody else with a bigger audience than me is tackling this subject.
I think sort of cultural messaging also has an intended result of putting many into a poverty mindset. We think, internally, that if you have money it corrupts you into greed and cruelty. But as noted in this essay- those with money are the ones making the rules and being listened to by those making the rules. Me making money, as honestly as I can- there is no pure path in life ( I have worked in health/medical related businesses my entire career- my work did a lot of good for others. But I also saw corruption, abuse, fraud whether a mom and pop start up or one of the largest device/pharma companies in the world- both are true). I try to be on the good side of things, but I won’t set myself on fire to prove it. I struggled with money - not managing it, feeling like it was ok to have some), for many decades. I have a little now- and am fast growing a financially secure and comfortable retirement. And I am at peace with this. I make a lot, I donate a lot, and I advocate for others. It’s ok to have money. If the good/good leaning ambiguous of us don’t? How will we change this system stacked against the majority? If those in power only listen if money is in the conversation, then some of us that want a brighter future for all better have some sort of we can get these issues heard? Idk- maybe I’m rationalizing. But meh. It works for me.
Those are tough questions. I don’t expect to ever have very much, perhaps never even enough to meet my needs. I can’t imagine the kinds of grappling I’d need to do if money dropped on my head. I have never found a way to earn lots of money that fits in with my moral code. If I were a doctor etc, that would work. But I’d still have to wrestle with a lot of questions about what causes to support. It’s good to think about these things.
I used to see this all the time in the military. You had the slackers, the NCO's and officers who were only after stepping on others to get ahead, the workers who just wanted to get it done and the scammers who were in it for the free benefits without having to break a sweat. This is the microcosm of human society and always has been. I try to avoid the tab hunters and power hungry bosses and hang out with the workers who just want to get it done and go home at the end of the day. I have no patience for the slackers and scammers and avoid them like the plague. When I was their boss, it was different. The slackers and scammers soon found out that I meant business and didn't tolerate their behavior. There were a lot of extra judicial punishments meted out before some of them learned to at least do the minimum work needed so we all could go home at the end of the day. I usually avoided or circumvented the power hungry ones, even when I worked for them. That worked most of the time.
Thanks for this essay. I try to fit into a category of a wealthy person with a moral code and a feeling that I must give back. I'm trying!
Money is moral-neutral. It’s what you do to get it and what you do with it once you have it that matters.
One thing I have repeatedly noticed looking at the history of television animation is how often they make episodes based around conflict between monied classes and the less affluent. In many cases, it involves the former trying to remove from existence a very obvious public-funded resource (e.g. a park, a swimming pool, a summer camp, etc.) in favor of a private project benefitting their greed. Logically, and particularly since the protagonists are of this group, the latter faction ends up putting a stop to that. Repeat that outline enough and you've got kids like myself who grew up thinking big business was immoral and continue to hold that belief as adults.
Another Substack I read is from a couple who run heritage walking tours in Los Angeles, and they regularly bemoan the fact that the City Council favors monetary gain over history by allowing historical buildings to be neglected or otherwise destroyed. So this happens in real life as well- but it's much harder to stop in real life.
Can you give some examples? I rarely watch TV and know nothing about animation so I have not seen this.
The animated sitcom "Regular Show" has a few episodes about this. It's on Hulu and Max.
Obviously, I'm too damned cheap (and poor) to pay for Hulu and Max, but I'm glad to know somebody else with a bigger audience than me is tackling this subject.
I think sort of cultural messaging also has an intended result of putting many into a poverty mindset. We think, internally, that if you have money it corrupts you into greed and cruelty. But as noted in this essay- those with money are the ones making the rules and being listened to by those making the rules. Me making money, as honestly as I can- there is no pure path in life ( I have worked in health/medical related businesses my entire career- my work did a lot of good for others. But I also saw corruption, abuse, fraud whether a mom and pop start up or one of the largest device/pharma companies in the world- both are true). I try to be on the good side of things, but I won’t set myself on fire to prove it. I struggled with money - not managing it, feeling like it was ok to have some), for many decades. I have a little now- and am fast growing a financially secure and comfortable retirement. And I am at peace with this. I make a lot, I donate a lot, and I advocate for others. It’s ok to have money. If the good/good leaning ambiguous of us don’t? How will we change this system stacked against the majority? If those in power only listen if money is in the conversation, then some of us that want a brighter future for all better have some sort of we can get these issues heard? Idk- maybe I’m rationalizing. But meh. It works for me.
Those are tough questions. I don’t expect to ever have very much, perhaps never even enough to meet my needs. I can’t imagine the kinds of grappling I’d need to do if money dropped on my head. I have never found a way to earn lots of money that fits in with my moral code. If I were a doctor etc, that would work. But I’d still have to wrestle with a lot of questions about what causes to support. It’s good to think about these things.
I wish some economist or an investigative journalist with gravitas would point out that one Nathan costs society more than 1,000 Angels
Just now saw this comment for some reason! I agree.
I used to see this all the time in the military. You had the slackers, the NCO's and officers who were only after stepping on others to get ahead, the workers who just wanted to get it done and the scammers who were in it for the free benefits without having to break a sweat. This is the microcosm of human society and always has been. I try to avoid the tab hunters and power hungry bosses and hang out with the workers who just want to get it done and go home at the end of the day. I have no patience for the slackers and scammers and avoid them like the plague. When I was their boss, it was different. The slackers and scammers soon found out that I meant business and didn't tolerate their behavior. There were a lot of extra judicial punishments meted out before some of them learned to at least do the minimum work needed so we all could go home at the end of the day. I usually avoided or circumvented the power hungry ones, even when I worked for them. That worked most of the time.
I'm guilty of these views. But I never regretted my monthly donation to Untrickled and writing it off on my taxes. Great work🥰
"The Simpsons" has done several of this kind of thing over its run.
I saw a handful of episodes in the early days. I can’t really see broadcast TV anymore.