I saw a documentary where it was suggested that while the vast majority live according to beliefs such as "what you put in is what you get out of it," "money only comes from hard work," "I need to continuously plan for my future needs," etc., the elite think in terms of "money comes easily," "I have an abundance of all that I need," and "what matters is how I think and act right here, right now."
So, according to you, I could be an elite? Heh, interesting.
As a result, a self-fulfilling prophecy is created and those on the lower rungs are constantly coming up with conspiracy theories of how the elite are continuously trying to control/manipulate them. They also find that money only does come from hard work, that they always need to be concerned about future stability, and salaried wages are fair because you get paid for exactly what you put in. In reality, it could simply be a mindset.
Money does not only come from hard work. It comes from meeting desires of people with money.
I've noticed truth to this in people with depression. Those with depression continually think about what they DON'T have, and they think about their lack of what they want and need. As a result, they continue to not have the things they want and need.
As a person with debilitating depression, in my worst moments, I am concerned about bringing value to my loved ones and the world as a whole. My desires are usually people-oriented.
Additionally, many depressed people seem to think it is more important to be "good" or "perfect" than it is to be happy. When you ask them to identify the "good" people they know, they are likely to identify people who also have depression/anxiety and who hold similar values and beliefs (e.g. that money only comes through hard work, etc.). When you ask them to identify the "bad" people, they end up identifying people who are, for the most part, mentally OK, psychologically happy, and seem to have a lot of things going for them in the material world. Another obvious example of this is employees who say they hate their bosses -- or look at the way people like those in the Occupy Wallstreet movement hate banks and CEOs. They are fighting the "good fight," but nobody with any real prosperity is on their side.
Maybe a simple attitude change can make the whole world shiny and bright again.
I don't get along with authority figures in my life because I notice their lack of self-esteem and happiness, haha. They are usually not doing okay and they are poor leaders as a result.