Noah Smith
Undertone
Promoting Self-Made Fortunes and Equality of Opportunity
The speaker advocates for a society where individuals succeed on their own merits, promoting equality of opportunity. They question the prevalence of individuals inheriting wealth instead of earning it, emphasizing the importance of hard work and talent in achieving success. The speaker laments the existence of 'billionaire types' who made their fortunes generations ago and criticizes those who inherit millions without contributing. The speaker contrasts American ideals of self-made fortunes with the reality of wealthy 'bums' who inherit wealth, calling for a fair system where hard work is rewarded. In a separate discussion on Japanese zoning policy, the speaker highlights Japan's approach of listing prohibited activities in an area, controlling nuisances like pollution and noise through a nuisance number system for each economic activity.
