trigger
latest epstein-related releases (again) drag the same intuition back into the light: whatever morality is, it does not seem evenly applied across classes.
working model
morality isn’t universal behavior. it’s a coordination mechanism shaped by risk.
- lower classes: morality as survival protocol
- middle classes: morality as social glue
- elites: morality as optional constraint
power-distance effect
the closer you are to power, the more insulated you are from legal consequences, social exclusion, or economic ruin.
distance from consequence produces moral elasticity.
i'm not trying to excuse their behavior, but it helps explain why moral standards seem to vary so much across different social strata.
even between me and my mother, we sometimes have different moral standards depending on the situation.
now imagine the elites, with layers of insulation between them and real consequences.
the thrill factor
here's the darker part: at a certain level, they're not chasing more millions or new cars.
the thrill comes from defiance itself, the adrenaline of pushing boundaries.
some push boundaries in physics or business innovation. cool.
others push boundaries in social norms and moral codes. not cool.
when consequences are distant and material desires are saturated, transgression itself becomes the reward.
the risk-reward calculation flips entirely.
boom. you get systematic boundary violations by people who've run out of conventional thrills.
personally i think this explains a lot of what looks like incomprehensible behavior from the outside.