As the phrase goes, William, I know "where you're coming from" when you and Saul express your bleak views about equality and the effects of capitalism -- but I personally can't share those views.
I won't try to lampoon the phrase, "We are all created equal," because it's nonsense when made categoric -- nor is it even desirable. "We are all equal in the eyes of the law," seems something worth striving for to the extent we can -- and we can succeed to some degree over time. But that we should all be born equally tall, fast, smart, musical, handsome, etc. -- that's not only hilariously impossible, it seems to me to have the makings of a horrible science fiction tale. As for capitalism's being a hideous system that will always be corruptly unfair, it hasn't seemed so to me. If you devise something of benefit/pleasure to loads of people, you have a chance to become -- what? -- will very rich do it? If you disdain Bill Gates or Steve Jobs I don't think it can be because of the products they've given us. And that they should be highly rewarded does not seem wrong to me. I went to work in a small, failing book publishing house in New York. Eventually, by pursuing a novel strategy -- with a group of gifted, long-working people -- it became a big house. A handful of that group none of who came from rich families -- are now millionaires. They didn't cheat or crush anyone. They did nothing they need to be ashamed of. Just the opposite: they pleased many readers and authors around the world. Can some tactics of capitalists be odious? Sure. But to feel the whole system is inevitably evil feels wrong to me.
