From the constructive thread
Since this is a broad issue it's a bit difficult to know where to begin, but the most obvious place are the numerous "would you do x for millions/billions of dollars", where x is often either something degrading or something that involves bodily harm. I don't want to call out these threads specifically since the issue is broader than that, but they are I think the most obvious way it manifests.
I, personally, don't see much point in these threads. They're incredibly low-effort and don't drive any real discussion. But more importantly, they pretty much instantly divide the community into two halves. The first consists primarily of people who need the money, and vote "yes" (with some other users who do it for other reasons such as charity). The second consist of people who are comfortable enough in their lives that they don't care for the money, and so vote "no".
The problem is that this setup feels inherently voyeuristic. Like the rich are just watching what kind of humiliating or degrading treatment the poor will go through to secure the money necessary for existence. But that's just my opinion, and if other people see it differently I'm actually totally okay with that.
Where these sorts of threads completely cross the line for me is when ableist insults inevitably show up, with some posters saying that anyone who would take the money is "crazy" or "out of their mind". That's just not okay. You can't know why someone who voted "yes" might need the money, but jumping straight to mental illness is just terrible (and even if it is mental illness, that's even less of a reason to be judgemental about it). It feels particularly egregious in this context, because ableism has been used historically, and is still used today, as a way for the rich to oppress the poor. (side note: the increase in ableist insults being thrown around everywhere is a separate issue. I know most people don't think twice about using words like "crazy" or "idiot" or worse, but these words are hurtful, and they are associated with mental illness).
This sort of hostility pops up in pretty much every thread about money, although not necessarily to this extent.
Kyuuji
It's poor that you chose to interact with the threads and came away feeling less-than for the amount of money you earn. It's clear from past threads there's a significant amount of people on Era who earn a lot of money, and I'd not considered the voyeuristic angle of such threads before. It makes sense though, and I think it's a good point to keep in mind. Such threads do serve to divide the community and highlight the people who would do things for the chance of a better life, and as the hurdles increase in extremity it does just filter down to who would do the more humiliating things in order to secure it.
Which is all to say I know you were hesitatant to speak up about it, but I'm glad you did. It's given me a perspective on the threads I hadn't considered and is perfectly valid.
Okay, so those threads are not actually about the money, they're about what would you be willing to do in exchange for a big reward, money is used because this is the most obvious way to structure it. If I say "would you eat this bug for a new motorcycle" your interest in motorcycles is going to alter your decision too much, if I don't like motorcycles at all it becomes an easy pass, if I say an equivalent amount of money you can picture yourself using the money as you wish and now you're enticed into the offer.
It doesn't really mean "a million dollars" it means "lots of money" but for most of human history a million dollars was unfathomable, it's accurate to say that now in the West it is not, hence the need for scenario inflation to billion to get away from the very problem you're talking about. Specifically that certain ResetERA.com members can dismiss the million like above the motorcycle was dismissed. You're taking this as a personal affront because a million dollars remains "lots of money" to you and does not to others but that's not their fault, it's the fault of like, the Federal Reserve or whatever, but you can't target that and considering you post on ResetERA.com you probably support what they do blindly so instead you have to lash out at people making just silly "would you do this?" threads.
Also, a million dollars for Kyuuji starting that paragraph with "it's
poor that you" because amazing, no notes.
