Social dispositions towards activity and accumulation

Hat tip to Thomas Sowell.  

There is much discussion of the haves and the have-nots, but very little discussion of the doers and the do-nots, those who contribute and those who merely take.

Graphically and with extrapolation:

Click to enlarge.

This way of viewing reinforces a point Sowell constantly reiterates which is that statistics are a capture of a group at a point in time, not a representation of people over time.  

Someone may originate from any of the five quintiles and in all probability, they will measure in the lower income quintiles early in their career or working life and ultimately progress upwards.  Whether or not they reach, and are sustained, in the highest quintile is a function of many variables, many of which depend on choices made much earlier in life.

Most people among the top 1% of income earners, are in that position only for a year or two.  Very, very few are there for any length of sustained duration.  Same among the top 10%, and the top quintile. 

We have the highest regard for those who are seen to be actively working to create value and accumulating that value over time. 

We have the lowest regard for those who do not make the effort to generate value and therefore do not accumulate value.

For those who work hard to create value but are, owing to misfortune, unable to accumulate value, we generally feel sympathy.  

For those who do not create value but inherit it or somehow luck into it, we generally have at least a modicum of disdain.  

For those unable to work and therefore also unable to accumulate, we generally have a view of what used to be known as Christian charity.

I think one of the philosophically impenetrable barriers for the Social Justice/CRT/ Woke ideologues is that they conflate the Have Nots with the Do Nots.  There can be some residual sympathy for Have Nots as long as they are making the effort to change their circumstances.  If they are making no effort, then everyone else understands instinctively that they are being asked to sacrifice their aspirations for the benefit of those who aren't trying.