Author Topic: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)  (Read 3253 times)

jinga nation

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2694
  • Age: 247
  • Location: 'Murica's Dong
Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« on: December 01, 2023, 11:18:56 AM »
Thought this would be an apt "case study" for this hallowed forum:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimadenham/2023/12/01/why-cornel-west-is-broke/

archived: http://archive.today/2023.12.01-115606/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimadenham/2023/12/01/why-cornel-west-is-broke/?sh=6f4cb3df55aa

Quote
Newly uncovered divorce filings reveal allegations of a “secret life” and help explain why the presidential candidate, who has earned millions of dollars over the years, has hardly anything left.

Spoiler: show
one should not play games with the IRS

Zamboni

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3879
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2023, 11:28:00 AM »
It's certainly a case study for the fact that multiple degrees from fancy, prestigious universities does not necessarily equate to being good at math. Or being an ethical person . . . which is ironic given that he is a Professor of Religion. Or is it ironic?

Kris

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7306
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2023, 05:45:20 PM »
It's certainly a case study for the fact that multiple degrees from fancy, prestigious universities does not necessarily equate to being good at math. Or being an ethical person . . . which is ironic given that he is a Professor of Religion. Or is it ironic?

To be fair (?) a professor of religion studies the religions comparatively as an academic field, it’s not like being a pastor. I wouldn’t expect a religion prof to be any more or less ethical than the world at large.

GilesMM

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1458
  • Location: PNW
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2023, 08:13:48 PM »
It's certainly a case study for the fact that multiple degrees from fancy, prestigious universities does not necessarily equate to being good at math. Or being an ethical person . . . which is ironic given that he is a Professor of Religion. Or is it ironic?

To be fair (?) a professor of religion studies the religions comparatively as an academic field, it’s not like being a pastor. I wouldn’t expect a religion prof to be any more or less ethical than the world at large.


I hope Dr West is not as adulterous as Dr King, according to most sources...

iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5657
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2023, 05:01:07 AM »
Cornell West did important work early in his career. He has been influential since then, if not contributing mightily to his academic discipline though that I don’t really know about.

Likely his feet of clay have been revealed over the years in challenges with money and women. He was an outspoken critic of our first black President.

I don’t mind the apparent womanizing of Dr. west, but his failure to pay his fair share of taxes is hypocritical to the extreme. And his excuse that “student loans” sunk him is ridiculous, he is an old man who has had plenty of time and money to pay “student loans.”

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22281
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2023, 08:02:45 AM »
Cornell West did important work early in his career. He has been influential since then, if not contributing mightily to his academic discipline though that I don’t really know about.

Likely his feet of clay have been revealed over the years in challenges with money and women. He was an outspoken critic of our first black President.

I don’t mind the apparent womanizing of Dr. west, but his failure to pay his fair share of taxes is hypocritical to the extreme. And his excuse that “student loans” sunk him is ridiculous, he is an old man who has had plenty of time and money to pay “student loans.”
Did you just say that it is bad that he shirked the IRS, but you don't mind that he sired multiple children that he did not support, even when ordered to by a court of law?


iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5657
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2023, 10:34:22 AM »
Cornell West did important work early in his career. He has been influential since then, if not contributing mightily to his academic discipline though that I don’t really know about.

Likely his feet of clay have been revealed over the years in challenges with money and women. He was an outspoken critic of our first black President.

I don’t mind the apparent womanizing of Dr. West, but his failure to pay his fair share of taxes is hypocritical to the extreme. And his excuse that “student loans” sunk him is ridiculous, he is an old man who has had plenty of time and money to pay “student loans.”
Did you just say that it is bad that he shirked the IRS, but you don't mind that he sired multiple children that he did not support, even when ordered to by a court of law?

I think it is terrible if he didn’t step up to support his children!

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22281
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2023, 11:48:15 AM »
Cornell West did important work early in his career. He has been influential since then, if not contributing mightily to his academic discipline though that I don’t really know about.

Likely his feet of clay have been revealed over the years in challenges with money and women. He was an outspoken critic of our first black President.

I don’t mind the apparent womanizing of Dr. West, but his failure to pay his fair share of taxes is hypocritical to the extreme. And his excuse that “student loans” sunk him is ridiculous, he is an old man who has had plenty of time and money to pay “student loans.”
Did you just say that it is bad that he shirked the IRS, but you don't mind that he sired multiple children that he did not support, even when ordered to by a court of law?

I think it is terrible if he didn’t step up to support his children!
Even the ones that were a result of his "womanizing"?

iris lily

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5657
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2023, 12:13:47 PM »
Cornell West did important work early in his career. He has been influential since then, if not contributing mightily to his academic discipline though that I don’t really know about.

Likely his feet of clay have been revealed over the years in challenges with money and women. He was an outspoken critic of our first black President.

I don’t mind the apparent womanizing of Dr. West, but his failure to pay his fair share of taxes is hypocritical to the extreme. And his excuse that “student loans” sunk him is ridiculous, he is an old man who has had plenty of time and money to pay “student loans.”
Did you just say that it is bad that he shirked the IRS, but you don't mind that he sired multiple children that he did not support, even when ordered to by a court of law?

I think it is terrible if he didn’t step up to support his children!
Even the ones that were a result of his "womanizing"?

Dr. West needs to support his children. He is a dick if doesn’t..

I don’t consider his relationship with grown women to be my business although certainly it is too bad if he treats them badly.

Just Joe

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6693
  • Location: In the middle....
  • Teach me something.
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2023, 04:47:15 PM »
Any candidate that can't manage their personal life and responsibilities appropriately does not deserve to be president.

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20709
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2023, 08:41:16 PM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.



GilesMM

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1458
  • Location: PNW
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2023, 10:24:54 PM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

jinga nation

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2694
  • Age: 247
  • Location: 'Murica's Dong
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2023, 08:32:23 AM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

Have to go through annual training on this in my workplace. Money and power are amazing corrupters of character. Which can lead to information compromise and/or other national security concerns.

TheGrimSqueaker

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2604
  • Location: A desert wasteland, where none but the weird survive
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2023, 11:20:13 AM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

Have to go through annual training on this in my workplace. Money and power are amazing corrupters of character. Which can lead to information compromise and/or other national security concerns.

If you magically won the lottery (without having to buy a ticket) today, you'd still be the same person tomorrow. What you value, what you want, and what you'd choose given the opportunity will not have changed. What would change, would be your ability to act on it.

Money and power don't corrupt. They simply amplify what's there. Most human beings are corrupt already; they just aren't in a position to act on the more expensive and risky portions of their desires.

There are plenty of people who aren't corrupt. It's safe to trust them with money, power, or anything else. Yet they seldom have the same zeal in seeking ways to enable their more base urges, either because they don't have any or because they exercise self-control in the absence of external restrictions.

Chris Pascale

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1327
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2023, 11:04:09 PM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

Have to go through annual training on this in my workplace. Money and power are amazing corrupters of character. Which can lead to information compromise and/or other national security concerns.

what do they talk about at the annual training?

jinga nation

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2694
  • Age: 247
  • Location: 'Murica's Dong
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2023, 11:06:42 AM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

Have to go through annual training on this in my workplace. Money and power are amazing corrupters of character. Which can lead to information compromise and/or other national security concerns.

what do they talk about at the annual training?

The usual slide deck, which is updated with the recent dumbasses who got caught selling info. And why they did it, with whom, and when.

Chris Pascale

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1327
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2023, 11:30:21 AM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

Have to go through annual training on this in my workplace. Money and power are amazing corrupters of character. Which can lead to information compromise and/or other national security concerns.

what do they talk about at the annual training?

The usual slide deck, which is updated with the recent dumbasses who got caught selling info. And why they did it, with whom, and when.

I love training like that. We have annual training with videos about people who go into files they aren't authorized to handle. They're hilarious.

jinga nation

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2694
  • Age: 247
  • Location: 'Murica's Dong
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2023, 03:19:58 PM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

Have to go through annual training on this in my workplace. Money and power are amazing corrupters of character. Which can lead to information compromise and/or other national security concerns.

what do they talk about at the annual training?

The usual slide deck, which is updated with the recent dumbasses who got caught selling info. And why they did it, with whom, and when.

I love training like that. We have annual training with videos about people who go into files they aren't authorized to handle. They're hilarious.

When I started with this gov agency in 2017, it was the same boring material as my previous agency workplace. But at this place, the presenter would ask for feedback. (Also, this is the only annual training that is mandatory in-person or online, and involves participating in quiz-style Qs, to check for presence.) I, along with others, said the material is repetitive and boring, and could be jazzed up with examples and consequences. Basically make it fun with facts. A couple of years ago, they started incorporating not only high-ups caught, but even little folks.

Chris Pascale

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1327
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2023, 06:02:36 AM »
they started incorporating not only high-ups caught, but even little folks.

These! It's like watching a low-budget "American Greed" or "Stupid Criminals" episode.

The ones from last year were:
 - Man wants to locate his son who won't talk to him anymore, and realizes after almost accessing our system that he can use social media. It was really dumb, and I think they just made this up because the other examples were of women, and they may have felt like they had to have one with a guy in it
 - Woman who was already warned about accessing the system for unauthorized purposes is worried her boyfriend is claiming their children for tax purposes when he said he hadn't. [Video shows him dropping her off at work, meaning (to me) that she doesn't drive, and makes me want to scream 'girl, you got a good man! Don't do it!' She checks his files, and feels like all the weight is off her shoulders........then is fired
 - Woman's cousin who she doesn't seem to be that close to asks her for help regarding something with his tax information. She looks it up for him, and then gets in trouble

ChpBstrd

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6634
  • Location: A poor and backward Southern state known as minimum wage country
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2023, 10:46:25 AM »
I'm always fascinated by the maximizers who don't at some point put $1M away somewhere safe in case their aggressive and incentive-driven paths don't work out. I suppose if they built a safety net for themselves, their motivation to work very hard and take big chances would be reduced? They essentially burn their bridges behind themselves, and many end up crashing in the end with nothing to show. But I wonder, would it really un-inspire these people if they knew they had a backup plan? I don't think I think this way, but I'm also not as driven.

Chris Pascale

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1327
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #20 on: December 15, 2023, 08:56:32 AM »
I'm always fascinated by the maximizers who don't at some point put $1M away somewhere safe in case their aggressive and incentive-driven paths don't work out. I suppose if they built a safety net for themselves, their motivation to work very hard and take big chances would be reduced? They essentially burn their bridges behind themselves, and many end up crashing in the end with nothing to show. But I wonder, would it really un-inspire these people if they knew they had a backup plan? I don't think I think this way, but I'm also not as driven.

They trap themselves in consumerism, is my guess. You want a nice car for everyday driving and a sports car for the summer, but you don't like the tight steering of a BMW, so you replace it with a Lexus. You donate $10,000 to a charity and then help a relative adopt a baby.

You eat out more, but at better places because you have 5 digits in your savings account. You don't have time to visit your mother, but have airline points to fly her to you, and while she's here you show her a good time and take her shopping.

I can't say if that's what Mr. West did, but having heard some interviews of his, he seemed like a nice guy.......googling to see if he's a creep........he's running for President with no party affiliation. "The Nation" has a piece already blaming him for Biden's loss.

ChpBstrd

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6634
  • Location: A poor and backward Southern state known as minimum wage country
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #21 on: December 15, 2023, 09:24:17 AM »
I'm always fascinated by the maximizers who don't at some point put $1M away somewhere safe in case their aggressive and incentive-driven paths don't work out. I suppose if they built a safety net for themselves, their motivation to work very hard and take big chances would be reduced? They essentially burn their bridges behind themselves, and many end up crashing in the end with nothing to show. But I wonder, would it really un-inspire these people if they knew they had a backup plan? I don't think I think this way, but I'm also not as driven.

They trap themselves in consumerism, is my guess. You want a nice car for everyday driving and a sports car for the summer, but you don't like the tight steering of a BMW, so you replace it with a Lexus. You donate $10,000 to a charity and then help a relative adopt a baby.

You eat out more, but at better places because you have 5 digits in your savings account. You don't have time to visit your mother, but have airline points to fly her to you, and while she's here you show her a good time and take her shopping.

I can't say if that's what Mr. West did, but having heard some interviews of his, he seemed like a nice guy.......googling to see if he's a creep........he's running for President with no party affiliation. "The Nation" has a piece already blaming him for Biden's loss.
Maybe, but there's a disconnect around how intelligent, dilligent, and success-driven people can be so reckless with their own money. It makes me wonder if for at least some high profile people it is an intentional motivation strategy or if the people who did feather their own nest before taking big chances became less motivated or more conservative and therefore ended up with a lower profile. I.e. do only the "do or die" people make headlines?

Chris Pascale

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1327
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #22 on: December 15, 2023, 12:47:59 PM »
I'm always fascinated by the maximizers who don't at some point put $1M away somewhere safe in case their aggressive and incentive-driven paths don't work out. I suppose if they built a safety net for themselves, their motivation to work very hard and take big chances would be reduced? They essentially burn their bridges behind themselves, and many end up crashing in the end with nothing to show. But I wonder, would it really un-inspire these people if they knew they had a backup plan? I don't think I think this way, but I'm also not as driven.

They trap themselves in consumerism, is my guess. You want a nice car for everyday driving and a sports car for the summer, but you don't like the tight steering of a BMW, so you replace it with a Lexus. You donate $10,000 to a charity and then help a relative adopt a baby.

You eat out more, but at better places because you have 5 digits in your savings account. You don't have time to visit your mother, but have airline points to fly her to you, and while she's here you show her a good time and take her shopping.

I can't say if that's what Mr. West did, but having heard some interviews of his, he seemed like a nice guy.......googling to see if he's a creep........he's running for President with no party affiliation. "The Nation" has a piece already blaming him for Biden's loss.
Maybe, but there's a disconnect around how intelligent, dilligent, and success-driven people can be so reckless with their own money. It makes me wonder if for at least some high profile people it is an intentional motivation strategy or if the people who did feather their own nest before taking big chances became less motivated or more conservative and therefore ended up with a lower profile. I.e. do only the "do or die" people make headlines?

Very fair point. You don't want to lose what you so carefully gathered.

markbike528CBX

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1899
  • Location: the Everbrown part of the Evergreen State (WA)
Re: Why Cornel West Is Broke (Forbes)
« Reply #23 on: January 13, 2024, 07:58:40 PM »
If someone cannot honour the vows they made to their spouse, what other vows and oaths will they break?

I'm not talking about open marriages or polyamory, which are very carefully arranged, I am talking about breaking vows by lying and deceit.  The dishonesty is the basis. 

If power promotes dishonesty, then further power will promote further dishonesty.  It reveals a person's character, or lack of it.

Having affairs speaks badly to the character of both the married person having an affair, and the character of a person willing to have an affair with a married person.  This is assuming the other person is doing it of their own free will and not being pressured.  We know how often people with power do apply pressure, and have in the past when the press gave them a free pass.


Exactly. This shouldn't even need to be explained!

Have to go through annual training on this in my workplace. Money and power are amazing corrupters of character. Which can lead to information compromise and/or other national security concerns.

what do they talk about at the annual training?

The usual slide deck, which is updated with the recent dumbasses who got caught selling info. And why they did it, with whom, and when.

I love training like that. We have annual training with videos about people who go into files they aren't authorized to handle. They're hilarious.

When I started with this gov agency in 2017, it was the same boring material as my previous agency workplace. But at this place, the presenter would ask for feedback. (Also, this is the only annual training that is mandatory in-person or online, and involves participating in quiz-style Qs, to check for presence.) I, along with others, said the material is repetitive and boring, and could be jazzed up with examples and consequences. Basically make it fun with facts. A couple of years ago, they started incorporating not only high-ups caught, but even little folks.

Real-life examples are instructive.

Due to fuckups by prior contractors 15 years prior, my boss (B.S. and Ph.D. Chemistry) and I (B.S. and M.S Inorganic Chemistry) were forced to sit through Chem 001 at a nuclear power plant.
Our degrees were in actual hands-on experimental chemistry (not theoretical).  Our instructor soon figured this out and just gave us the test to take (we passed).
The course did include two examples.  One of the examples did not quite have the inDUHviduals name redacted.   Very instructive.  I retain those examples in my "Ill Humor" file.
On the bright side, that plant was the most reasonable place on protective equipment, and had rules that actually made sense.
Some places had ridiculous rules that made our jobs more difficult.