This is the most condescending response I have ever received on HN. I do not find that link helpful and it's really insulting. You immediately jump from "he doesn't agree with me" to "you are ignorant and need to be educated as such until you agree with me."

Most of my perception is based on billionaires I know in real life. It's anecdata but it's enough to persuade me. I choose not to talk to one after he became rich because he became such a horrible human being. The others roughly follow the same trend. All of them are rich or became rich by shitty means.

If you'd written the post with that second paragraph, i.e. provided a basis for your opinion, I wouldn't have replied that way.

As it was written, though, no basis was provided. The opinion was congruent with that of people who believe economics is zero-sum, which is what I inferred you meant from "shitty means".

As for me, although I've personally met Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates, and Paul Allen, I hardly know them. I have read their biographies, and the biographies of many American billionaires, and would not agree that any of them came by their wealth through "shitty means".

The term "shitty means" isn't exactly an economic term, and I'd be curious what you mean more specifically. I'll start by saying an ethical way to become a billionaire is by providing a product or service that people are happy to pay for. Gates, Ballmer, Allen, Jobs, Bezos, Musk, etc., all fit into that category.

I'll close by apologizing to you.

I appreciate the apology and admit I overreacted. I owe you an apology as well. You're right - my first post did not have a lot of information, and my language was belligerent (in both of my replies).

I've been having a bad day and you caught me at a bad time. That's my fault and I need to take a break from the internet. Have a good night.

Thanks for the nice reply. Enjoy the evening!