Do you think you'll make it into the top 1%?

Define what the 1% is.
　
　
　
Top wealth holders, richest monetarily, most powerful/prestige, wage earners, nationally, globally, etc... Seems awfully arbitrary.
　
　
　
In any case you will never know if you don't try, unless you never had too to begin with. Statistically, if you are not born into wealth the odds are against you, at different levels for different reasons the further down the scale that you start from.
　
　
　
Born in poverty, not likely. Fall out of the right vagina, the world is your play pen, and the sky is the limit. Pretty much the way it has been since time began.

 

Well, in this thread we're doing annual income per household. (as the IRS would consider it).

That varies by year, but is in the vicinity of $300,000.

I'm getting the feeling from this thread that many people confuse the top 1% with the top .0000001%. Which would explain a lot actually.

 

Wage earners don't control wealth, or the government, so what is the point? Why set your goals so low?

 

Already there.
Parents are immigrants who spoke no english when they arrived, worked hard, lived within their means, and never got gov handouts. I educated myself as they had no money to do it for me.

I suggest all you whiners stop whining and put in the hundred hour work weeks I put in, for as many years as I put them in, and assume the risks i took to get into the top 1%.

Probably easier for you to grub off of me however.

 

It comes from the whole occupy wall street thing going on with their 99% and 1% stuff. As a result a number of posters here on PF had been railing against the 1%. I got curious about how many people think that the 1% could at some point include themselves.

If you don't mind, check the top poll option (I bet I'll pull it off).

In your case it would just be a very safe bet.

 

may i ask what your venture is sir?

i am currently using my welfare to invest in the financial markets.

 

Yep. The liberal greed machine is to want something they don't work for. The conservative greed machine is to work harder for something they want putting everything else to the side (family, friends, fun, and sometimes laws).

 

I'm getting there, but I don't think about it too much. I'm about doing whatever I can do 100 percent, working hard, busting my ass and creating a good product that everybody likes.

 

I'll also add that there are people that get lucky and there are people that come from past money and that might equal about 20 percent of the 1 percenters. The rest, they bust their ass. They work and they succeed. Most people can't make it to that level because they simply do not have the brains, work ethic and ability to sacrifice to get to that level.

 

Misdirection is always beneficial for a propaganda educed situation. How sad that people are unaware of the actual problems that plague this country. Yes the rich/elites are a dominating factor in the best government corporate money can buy, but the idiocy of the people to continue to allow the two party rule to be substantially effective, the people have absolutely nobody to blame but themselves.
　
　
The reason the country is failing and the interests of the nation, as a whole, are no longer a priority is simply because of the cronyism atmosphere and the plutocracy that has become the result. It's a run away wagon, and the intended driver (the people) can no longer retrieve the reins since they expect one of the exclusive corporate parties to place them back in their hands. AIN"T GONNA HAPPEN.
　
　
Until the people come to the realization that the two party scam, which at this point is holding the world hostage, is the culprit, act upon that fact, hold the public officials of the last 4 decades (especially those individuals) accountable and responsible for the state of the union, nothing will change.
　
　
The tea party had a good thing going in the beginning, but they became sidetracked by the media AKA the corporate propaganda machine, that they allowed republicans to step in and assume control of their momentum. So now they are right back where they started, cheerleading for the problem not a viable solution. The people at the heart of the Wall street movement have already lost their way, and are now unknowingly, allowed themselves to fall into the open arms of the democrat party. Instead of grasping the similarities, and mutual interests of both rising forces, they have been duped into yet again, attacking one another and fighting amongst themselves, while the rich/elites continue to rob, loot and pillage the federal piggy bank.
　
　
Until the people finally come to the realization that democrats and republicans "ARE" the significant problem, all the best intentions in the world will never put Humpty Dumpty together again. The people are being played, and yes the players are the rich/elites, but they can be neutered, they can be held accountable, and they can be dethroned, but only by targeting their most powerful asset. The best government corporate money can buy.
The government needs to be dissected, completely overhauled, and all the mechanisms that create the controlling atmosphere of cronyism that allows the plutocracy we are living by a reality must end before a rebirth of a fair and just system can crawl out of the fecal waste matter, that is our government today, needs to be eliminated.
　
　
Unfortunately "the people" are cowards, have short term memories, and will not take the steps needed to correct decades of unethical, immoral, criminal manipulation that is our two party form of government.
　
So if you want to set your sights for grandeur, the goal should be making yourself one of the controlling class, not just an upper wage earner class.

 

Such a modest figure. If there was an honest comprehensible study done on the subject the figures would most likely be closer to 75-80% for those born with a substantial advantage, but hey who's actually keeping tabs on that sort of stuff anyway?
　
　
Funny how statistics work. You can declare how many people are in prison based on race, creed, color, blood type, political affiliation, education level, marital status, dominating hand, hair/eye color, financial status, vegetarians, boxers/briefs, etc... etc..., just by looking at a well documented government statistic trail, but There are no figures as to how many of the 1% obtain their wealth through illegal/criminal, unethical, practices, and when it comes to determining the actual accumulation of wealth and how it was accomplished, very little to no data exists. Even simple things like how many rich/elites plea to lesser charge for a DUI, or other drug offenses they will never see a day in court over or be held accountable for, as compared to say the bottom 50% who are held to a different standard of justice, which should be easily accessed from the public record. But not a statistical figure one.
　
Go figure??
　
　
There is a reason why sobriety check points are never acceptable at the exit of a country club parking lot. Wealth has it's privileges. To deny the reality is a delusional state of mental retardation.

 

Well, what is the standard of which you are calling 80% as being born into their wealth? If you look at the top 2, they earned it. Followed by the 4 WalMart children who split their dads money between them and had to build it back up. So would they not be considered to have earned what they have made, which is significanty amount of money? Or do you keep expanding what is "wealth" to those that have $500,000 in investable assets? If you do that, then there is only 6% of people that have inherited that money.

In all actuallity, even if you are born into money, if you don't take care of what you have inherired, you will lose it like those that win the lottery, or play professional sports, or are rock stars. Humans tend to no respect things they are given, and when you don't respect it, you usually lose it.

Where the wealth comes from.
　

All that you mentioned, is a problem or marketable info and the figures are kept to see if programs or advertising are working to rectify the problems, or appeal to the people that wear boxers over breifs.

There is no reason to keep a list of where people got their money. But you can always just look at the list of the richest people from forbes and bet you can find out the backround and make that list pretty easily. Doubt you will though, that requires some effort other than putting out mindless opions that are baseless.
　

Been pulled over for drinking a little too much a few times and have a chip on your shoulder? There is not DUI check points cause the rich aren't driving themselves.

 

That's an amazing and perfectly phrased description of our current political system.

People are more interested in seeing the guy who has the same "R" or "D" after their name as them "win" office instead of actually thinking about whether the "R" and "D" people are actually representing them effectively.

 

Ask Steve Jobs how good it felt to make it to the top 1%.

Oh wait, you can't... he died at age 56.

So much for wealth = happiness, eh?

 

While the story of how someone got into the top .0000001% might be a bit complicated, when you're talking about the top 1% I'd imagine the story for the majority of them is that they simply went to medical school, law school, or something similarly high paying. The next largest group is probably people that managed to work their way up the corporate ladder or started their own business via initially lower paying careers like business or engineering.

As for saying they had an advantage...hmmmm. I think it would be more accurate to say they didn't start with a disadvantage, since medical school is pretty accessable if you've demonstrated sufficient talent, drive, and are willing to take on heavy loans or a stint in the armed forces.



　

 

Wild Joker;

　
　
The other two, rich politicians son, based on the standard of measure in his day, not today’s standard. The other born into a family of rich lawyers and rich bankers, once again looking at the standard of living for their day not today’s standard. The wallyworld kiddies were born and given everything they needed to succeed, getting the family business and all daddy's money after taxes of course didn't hurt them a bit either. This intellectual dishonesty you are trying to peddle is a little juvenile don't you think.
　
I give credit where it is due, and in 9 out of the top ten, the odds of failing were almost nil. Only one out of the top ten was from a lower than middle income household at birth, middle class being a parent or parents both from college educated professional beginnings, and he was from a working class family still placing him above the 50% mark. Of that top 9 they were already in the right circles, education basically handed too them, and any and all elements for maintaining their level of existence or excelling to a higher standard wasn't accomplished with too much effort on their part. I'm sure if you could have asked Mr. Jobs he would assure you he was lucky enough to have an interest that made the notion of working abstract to say the least.
　
　

　
　
In a country that over analyzes everything to death, why not? Might actually show how things work in this country, and who has the opportunities and advantages handed to them because of a single factor you seem to evade? Born in the right place in the right time, being a large contributing factor
　
　

　
　
Overwhelming majority of the people are not born in the bottom 50%. Yes there are exceptions but they are rare. You also seem to believe being born with advantages or privileged to opportunities most of the population only see in the movie theater has little to nothing to do with a persons ability to become successful. Even if they are not a trust fund baby, having a stable home environment where educated parents enforce the importance of obtaining a well rounded education, they are blessed with a perk not shared by 80-90% of the population a generation ago, and still over 70% of the general population today. But I agree it has to do with taking advantage of the prestige/opportunities one is blessed with, no matter how much you tend to ignore those benefits.
　
　

　
　
　
Sorry to disappoint you, but my wife of over 30 years and myself, both have spotless driving record. We pay very little in coverage and our teenage son probably pays less than many adults, because of our record and influence on his ability to act responsible. But this isn't about me or mine, this is a general discussion on an extremely small minority that represents the most influential members of our society, who control the majority of the wealth on the planet, and the government that does their bidding to maintain that hold. Let's try not to stray off track.
　
　

　
　
Obviously you have little experience with the country club crowd. Most of the top 1% drive themselves especially when casually going to the club. Oh sure there are a few who have to make the grand entrance, but among their peers without the glair of the spotlight and the corporate owned media watchful eyes where a particular image isn't necessary to uphold, that is extremely rare.
　
　
The reason there are not DUI check points in the richer neighborhoods, is because wealth has it's privileges, and that is just one of many. I've seen extremely drunk country club members, pulled over for everybody’s safety, and given a ride home by an appointed officer on numerous occasions. The reason for the comment. Even if they get ticketed, their high dollar lawyer usually gets the court to give them a reduced ticket for something like an unsafe lane change, and for the favor the court is well compensated.
　
　
I have a friend who paid the court $5000 (the actual fine the average person would get for a 2nd DUI), for an unsafe lane change, to keep the DUI off his record. He brags about it regularly at the club when others suggest he has had too much to drink.

 

Seems obvious if you are not wrapped up in all the flurry of the propaganda machine.

 

Awesome post bro. Get out of my head

 

I retired in 1998 at 38 Years old , If I had any more money I would just buy moar Boats & Guns & Ammo & perhaps a Pristine original White1986 Suzuki Samurai Convertable with 40 k original miles .

 

　
　
Advantage isn't a bad word. Who do you think has a better chance of succeeding in a shorter period of time, somebody who's parents buy them an education for a high school graduation present, buy's them an apartment so they don't have to live like the riffraff in the dorm, a brand new $60,000.00 car, keeps their membership up at the club, providing them with an unlimited credit card (s), and purchases them a $1.5 million dollar home (paid in full) in the neighborhood of their choice, or the kid who gets perfect grades, but has to join the military to get the money he needs to get an education someplace other than the local community college?
　
Who do you think will have the right connections, the most opportunities available, the "ADVANTAGE"?
　
　
　

 

Gates was born to middle class family. Just as most of us are. His parents made a choice of either supporting him, or not, just like most every other parent does.

Buffet started making money on his own. So what if his parents were rich, none of that went to help Buffet start his career.

Number 3 actually is Larry Ellison, Born to a single mother.

Number 4 and 5 is the Koch brothers, born to a 1st generation dutch immagrint who made it big in oil as chemist.

#6 Is a wally kid.

#7 Is Soros. Poor immagrint (SP)

#8 Is Sheldon Adelson, no mention of where his wealth came from.

#9 and 10 are the wally kids.

So, out of 10, 5 got their own money doing their own thing. None of them have really just sat on money they recieved from parents, they actually have increased their own wealth because of what they did for their companies. Now what I find amazingly ironic, is the left goes and protests wall street, is funded and backed by Soros, applauded by Buffet, and they march on people like Wally kids, Koch brothers, and hate Steve Jobs (while using his products they bought) who have created many more jobs for the American people than their finacial backer, the hedge fund manager, Soros.

The risk of failing is always there, only the wally kids had the best chance cause they continued on with an already proven business model. Bill Gates and Buffet ventured out on their own. It is easier to lose money you don't earn because you don't respect what you have.　
　

We analyze trends, and the wealthiest people are always changing and how they gathered that wealth changes. But still, only 6% of people polled have recieved their money from family, the other 94% have earned their own fortunes.

Really? You just said the majority isn't born in the bottom 50%? Not only are you using a very obscure wording method, the highest birth rates come from those making under the median income level.

No, I agree, people born to success see their parents work ethic and learn to imatate that which they see.

Right, parents work ethic leads kids into success later on in life. So is that the rich persons fault if the poor kid that breeds more poor babies to rely on welfare and government assistance?

　　
I don't ignore it, but wealth and keeping of the generational wealth is only done through hard work.
　

　So you are speaking for people you are not appart of against those that you know nothing about. Wow, you really talk about these things like you experienced these situations first hand, but instead you, like other liberals, try to speak for others that you know nothing about what they speak. Sad that people in OWS try to say they speak for the "99%", when they really fall into the 47% of people that don't pay their taxes.
　

　So you are part of the top 1%? Or do you work at a country club?
　

Do you have any proof that the top 1% is driving drunk more than the middle class? Are we going to waste tax dollars on a neighbor hood that sees only 1% of the population when less than 1% of those driving would be drunk? Or are we going to put the DUI checkpoints at the heart of the town where most of the population drives through?

　Depending on the state you are in, I have seen that happen to poor military members that get stopped before they wreck or harm someone else too. It is a system that the lawyers and government have worked out to get more revenue no matter who is driving. As long as the lawyer and courts know you will pay off the fine, that is all you will get.
　

Like I said, it is a way for the lawyers and government to get more money. The insurance company is just out of the loop.

 

I don't discuss personal info in this setting.

obviously, you don't need the welfare to live, and are therefor the same type of self serving hypocrite you accuse rich folks of being.

 

WildJoker;

　
Most of the people born in the US are born in working class/lower class households. Middle class is considered according to the majority of the people on this forum professional college educated. Since less than 30 percent of the entire adult population is college graduates your claim is either preposterous, or intellectually dishonest. I’ll let you make the determination.
　
　
　
The only list that counts is the top 10 of 2010, 2011 isn’t even over with yet how can they have a list??
　
Bill Gates, father successful lawyer, mother from a banking mogul family, and she sat on several board of directors for banks because of her family. Not even middle class by any stretch of the imagination.
　
Warren Buffet, father rich politician.
　
Larry Ellison, born to unwed mother, father a military pilot, adopted by his aunt and uncle in middle class family (well paid government employee), put him through college which he quit before graduating. Learned computers and made it rich. Ding ding we have a winner.
　
Christy, Jim, Alice, S. Robson, born with platinum spoon in their mouths. Handed everything their little heart desired.
　
Charles & David Koch, father rich chemist.
Michael Bloomberg, father sold real estate in Boston Mass, middle class. Ding ding we have another winner.
So 80% of these individuals were born into upper class households, didn’t have to work their way through college, and only 2 of the 8 made their own fortunes with minimal support from their families. So that means that 60% fell out of right vagina to get where they are today., and only 2 of the top ten or 20% can from a modest lower middle class existence and made their fortune. Good for them, they deserve the recognition. But none of them came from the bottom 50% (which is what I said), not one.
　
OK now we will go with your 2011 list which so far this year the list excludes Bloomberg and one of the Wallyworld kids.
　
Added George Soros, literally a rags to riches story, finally.
Sheldon Adelson, from a working class household to one of the richest in America.
　
OK new tally 7 born into upper middle class or upper class households, 5 handed everything from birth, 2 given all the advantages of being born rich and broke out on their own (as far as we know), 1 from a middle class household, 1 from a working class household, and 1 the most detested one among the rich/elites the only rags to riches story of the lot. I actually like your list better.
　

　
　
No they are not always changing. The population increases so many others fill the void. 1% is always 1%, the real numbers change, it doesn’t mean the people who were rich 20 years ago are no longer rich?? 6% of the richest people in the country say they got rich all on their own without any help from anybody else? BS!! Do you have any facts to prove that or should we just accept the word of people with egoes the size of the moon? PLEEEEEZE.
　

　
And the idiotic babbling begins. What in the hell are you talking about? It was your incorrect idiotic assumption I was addressing so you correct it by making more idiotic assumptions? Take a deep breath…, now exhale…. That’s it breath and allow the oxygen to fill your brain before you embarrass yourself again.
　

　
　
Yes. Maybe. Sometimes. Snap out of it, I am not the topic here. Try to remember that.
　
　

　
Well logic and common sense, something you obviously are lacking in, would and should dictate, that sobriety check points should be placed where drinking is significantly higher. They don’t allow drinking in most public parks, but at a country club they have numerous gas powered golf carts loaded down with every alcoholic beverage known to mankind. The there is the 19th hole, where credit rules and you don’t even have to tell them your name to start a tab, usually before most normal people even get out of work. So if I was looking for a place where numerous people are drinking large quantities of alcohol, liberally I might add, the exit lane of a country club parking lot would logically be a good place to start about 5PM. We could move on to the other drinking establishments about 9-10PM when the rest of the public is too drunk to drive.
　

　
　
Are you at the country club right now?? Focus… focus…. the discussion is about the top 1%, and the overwhelming majority of them are not born in households that represent, the bottom 50%. Glad I could clear that up for you.
　

　
　
The government offers free rides to drunks to create revenue?? Maybe you need to down grade the doubles for a Roy Rogers on the next round?
　
　
Actually the courts and the police, are very politically motivated parts of the government, and rich people can use their influence to call in favors and destroy a young police officers career, so they tread lightly when it comes to some members of our society. Especially those member of society that can get you fired.


Do you have a designated driver with you Joker? Maybe you should call a cab?

 

Well....if you won a large lottery, you'd suddenly be in the top 1%. If you sold a business like Mark Cuban....or the Facebook guy did once......you would suddenly be in the top 1%. If you sold some property....maybe some you inherited....that had jumped up in value, you might move to the top 1%.....at least for a while. Then there's just plain old hard work, getting educated, and being smart about investments and spending.

I don't think there's anything magical about that. I've been poor and I've been rich. And the rich part came from lots of hard work and sacrifices along the way. A lot of people aren't willing to do that. A lot of people would rather spend like there's no tomorrow, not work so hard, and complain that they don't have enough.

 

And next wek you wouldn't be, unless you invested your money wisely.

lot of truth there, but unfortunately there are no guarantees. There is no magic equation. Many people work hard their whole life and have nothing to show for it when it's all done and said. Hard work can create calluses, and only sore muscles in the majority of cases, or if all the stars line up properly can be exclusively rewarding to the point of financial bliss.
　
　
To declare this is all that is required is baloney. There are no guarantees!


I really do not understand why this is so hard to comprehend?


How you doing cuzin?