If not ‘inherently negative’, how do you describe power-seeking and inequality?
Also, I read that portion of your comment to suggest that the concepts of inequality and power-seeking are only societally negatives when considering a specific (very recent) period of human history. Is that the claim you’re making? If so, why would classifying inequality as a negative aspect of culture/civilzation/nation/etc not be applicable outside your specifically referenced ~100 year period?
Let's flip this around. Consider specialization. Its necessary in a complex society correct? Are all specializations (jobs) going to be equally desirable? Should they all be equally compensated? That's going to create inequality all on its own. You can make similar arguments for power seeking too.
Life isn't fair. Trying to make it fair (counter-intuitively) often only results in more suffering. An anti-suffering ethos is going to be a lot more successful for you (or anyone really) than an anti-inequality one.
I think that's usually what people mean when they talk about economic inequality. not that we need absolute equality, but that we have extreme inequality that is clearly causing a lot of suffering
Also, I read that portion of your comment to suggest that the concepts of inequality and power-seeking are only societally negatives when considering a specific (very recent) period of human history. Is that the claim you’re making? If so, why would classifying inequality as a negative aspect of culture/civilzation/nation/etc not be applicable outside your specifically referenced ~100 year period?