There are enough houses for everybody to live in one. There is enough land to grow enough food.

[Smith_3]

So any crisis regarding the distribution of either must be some sort of illusion caused by irrational behavior of people.

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. Why is it irrational to want *all* the houses and *all* the land?

Rationality is an individual concept. It's rational for me to want all my stuff and all your stuff too. Greed, although not a virtue, is also not necessarily irrational.

Public policy should guarantee the general welfare in the face of private greed.

[bean fidhleir]

2. No, actually it's highly IRrational for you to want everything.

I'm sure that if you work on it a bit, you'll see why.

[lumberjack_jeff]

3. Give me all your stuff, and I'll contemplate the error of my ways. n/t

[Coventina]

4. You're assuming that people are cabable of that higher thinking.

Sadly, it seems that not everyone is.

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. I'd argue that no one is.

Watch kids play with toys. Kids who are initially disinclined to negotiate for their fair share quickly learn.

You don't get a fair share without pushing for something more.

An outsider can easily do the King Solomon thing, but insiders can't.

[cliffordu]

5. "Public policy should guarantee the general welfare in the face of private greed."

That, my good friend, is EXACTLY FUCKING RIGHT.

[marions ghost]

6. greed is only rational

in a society that forces its people to operate out of a sense of lack.

Greed is not rational when you consider that we could easily provide for every person in this nation to live a middle class life if we really wanted to (and still have enough to help other countries).

We don't choose to do that.

Greed is nothing but insecurity and delusion.

[hfojvt]

7. even more so. why is it irrational to want the things I have worked for?

Or at least to exchange them for value rather than give them away?