Reason.tv: The Ins and Outs of Hoarding Ferraris with Daniel Ben-Ami

Who the hell's against economic progress?

Author Daniel Ben-Ami tackles that question in his new book, Ferraris For All, which looks at how concerns over inequality, the environment, and excessive greed slow economic growth and hurt the poor. A regular contributor to the British online magazine Spiked, Ben-Ami believes these rationales are partially a cover for the real agenda of the super rich: keeping all the wealth (and Ferraris) for themselves.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie sat down with Ben-Ami to talk about the repercussions and ulterior motives of growth skepticism.

Approximately six minutes. Shot by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg. Edited by Josh Swain.

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Comments

[Jerry]

The whole point of owning a Ferrari is that they are scarce.

[Harvard]

The whole point of owning a Ferrari is owning a Ferrari. Think of this as the Prius mentality on steroids. Douchebags own a Prius because of "how it makes them feeeeel." People own Ferraris because of how it makes YOU feel.

[SugarFree]

Ever drive a Ferrari or similar high performance car? They aren't just status symbols, they are pleasurable to drive as well.

[dbcooper]

Just get a Porsche.

[SugarFree]

Considering that Farraris are a maintenance nightmare, I agree with you. I'd rather have a 911 or Boxter any day.

[Arlo]

Or, for a fraction of what the Ferrari costs, even less than that Boxter, you can own a..........Corvette. World class car, half the price. Within a few mph of the Ferrari, faster than the Box, and made by idiots in Detroit. Go finger.

[James]

The Vette is made in Kentucky! While the ZR1 is a good choice for those on a budget, a world class mid engine supercar it is not.

[Fiscal Meth]

I like pick-up trucks because you can put stuff in the back.

[Arlo]

[a world class mid engine supercar it is not]

No? At 1/3 the price there aren't many you'll see beside you at the light you can't snigger at.

http://www.motortrend.com/road.....index.html

[The Gobbler]

The whole point is that they are an excellent aphrodisiac.

[Arlo]

The whole point of owning a Ferrari is the same reason a dog licks his balls. Because he can.

[Fist of Etiquette]

If everyone is wealthy, then no one will be!

[Harvard]

You have unwittingly hit upon Marxism, Tenent One:
Redefine wealthy downward.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I hit with full wits, comrade.

[Fiscal Meth]

and yet if everyone is poor, everyone still gets to be poor.

[Sean L.]

A mental exercise I perform with my leftist friends:

You have $1M to distribute among 100 poor families that you can choose. You can pick them in any way you see fit. They each get $10K tax free to help themselves get a better life. There is only one condition for you to get the money: A single person who already has at least a $1M net worth must get an additional $1M.

Q:Would you still help those 100 families?

Only the most heartless bastard would turn that down. But that's what the free market does; it allows the WalMarts of the world to get filthy rich, at the same time allowing poor families to clothe their children for a fraction of what it cost in real dollars 20 years ago. Why is there even an argument?

[The Gobbler]

Pennies Envy.

[jtuf]

Yes. Environmentalism is mostly about keeping the poor poor.

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