Regional pilots shown in Capitalism movie
10-09-2009, 11:47 AM
#111
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: O-2 pilot
Posts: 123
1779-1780 has simularities to our current situation and the current tone of Moore and some of these posts. The rich were getting richer (many off the war) and most average citizens were suffering terribly, more from rampant capitalism than from war.
In Philadelphia there was armed conflict between rich merchants and local militia groups. Two dozen men were killed or wounded. Order was restored only when Washington's former aide, Joseph Reed, road into town with cavalry. These groups were all on the same side in the war!
Some quotes of the time-
...unscrupulous businessmen, who were "getting rich by sucking the blood" of their countrymen, were "the greatest cause of our present calamities." ..."the community, in their own defense, have a natural right to counteract the dishonest practices of the unpatriotic and devious tycoons."- General Daniel Roberdeau
"... stock jobbers and monopolizers...enemies of our peace, had brought the war effort to the brink of the precipace"- Henry Laurens
"The evil machinations of speculators is sapping the nation's strength and strangling the people's will to endure." "...the collapsing economy is the greatest evil that can befall a people at war."- General George Washington
In Philadelphia there was armed conflict between rich merchants and local militia groups. Two dozen men were killed or wounded. Order was restored only when Washington's former aide, Joseph Reed, road into town with cavalry. These groups were all on the same side in the war!
Some quotes of the time-
...unscrupulous businessmen, who were "getting rich by sucking the blood" of their countrymen, were "the greatest cause of our present calamities." ..."the community, in their own defense, have a natural right to counteract the dishonest practices of the unpatriotic and devious tycoons."- General Daniel Roberdeau
"... stock jobbers and monopolizers...enemies of our peace, had brought the war effort to the brink of the precipace"- Henry Laurens
"The evil machinations of speculators is sapping the nation's strength and strangling the people's will to endure." "...the collapsing economy is the greatest evil that can befall a people at war."- General George Washington
10-09-2009, 12:01 PM
#112
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: Jet Pilot
Posts: 797
No, I do not think it is all luck but I do think it is hard work and luck combined. All I am saying that for every 100 hard working pilots only 10 get to be a heavy Captains. With all things being equal some pilots get lucky and end up working for a company that doesn't cut their pay in half and some end up at UPS. Working for United airlines used to be a dream job and working for UPS was not something to brag about. Even though the road to United Airlines was long and hard in the end it was not the dream job that people have hoped for, so yes I think that people like you should consider themselves lucky and attribute their finacial success to hard work.
With all things being equal some pilots get lucky and end up working for a company that doesn't cut their pay in half and some end up at UPS.
you are correct, as it was a much different time then. Who in their right mind would have turned down an offer from one of the big 3 and many of the smaller ones? I am not any smarter nor are they any less smart for making the choices that we did. None of us have nor had a crystal ball.
Working for United airlines used to be a dream job and working for UPS was not something to brag about.
Even though the road to United Airlines was long and hard in the end it was not the dream job that people have hoped for, so yes I think that people like you should consider themselves lucky and attribute their finacial success to hard work.
10-09-2009, 12:23 PM
#113
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: Jet Pilot
Posts: 797
So if your taxes were 5% higher you would not have found the motivation to pursue your dream of a highly paid airline pilot?
Why make such an effort if I can find a similar income level with much less work involved in attaining it? A person who is highly compensated yet highly taxed is not necessarily that much better off than someone who makes less yet is taxed in a much lower bracket.
Don't tell me that taxes or money motivates people to accomplish their goals, if that were true we would not see any teachers or pilots out there.
I hear that the guy that owns IKEA pays close to 80% in taxes and yet he is motivated enough to run his business. Scandinavia has one of the highest taxes in the world and their economy seems to be just fine. I lived there and trust me average joe in the USA may be paying less taxes than Norwegians but they have much higher standard of living.
10-09-2009, 01:22 PM
#116
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: DD->DH->RU/XE soon to be EV
Posts: 3,732
Dojet,
Agreed, and I will also submit that many have checked off even more boxes as well. No fault of their own, a lot of we have to acknowledge going into this is timing, who we know, and being in the right place at the right time. True, the "I" is important and somewhat of a controlled variable, but the other three I just mentioned are many times out of our control.
You are correct, as it was a much different time then. Who in their right mind would have turned down an offer from one of the big 3 and many of the smaller ones? I am not any smarter nor are they any less smart for making the choices that we did. None of us have nor had a crystal ball.
Agreed, and I will also submit that many have checked off even more boxes as well. No fault of their own, a lot of we have to acknowledge going into this is timing, who we know, and being in the right place at the right time. True, the "I" is important and somewhat of a controlled variable, but the other three I just mentioned are many times out of our control.
You are correct, as it was a much different time then. Who in their right mind would have turned down an offer from one of the big 3 and many of the smaller ones? I am not any smarter nor are they any less smart for making the choices that we did. None of us have nor had a crystal ball.
I got a crystal ball, but on my regional wages I bought it at Kmart. Which probably explains a lot.
And hopefully the minority will grow to include more people. But yes, I do agree that I am certainly in the minority - only complete ignorance would compel someone to deny it. But, with regards to original question regarding if I am better or worse off today, I took that as being on a personal or micro level as it applies to me personally. I just looked at where I was then and where I am now and didn't intend to compare pax vs cargo. It just happened. 
Agreed, as most people are going to take that first offer because many offers do not happen for the majority and only a handful of people were or are fortunate to have the luxury of many offers. I was fortunate in that my first preference/choice was my first offer. Could it have turned out much differently? Absolutely. Pax weren't my first choice, but it was and still is much better than what I was doing.
10-09-2009, 04:35 PM
#117
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Position: Out
Posts: 448
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