What do believe in most?

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

John Major bent her over the cabinet table and........

gave her salmonella poisoning on her eggs 

So that's how it happens........

[B52]

FMDO: I sense some Socratic irony

https://youtu.be/eI19RBEfWiw

My take - you probably can't achieve equality of outcome without taking away someone's opportunity.

The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither. The society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great measure of both.

[Raeturbo]

Hard work....  you reap what you sow.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

If equality of outcome is guaranteed regardless of how hard you work, or how hard you don't work, then many people won't see the point in 'striving' or taking the responsibility to to improve their lives.

I really don't think equality of outcome is actually 'doable'  and it is certainly not desirable.

[Entwood]

and given that the history of the human race shows that those in charge are somehow "more equal" than others equality of outcome is simply not obtainable.....

[Raeturbo]

Indeed hardest workers (no matter what job) should be rewarded most end of.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Unfortunately it doesnt always work that way though. If the only qualification for becoming wealthy was graft I would have bee rich before I hit 40.
It often seems to be the crafty, devious, manipulative r slickers who do well these days.
I was never made that way though, so have some pride left, but far call money. 

[New POD]

The silly bint states that if we all start from the same place then we all end up at the same place.

Only a 6 year old would believe this.

Imagine, that you have a twin brother.  He's not as bright as you, but he works harder. But circumstances and life means that he ends up on the breadline, and you end up pretty well off.  You'd share it with him right ?   What if he wasn't hard working and the circumstances were due to his own selfish dishonesty.  What if he stole from you ? What if your wife was a bit scared of him. What if ? Would you help him then ? What if he was sleeping on the streets? You'd help him.then ? Or maybe not.  If you knew he would die if he didn't come in from.the cold?
Society is like a big family.  Unfortunately we are not equal, but surely we'd share some of what we've got, with people who have nothing.
Or should we.?  It's not our fault. 

And this is the dilemma.  The richest 5% have 95% of the e wealth. Surely some redistribution is only human? 

[Nick W]

Unfortunately it doesn't always work that way though. If the only qualification for becoming wealthy was graft I would have bee rich before I hit 40.

It often seems to be the crafty, devious, manipulative r slickers who do well these days.

They ALWAYS did. Although you missed out lucky

[Doctor Gollum]

Newpod:

What if you win all £49million on tonight's lottery...

Would you be happy to redistribute all of it equally to everyone on benefits?

If you work hard and get to a point where you have six figures in savings, would you be happy to be reset so that someone who couldn't be bothered was given most of it so that you each had the same?

Or be forced to give up any rental properties leaving you with the smallest property for your needs ie a studio/1 bed if there's only two of you?

I ask because that's fundamentally what you are advocating...

And where does it stop? Cars? Bicycles? Food? Water? Medication?

[Raeturbo]

Whereas I agree with new pod to a point, and respect his generosity, as DG points out there certainly is a limit.

[dave the builder]

 "Have they no refuge or resource?"  "Are there no prisons?" "Are there no workhouses?" 

[B52]

As a psychology aside:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locus_of_control

It's a long read but, in a loosely political sense, I see the 'left' aligned with an external locus of control (where the government or whoever decides your outcome) and the 'right' aligned with an internal locus of control (where you decide your outcome). The rope-and-ladder analogy is similar.

Ok, it's been a long day at work and I'm not sure if I'm making this clear, so I'll leave it there and reflect further.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

"Have they no refuge or resource?"  "Are there no prisons?" "Are there no workhouses?" 

Great film...

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

The problem with equality of outcome is that it will inevitably peg achievers back rather than bring less able people up to their level.

......and just because a person does well it doesn't necessarily mean they will be a selfish bastard and keep everything for themselves.

Some wealthy people are also philanthropic......some less so. Human nature is both malignant and benign.