this post was submitted on 19 May 2026
501 points (99.2% liked)

Science Memes

20824 readers
2050 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.


Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/47074737

Spotted in the wild:

Paper from JABDE:

Credit goes to u/TobyWasBestSpiderMan for the original post

https://jabde.com/

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] REDACTED@infosec.pub 23 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (7 children)

Random philosophical question - If Sam Altman is billions in debt, is he richer, or poorer than us? I know it's a silly, mostly rhetorical question, but for whatever reason my brain found the idea interesting

[–] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 42 points 2 months ago

Elementary, my dear Watson.

If he faces the consequences for his actions, he is poor. If he has people to do that for him, he is rich.

Wealth is measured in power and sway in capitalist society, not cash. If you can write a check to a lobbyist to get them to change a bill for you that you never voted on or participated in congress to enact, you are rich.

[–] leftzero@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 2 months ago

When you owe hundreds of dollars you have a problem.

When you owe millions of dollars your creditors have a problem.

When you owe billions of dollars, society has a problem.

[–] lastweakness@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago

Well, it would be his company in debt and not him

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

his relationship to capital makes him a different class and therefore able to exploit the working class. bottom line is, if he’s cash poor it doesn’t matter; he’s a piece of trash.

[–] bless@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

Does he live like he's in debt?

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 2 points 2 months ago

I know he's a bigger asshole than most of us.

[–] stretch2m@infosec.pub 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] REDACTED@infosec.pub 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I mean, my net worth is above million. Doesn't mean I have a million or I'm not into debt, or that I can easily afford the rent.

[–] dustyData@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

Magnitude matters in a system designed to reward rich people. You can't afford rent, so you will have to settle for sleeping in your car. Altman can't afford a $100MM house, so he will have to settle for sleeping in a $20MM house.

Poverty in the end is about lack of access to better conditions of living. Some people are running away from war zones with nothing but the clothes they have on. They are broke, but they're not "can't live in the metropolitan area of NY and has to settle for the suburbs" kind of broke.