Yes. Just like in principle I’d wish everyone to be well off and swimming in resources.
However, I (due to envy, jealousy and spite) would prefer not to be the only poor guy living in such an enclave of millionaires. This is irrational because a resource-rich environment would benefit a poor-me more so than an environment in which all others are around my same socio-economic stratum.
(In a trade off, when given the choice of elevating everyone around me—excluding friends and relatives—but myself, I’d do it, but when given the choice I’d rather do so with strangers I do not encounter daily, as opposed to strangers that I do.)
People who live off of welfare in many European countries have a vastly better standard of living than many of the feudal lords in medieval times. Yet, they define their standard of living relative to their peers, and will feel much worse off than some medieval baron. Tyranny of relativity.
Also, re: wedrified “if my preferences are even remotely internally consistent”, well, they are not. Are yours? (Not: do you want them to be?)
Pay money to never meet his better-off clones.
Yes. Just like in principle I’d wish everyone to be well off and swimming in resources.
However, I (due to envy, jealousy and spite) would prefer not to be the only poor guy living in such an enclave of millionaires. This is irrational because a resource-rich environment would benefit a poor-me more so than an environment in which all others are around my same socio-economic stratum.
(In a trade off, when given the choice of elevating everyone around me—excluding friends and relatives—but myself, I’d do it, but when given the choice I’d rather do so with strangers I do not encounter daily, as opposed to strangers that I do.)
People who live off of welfare in many European countries have a vastly better standard of living than many of the feudal lords in medieval times. Yet, they define their standard of living relative to their peers, and will feel much worse off than some medieval baron. Tyranny of relativity.
Also, re: wedrified “if my preferences are even remotely internally consistent”, well, they are not. Are yours? (Not: do you want them to be?)