My theory why 3 out of five are hopelessly stupid and 4 out of five easily manipulated 
 
we've corrupted the natural order of things.
 Look at how nature works;
stupid rabbits get ate and don't pass on their stupid genes.
Stupid predators starve and don't pass on their stupid genes
 
nature culls the herd of stupid genes 
 
Man on the other hand...
stupid people  don't die anymore due to their stupidity.
one example; not so long ago, if you drove like an idiot , you hit bridge abutment and died right there.
Now days, airbags, the speed of first responders and improvements in trauma care means  stupid people survive their stupidity, recover fully and breed to  pass on their stupid genes. 
one begets 3, 3 begets 9, 9 begets 27...'fore you know it, the genpop is overwhelmed by a proliferation of stupid genes in their DNA 
 
It will only get worse 
 
KTF 
 
 
 
 
 

LDD
 
Agreed...it's even worse when stupid people get rich and then think they know everything...happens all the time...

 
unless inherited, I don't believe stupid people become and stay wealthy 
if you're implying Musk, Besos, Zuck, Soros, Buffet, etc are stupid, we'll disagree 
 
 
KTF 

MyWar

genieman77
  “all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath.”

 
that's not my quote, Cowboy 
 
as far as hyperboulias rhetoric hyping every nuance as rotten, both sides do it.
I know it and you know it.
 
 
 
KTF 
 

genieman77

LDD
 
Agreed...it's even worse when stupid people get rich and then think they know everything...happens all the time...

 
unless inherited, I don't believe stupid people become and stay wealthy 
if you're implying Musk, Besos, Zuck, Soros, Buffet, etc are stupid, we'll disagree 
 
 
KTF 

Agree, unless inherited, which is the VAST majority of the uber rich in this country. Those others, if not tested geniuses, have got to be close. Some of the inherited uber wealthy could be smart, but they have enough that it doesn’t matter.

Investing is simple, if you have the means. Drop $20M into an index fund and on average (40+ year avg of S&P at ~13%), you make $2.6M per year (for the first year and more if leave it in). Only taxed on what you take out of that $2.6M. At 15%, since uber wealthy do not take out short holdings unless they know something is up. Roll the rest and interest compounds tax free. Don’t get me wrong, it works out rather well for the frugal middle class earner as well. The greed is what gets me most though, 15% is too much for them. These uber wealthy, let’s face it, $20M is laughable to them, will do the buy, borrow, die investing, to cut that 15% of what they withdraw to about 3% or whatever they can borrow at. Then have millions of middle/lower class that don’t have a clue, call them smart for taking advantage… Obviously now isn’t the best time with higher interest rates, so those poor souls might have to borrow at 7%, which is basically their tax rate, that doesn’t go to our Treasury…. Most that do, know when and take out enough at low rates for many years. But taxing is a completely different topic and yes, I know they pay other taxes. Like you have said many times, those with the most gold make the rules.

BTW, your philosophy and plot of “Idiocrosy” are pretty similar. If you haven’t seen, it is pretty hilarious, but rather concerning that is has come to reality.