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[pyrephox]

Congressman Pleads Guilty to Taking Bribes

See, here's the thing I don't get. I've never really understood taking bribes. I mean, yes, if you're being paid crap, it would be tempting. But this is obviously a wealthy man, who likely hasn't wanted for just about anything of neccessity for decades. He has power and influence, and can buy his own damn vacations and antiques. So why on earth would you take a bribe? Even if someone offered you ten million dollars, for instance, if you had a million in the bank...where would be the appeal? You'd actually have to work to spend what you already have...why break the law in order to get more?

I don't get it. Why take that kind of risk for wealth you don't need?

Comments

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

It doesn't matter how much money you have. You will always want more, and very few people ever consider themselves rich unless they've been guilted into admitting it. Well off, but not rich.

The rich are the people who have more money than you.

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

See, I can lay out the kinds of things that I'd like to spend money on, and if I had...hmm, probably about 60,000 dollars a year, I could do them all, and make my bills, and have a bit to put towards retirement each year. Past that, about the only things I could even imagine spending huge amounts of money on are...I'd probably do the Russian space tourism thing, or build the Geek Refuge of my dreams.

While a lot of money is a great thing...I mean, I wouldn't say no to never having to think about the state of my finances before ordering out to eat...I can't imagine breaking the law in order to achieve more than what keeps me fed, clothed, and sheltered. (Now, if I couldn't meet those needs, I would be severely tempted, I admit. But that's survival.) It just feels incredibly dumb.

[amethystjade.livejournal.com]

Your grooving robots are hypnotic. I find I want to do their bidding . . .

[aberrantangels]

Those aren't robots. The green one at the wheel is the Prince of All Cosmos from Katamari Damacy; the one in the middle with the mustache is his father, the King of All Cosmos. Presumably, the other is the Queen of All Cosmos.

[amethystjade.livejournal.com]

I still want to do their bidding . . .

Katamari Damacy is the weird rolly ball game, right? (I don't have a console, so I have to hear of these things secondhand.)

Annnnnd I *just* got this notification.

[aberrantangels]

I still want to do their bidding . . .

Doing the King's bidding would involve rolling up objects to replace the stars. (At least, it does if you're the Prince.)

Katamari Damacy is the weird rolly ball game, right?

As z_gryphon puts it: "Circle gets the square!"

(I don't have a console, so I have to hear of these things secondhand.)

I don't have one either, but I have enough console-owning friends that I could hardly help hearing about it, second-hand or not.

Re: Annnnnd I *just* got this notification.

[amethystjade.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm rollyball.

Yeah, LJ seems to be eating notifications and spitting them out later.

[harlecerule.livejournal.com]

I really haven't got a clue. Mammon might be able to tell you, if he could get over his horror that you didn't feel the same.

[cpip.livejournal.com]

Because it's not about the wealth. It's about the power. It's about what will they sacrifice to sway you? What value does the supplicant place on your ability?

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

Huh.

Okay, that makes more sense.


(As a nonsensical aside: BY THE FLAMING HAM OF ODIN, NO!)

[amethystjade.livejournal.com]

Odin has ham? And he's been holding out on me??

One eyed bitch.

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

Of course Odin has ham! And he keeps his ham close, since he's only got one eye to watch over it.

Temper, temper, my dear! Don't get mad...put lots of itching powder in his underwear.

[amethystjade.livejournal.com]

Obviously he wasn't watching it very hard, if it's flaming. Time to bank the fire!

Hmmmph. I will train the ravens to do fun tricks, like hat stealing!

[the-fool76.livejournal.com]

I think I'll pass on the leftover stuffing.

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

Mwuahahaha!

*gives you the point*

[amethystjade.livejournal.com]

Ugh.

[cythraul.livejournal.com]

Slacktivist rides again.

[holyprophetril.livejournal.com]

Also, in certain bits of the world there's a cultural acceptance of taking bribes. It's assumed to bepart of the system - you get into politics and everyone pretends to ignore your corruption since, well, that's the system.

I have Stories of the happy corruption in Sarawak (east malaysia), where my mother is from.