It seems a significant pillar of the Occupy Wall Street (and offshoot) movements seems to be based on the fact, er "fact" that the "top 1%" (of earners) are running the world for their benefit only, necessarily to the detriment of the "99%." Many of these 99%'ers seem to think the majority of the 1% are Financiers of one stripe or another, as that is where much of their anger is focused. I think the below chart from Mother Jones (along with source data) would surprise almost everyone, whether in the 99% or 1%:
Mother Jones has a variety of other charts compiled from University studies that I think, were they to be widely read by many protesters, would force them to re-evaluate some of their most closely-held beliefs. Unfortunately, thus far all of my efforts to educate and inform those supporting OWS have largely fallen on deaf ears; not just deaf ears, but ears covered by a $450 Dre Beats headphones, unwilling to be taken off.
*This is not to ignore the fact that those at the very top of the Finance game are making more money now than ever before, and have been increasingly so over the past ~25 years. That is a topic to be addressed, in depth, another time.
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