I had forgotten this term, übermensch, from my schooldays, a High German word and איבערמענטש in Yiddish when I studied it.

When one looks at the historical robber barons Andrew Carnegie (steel), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (oil), J.P. Morgan (finance), John Jacob Astor (real estate)--he went down with the Titanic as did Samuel Guggenheim (mining) and Isidor Straus (Macy's); lots of railroad millionaires none as great as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould (model for The Great Gatsby), Leland Stanford (who endowed Stanford University) but including Henry Clay Frick (industrialist), John Hay Whitney (publishing), Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (bootlegging) and the lesser-known, like Sebastian Spering Kresge and S. H. Kress, both department store magnates.

All these men--only men--were millionaires. In today's values, they would be billionaires. Note that there is not a single politician among them, unlike past and present Presidents and over half the U.S. Congress. The term "robber barons" began to be used in The Atlantic Monthly in 1870 and is still written today but, surprisingly, not to describe today's billionaires.

These magnates were not viewed as gods by ordinary people, nor did ordinary people worship them, follow their every movement and thought. They were not celebrated, except among the rich, because they were not celebrities. In fact, ordinary people barely considered them. But every single one of these men contributed substantial portions of their fortunes to the American people.

Carnegie endowed 2,509 public libraries, many of which still bear his name. Guggenheim and Frick, outstanding museums. Rockefeller, science, medicine and public health. Morgan, The American Museum of Natural History. Astor, The New York Public Library. Kress, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Whitney, The Metropolitan Opera. Kennedy endowed generations of political figures,

These are mostly New York-heavy because that's where they lived during the Gilded Age. And I know most about these institutions because New York City is where I grew up.

They gave back. The modern billionaires, wannabe trillionaires, whose names we know far too well from the popular media are übermenschen. Men who bear no responsibility to society or to the common people and, most certainly, not for the poor.

The übermenschen are seen as the ideal future human who is above traditional morality and societal restraints, creators of their own inherent value and destiny, their inborn meaning not to any God but coming from within themselves. In other words, they're rich because they were born to deserve it.

They see themselves as masters of life on earth, not otherworldly promises. They think they are a super race and the rest of us inferior, to be weeded out by the eugenics the current Kennedy scion proposes but not, of course, by spending his own $30 million but yours.

In fact, people who don't give back, no matter how rich, are nothing more than criminal freeloaders. Thus spake Zarathustra. Eat the rich.

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I had forgotten this term, übermensch, from my schooldays, a High German word and איבערמענטש in Yiddish when I studied it.

When one looks at the historical robber barons Andrew Carnegie (steel), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (oil), J.P. Morgan (finance), John Jacob Astor (real estate)--he went down with the Titanic as did Samuel Guggenheim (mining) and Isidor Straus (Macy's); lots of railroad millionaires none as great as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould (model for The Great Gatsby), Leland Stanford (who endowed Stanford University) but including Henry Clay Frick (industrialist), John Hay Whitney (publishing), Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (bootlegging) and the lesser-known, like Sebastian Spering Kresge and S. H. Kress, both department store magnates.

All these men--only men--were millionaires. In today's values, they would be billionaires. Note that there is not a single politician among them, unlike past and present Presidents and over half the U.S. Congress. The term "robber barons" began to be used in The Atlantic Monthly in 1870 and is still written today but, surprisingly, not to describe today's billionaires.

These magnates were not viewed as gods by ordinary people, nor did ordinary people worship them, follow their every movement and thought. They were not celebrated, except among the rich, because they were not celebrities. In fact, ordinary people barely considered them. But every single one of these men contributed substantial portions of their fortunes to the American people.

Carnegie endowed 2,509 public libraries, many of which still bear his name. Guggenheim and Frick, outstanding museums. Rockefeller, science, medicine and public health. Morgan, The American Museum of Natural History. Astor, The New York Public Library. Kress, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Whitney, The Metropolitan Opera. Kennedy endowed generations of political figures,

These are mostly New York-heavy because that's where they lived during the Gilded Age. And I know most about these institutions because New York City is where I grew up.

They gave back. The modern billionaires, wannabe trillionaires, whose names we know far too well from the popular media are übermenschen. Men who bear no responsibility to society or to the common people and, most certainly, not for the poor.

The übermenschen are seen as the ideal future human who is above traditional morality and societal restraints, creators of their own inherent value and destiny, their inborn meaning not to any God but coming from within themselves. In other words, they're rich because they were born to deserve it.

They see themselves as masters of life on earth, not otherworldly promises. They think they are a super race and the rest of us inferior, to be weeded out by the eugenics the current Kennedy scion proposes but not, of course, by spending his own $30 million but yours.

In fact, people who don't give back, no matter how rich, are nothing more than criminal freeloaders. Thus spake Zarathustra. Eat the rich.

Wow! A philosophical topic on AN! I'm not sure you'll get much replies.

It should not be forgotten that Nietsche was essentially an aesthetic philosopher, so the concept of Ubermensch should be interpreted as an aesthetic one.

Not to mention the fact that the people you mentioned have often been conditioned by religious, societal or economic conventions.

Whole bunches of billionaires give back, what makes you think they dont? Your screech is therefore silly.

Another obnoxious moral lecture. Because some people are unaware of charitable activities does not mean that they do not occur. A google search will turn up a lengthy listing.

Please spare us the political messaging. I can watch al jazeera for that.

6 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I had forgotten this term, übermensch, from my schooldays, a High German word and איבערמענטש in Yiddish when I studied it.

When one looks at the historical robber barons Andrew Carnegie (steel), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (oil), J.P. Morgan (finance), John Jacob Astor (real estate)--he went down with the Titanic as did Samuel Guggenheim (mining) and Isidor Straus (Macy's); lots of railroad millionaires none as great as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould (model for The Great Gatsby), Leland Stanford (who endowed Stanford University) but including Henry Clay Frick (industrialist), John Hay Whitney (publishing), Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (bootlegging) and the lesser-known, like Sebastian Spering Kresge and S. H. Kress, both department store magnates.

All these men--only men--were millionaires. In today's values, they would be billionaires. Note that there is not a single politician among them, unlike past and present Presidents and over half the U.S. Congress. The term "robber barons" began to be used in The Atlantic Monthly in 1870 and is still written today but, surprisingly, not to describe today's billionaires.

These magnates were not viewed as gods by ordinary people, nor did ordinary people worship them, follow their every movement and thought. They were not celebrated, except among the rich, because they were not celebrities. In fact, ordinary people barely considered them. But every single one of these men contributed substantial portions of their fortunes to the American people.

Carnegie endowed 2,509 public libraries, many of which still bear his name. Guggenheim and Frick, outstanding museums. Rockefeller, science, medicine and public health. Morgan, The American Museum of Natural History. Astor, The New York Public Library. Kress, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Whitney, The Metropolitan Opera. Kennedy endowed generations of political figures,

These are mostly New York-heavy because that's where they lived during the Gilded Age. And I know most about these institutions because New York City is where I grew up.

They gave back. The modern billionaires, wannabe trillionaires, whose names we know far too well from the popular media are übermenschen. Men who bear no responsibility to society or to the common people and, most certainly, not for the poor.

The übermenschen are seen as the ideal future human who is above traditional morality and societal restraints, creators of their own inherent value and destiny, their inborn meaning not to any God but coming from within themselves. In other words, they're rich because they were born to deserve it.

They see themselves as masters of life on earth, not otherworldly promises. They think they are a super race and the rest of us inferior, to be weeded out by the eugenics the current Kennedy scion proposes but not, of course, by spending his own $30 million but yours.

In fact, people who don't give back, no matter how rich, are nothing more than criminal freeloaders. Thus spake Zarathustra. Eat the rich.

I wouldn't say say "eat the rich", but definitively tax them a whole lot more than the rigged BS system that is in place today allows for.

Go, Bernie!👍

7 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Whole bunches of billionaires give back, what makes you think they dont? Your screech is therefore silly.

I'm not from Missouri. So show me, anyway.

7 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Please spare us the political messaging. I can watch al jazeera for that.

Morality is all we've got, Dude.

7 hours ago, candide said:

Wow! A philosophical topic on AN! I'm not sure you'll get much replies.

It should not be forgotten that Nietsche was essentially an aesthetic philosopher, so the concept of Ubermensch should be interpreted as an aesthetic one.

Not to mention the fact that the people you mentioned have often been conditioned by religious, societal or economic conventions.

They were conditioned, maybe not exactly for the three reasons you mention--but they were motivated to give back. They certainly were the product of their time. Today, all you (don't) see from billionaires is opaque, hidden behind foundations and LLCs.

The rich always have the best lawyers and accountants. But I'd be willing to bet the millionaires I've cited were far more responsible about their taxes.

It's also telling that none of these lost everything in 1929. They weathered the storm that the greedy did not. Today's billionaires are the greedy but they probably have enough money to ride out anything that may be coming.

7 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Whole bunches of billionaires give back, what makes you think they dont? Your screech is therefore silly.

Under the current administration, the billionaires got plenty of "tax breaks". Surely enabeling them to increase their contribution in form of "social contributions" from 0.1% to 0.2%. In form of "trust funds". Tax deductable of course.

10 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I had forgotten this term, übermensch, from my schooldays, a High German word and איבערמענטש in Yiddish when I studied it.

When one looks at the historical robber barons Andrew Carnegie (steel), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (oil), J.P. Morgan (finance), John Jacob Astor (real estate)--he went down with the Titanic as did Samuel Guggenheim (mining) and Isidor Straus (Macy's); lots of railroad millionaires none as great as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould (model for The Great Gatsby), Leland Stanford (who endowed Stanford University) but including Henry Clay Frick (industrialist), John Hay Whitney (publishing), Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (bootlegging) and the lesser-known, like Sebastian Spering Kresge and S. H. Kress, both department store magnates.

All these men--only men--were millionaires. In today's values, they would be billionaires. Note that there is not a single politician among them, unlike past and present Presidents and over half the U.S. Congress. The term "robber barons" began to be used in The Atlantic Monthly in 1870 and is still written today but, surprisingly, not to describe today's billionaires.

These magnates were not viewed as gods by ordinary people, nor did ordinary people worship them, follow their every movement and thought. They were not celebrated, except among the rich, because they were not celebrities. In fact, ordinary people barely considered them. But every single one of these men contributed substantial portions of their fortunes to the American people.

Carnegie endowed 2,509 public libraries, many of which still bear his name. Guggenheim and Frick, outstanding museums. Rockefeller, science, medicine and public health. Morgan, The American Museum of Natural History. Astor, The New York Public Library. Kress, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Whitney, The Metropolitan Opera. Kennedy endowed generations of political figures,

These are mostly New York-heavy because that's where they lived during the Gilded Age. And I know most about these institutions because New York City is where I grew up.

They gave back. The modern billionaires, wannabe trillionaires, whose names we know far too well from the popular media are übermenschen. Men who bear no responsibility to society or to the common people and, most certainly, not for the poor.

The übermenschen are seen as the ideal future human who is above traditional morality and societal restraints, creators of their own inherent value and destiny, their inborn meaning not to any God but coming from within themselves. In other words, they're rich because they were born to deserve it.

They see themselves as masters of life on earth, not otherworldly promises. They think they are a super race and the rest of us inferior, to be weeded out by the eugenics the current Kennedy scion proposes but not, of course, by spending his own $30 million but yours.

In fact, people who don't give back, no matter how rich, are nothing more than criminal freeloaders. Thus spake Zarathustra. Eat the rich.

There is no escape. Why have Jews been prosecuted for 1500 years in Europe and elsewhere? They were never very popular wherever they took residence over the centuries?

Clearly you are of Jewish origin and a scholar concerning jewish history. So, I allow myself to pose you a truly historical question: Why is it that Jews were prosecuted, evacueted, killed over centuries in Europe and elsewhere?

I adress you personally within your thread as a Jew and a scholar. The question is simple: Why are Jews generally "not welcome" in the rest of the world? For the last 1500 years.

Your explanaition within this context would be welcome. For the rest of the world, for better understanding.

8 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Whole bunches of billionaires give back, what makes you think they dont? Your screech is therefore silly.

Having received a tax break of 30% it's easy to increase your "social contributions" from 0.1% to 0.2% of your income.

PS: Do you still believe that the Ukraine will win this war? If yes, you must start to feel somewhat lonely. Increasingly so.

3 hours ago, swissie said:

Under the current administration, the billionaires got plenty of "tax breaks". Surely enabeling them to increase their contribution in form of "social contributions" from 0.1% to 0.2%. In form of "trust funds". Tax deductable of course.

There is no escape. Why have Jews been prosecuted for 1500 years in Europe and elsewhere? They were never very popular wherever they took residence over the centuries?

Clearly you are of Jewish origin and a scholar concerning jewish history. So, I allow myself to pose you a truly historical question: Why is it that Jews were prosecuted, evacueted, killed over centuries in Europe and elsewhere?

I adress you personally within your thread as a Jew and a scholar. The question is simple: Why are Jews generally "not welcome" in the rest of the world? For the last 1500 years.

Your explanaition within this context would be welcome. For the rest of the world, for better understanding.

Jew are living rent free in your head.

Unfortunately, not an uncommon mental disorder.

The topic you replied to was mostly not about Jews.

There may be a tiny bit of justification asking such a classic obnoxious trope question as you did on a topic about Jews. But here, that shows a real sickness.

Where did you learn your peculiar hostile attitude to Jews? Your parents or was it otherwise acquired?

The way I relate to the topic in current times is how the "tech bros" who used to be mostly libertarian and democratic have now sucked up to Trump and aligned themselves with American fascism. As in such cases as basically buying J.D. Vance. Their ideology is indeed extremely dark. Anti-democracy they believe in an ideal where "superior" billionaires rule over everyone else and in no way necessarily benevolently. They're an aspect of a global pro autocracy, anti-democracy movement. It's a struggle that seems to be defining these times and mostly autocracy is winning, but there are rays of light of hope. Such as what is happening right now in Iran.

8 hours ago, BLMFem said:

I wouldn't say say "eat the rich", but definitively tax them a whole lot more than the rigged BS system that is in place today allows for.

Go, Bernie!👍

At the very least don't tax the non-billionaire class more harshly (relative to their wealth). That is exactly what Trump has done, and it is truly disgusting. The big ugly bill plus his totally insane tariffs policy is deeply REGRESSIVE.

13 hours ago, BLMFem said:

I wouldn't say say "eat the rich", but definitively tax them a whole lot more than the rigged BS system that is in place today allows for.

Go, Bernie!👍

“We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” Mamdani

20 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

In fact, people who don't give back, no matter how rich, are nothing more than criminal freeloaders. Thus spake Zarathustra. Eat the rich

Really?

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

At the very least don't tax the non-billionaire class more harshly (relative to their wealth). That is exactly what Trump has done, and it is truly disgusting. The big ugly bill plus his totally insane tariffs policy is deeply REGRESSIVE.

Taxes are based on income not wealth. The USA has a very progressive tax system.

https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/federal/us-tax-system-progressive/

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Jew are living rent free in your head.

Unfortunately, not an uncommon mental disorder.

The topic you replied to was mostly not about Jews.

There may be a tiny bit of justification asking such a classic obnoxious trope question as you did on a topic about Jews. But here, that shows a real sickness.

Where did you learn your peculiar hostile attitude to Jews? Your parents or was it otherwise acquired?

Ya know, in all sincerity, I'm trying to figure that out, too. I don't know of any other culture which has been as persecuted as Jews. Why is that so? Religious rituals and language don't explain it. And I am not aware that Jews proselytised anywhere which often creates enemies in majority populations. Is it because Jews, like other races, were more adamant about rejecting assimilation into the wider society?

I have zero hostility to Jews. However, I have abiding contempt and hatred for Israel's warmonger politicians. That contempt probably extends to all Zionists. Fanatics of any stripe are not my friends. Compromise, reconciliation, acceptance are the foundations of being human. There simply is NO defence for the obliteration of Gaza and land theft in the West Bank.

Israel's offensive warlike attitude and its brainwashed populace' overwhelming approval for it does not bode well for peace. Perhaps a Jewish diaspora was a sounder solution after WWII than the establishment of a theocracy on land centuries settled, if sparsely populated, by others. Can anyone not see how that makes enemies of neighbours?

Israeli politicians, military commanders and their obedient soldiers are the problem. They are repeating the mistakes of history.

So, here it is. This is the "Ask a Jew" column. Has any other people been as persecuted as Jews? And why is this so?

52 minutes ago, TedG said:

Taxes are based on income not wealth. The USA has a very progressive tax system.

https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/federal/us-tax-system-progressive/

Sure doesn't sound like progress to me. As I said, eat the rich. Unfortunately, I'm a vegetarian but, in this case, I'd consider humanitarianism.

2 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Sure doesn't sound like progress to me. As I said, eat the rich. Unfortunately, I'm a vegetarian but, in this case, I'd consider humanitarianism.

You sound like a Bernie Bro.

11 hours ago, swissie said:

Having received a tax break of 30% it's easy to increase your "social contributions" from 0.1% to 0.2% of your income.

PS: Do you still believe that the Ukraine will win this war? If yes, you must start to feel somewhat lonely. Increasingly so.

Never said they would LOL

11 hours ago, swissie said:

Under the current administration, the billionaires got plenty of "tax breaks". Surely enabeling them to increase their contribution in form of "social contributions" from 0.1% to 0.2%. In form of "trust funds". Tax deductable of course.

You still dont have numbers or proof

44 minutes ago, TedG said:

You sound like a Bernie Bro.

Oh, that Bernie. Sorry, I'm an ex-American. I think I might be a Mamdani bro, though. Let's see. 'Bout time somebody was looking after people.

10 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Oh, that Bernie. Sorry, I'm an ex-American. I think I might be a Mamdani bro, though. Let's see. 'Bout time somebody was looking after people.

You poor soul. You need the government to take care of you.

11 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Oh, that Bernie. Sorry, I'm an ex-American. I think I might be a Mamdani bro, though. Let's see. 'Bout time somebody was looking after people.

Gave up your citizenship?

3 hours ago, Mike_Hunt said:

“We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” Mamdani

And out come the pearls!😆

On 1/3/2026 at 6:33 AM, unblocktheplanet said:

Ya know, in all sincerity, I'm trying to figure that out, too. I don't know of any other culture which has been as persecuted as Jews. Why is that so? Religious rituals and language don't explain it. And I am not aware that Jews proselytised anywhere which often creates enemies in majority populations. Is it because Jews, like other races, were more adamant about rejecting assimilation into the wider society?

I have zero hostility to Jews. However, I have abiding contempt and hatred for Israel's warmonger politicians. That contempt probably extends to all Zionists. Fanatics of any stripe are not my friends. Compromise, reconciliation, acceptance are the foundations of being human. There simply is NO defence for the obliteration of Gaza and land theft in the West Bank.

Israel's offensive warlike attitude and its brainwashed populace' overwhelming approval for it does not bode well for peace. Perhaps a Jewish diaspora was a sounder solution after WWII than the establishment of a theocracy on land centuries settled, if sparsely populated, by others. Can anyone not see how that makes enemies of neighbours?

Israeli politicians, military commanders and their obedient soldiers are the problem. They are repeating the mistakes of history.

So, here it is. This is the "Ask a Jew" column. Has any other people been as persecuted as Jews? And why is this so?

I basically asked the same question. "Why are Jews prosecuted". Diden't sit well. However, the answer to this legitimate question remains unanswered.

On 1/2/2026 at 10:42 PM, Jingthing said:

Jew are living rent free in your head.

Unfortunately, not an uncommon mental disorder.

The topic you replied to was mostly not about Jews.

There may be a tiny bit of justification asking such a classic obnoxious trope question as you did on a topic about Jews. But here, that shows a real sickness.

Where did you learn your peculiar hostile attitude to Jews? Your parents or was it otherwise acquired?

I have no hostile attitude concerning Jews. I merely posed a legitimate question that could be of general interest.

On 1/4/2026 at 8:41 PM, swissie said:

I have no hostile attitude concerning Jews. I merely posed a legitimate question that could be of general interest.

"Jews have been historically vilified through a long, evolving process of antisemitism, rooted in ancient religious, social, and later racial prejudices. Early prejudice stemmed from refusal to adopt Hellenistic culture, while Christian and Muslim traditions often viewed Jews as outsiders or religious enemies. Over centuries, this shifted to conspiracy theories, economic scapegoating, and finally, 19th-century racial ideologies that falsely characterized Jews as a distinct, subhuman, and dangerous group.

Key, enduring drivers of this prejudice include:

Religious Anti-Judaism: Early, long-standing, and foundational religious biases, including the false charge of deicide, set a pattern for discrimination.

Conspiracy Theories: The creation of false narratives, such as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which alleged a secret, global Jewish plot, fueled suspicion.

Scapegoating: Jews were frequently blamed for plagues, economic crises, and social upheaval, making them convenient targets during crises.

Racial Antisemitism: In the 19th and 20th centuries, ideology shifted from religious, where one could convert, to racial, framing Jews as a biological, immutable threat.

Othering and Xenophobia: Cultural and religious distinctiveness led to marginalization and the often false depiction of Jewish people as "disloyal" or "subversive" to the nation-state.

These factors culminated in state-sponsored persecution, such as the pogroms in Russia and the Holocaust in Nazi Germany, where racial antisemitism was used to justify the genocide of Jewish people."