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I don't have any problems with paying money for other people's benefit, but I do have a problem when I'm forced to do so. Would it be fair if I took money from

I don't have any problems with paying money for other people's benefit, but I do have a problem when I'm forced to do so. Would it be fair if I took money from you and gave it to someone else who needed it more? Why is it fair when the government does it?

snikeris 8y ago
Curious that I'm downvoted for coming out as one of the "many people hung up on how "unfair" it is". If you disagree with me you could at least answer my questions or try to change my mind.
- arethuza 8y ago
  I didn't vote you down - but I suspect the downvotes are because that is the often repeated "taxes are bad" argument. All I would offer to counter your argument is: "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization"
- kaitai 8y ago
  You're downvoted because so many people say it's "unfair" except for the 911 services they value, the fire department, roads, water, plowing in places with snow... It seems it's fair if it's services you use or fail to appreciate as services at all, and unfair if it doesn't serve you directly. And if you've thought in so little depth about the fairness and benefits of these services, the yield of an online discussion has a low expected value.
  - snikeris 8y ago
    I believe the OP was talking about welfare services (taking from the productive and giving to the unproductive): > food stamps or health insurance or whatever. The services you listed benefit all members of society: > the 911 services they value, the fire department, roads, water, plowing in places with snow
    - snikeris 8y ago
      More downvotes. /shrug so much for discussing dissenting opinions. My point is that it is unfair to the productive to take by force the product of their labor and give it to those who are unproductive. If you doubt this and you have children, try an experiment. Children have a good sense of fairness (it's inborn). Take (without their consent) something they earned (and value) and donate it to Goodwill. Afterwards, when you tell them what you did, you can explain to them it's for the good of society if you want. See how they react.
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
      - thfuran 8y ago
        Your argument hinges on the opinions of children? Children don't have fully developed brains.
        snikeris 8y ago
        My argument doesn't hinge on the opinion of children. It was just a thought experiment. My point was that children have an inborn sense of fairness and are less likely to have ideologies lodged in their head. So perhaps they would be a better judge of what is fair.
    - thfuran 8y ago
      Ubiquitous healthcare access does benefit all of society. As does everyone being able to afford food.
      - snikeris 8y ago
        How so? Sure, it benefits those who otherwise wouldn't have these things. Also, sounds like a slippery slope to me. I suppose everyone having a cellphone benefits all of society as well?

snikeris 8y ago

Curious that I'm downvoted for coming out as one of the "many people hung up on how "unfair" it is". If you disagree with me you could at least answer my questions or try to change my mind.

arethuza 8y ago
I didn't vote you down - but I suspect the downvotes are because that is the often repeated "taxes are bad" argument. All I would offer to counter your argument is: "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization"
kaitai 8y ago
You're downvoted because so many people say it's "unfair" except for the 911 services they value, the fire department, roads, water, plowing in places with snow... It seems it's fair if it's services you use or fail to appreciate as services at all, and unfair if it doesn't serve you directly. And if you've thought in so little depth about the fairness and benefits of these services, the yield of an online discussion has a low expected value.
- snikeris 8y ago
  I believe the OP was talking about welfare services (taking from the productive and giving to the unproductive): > food stamps or health insurance or whatever. The services you listed benefit all members of society: > the 911 services they value, the fire department, roads, water, plowing in places with snow
  - snikeris 8y ago
    More downvotes. /shrug so much for discussing dissenting opinions. My point is that it is unfair to the productive to take by force the product of their labor and give it to those who are unproductive. If you doubt this and you have children, try an experiment. Children have a good sense of fairness (it's inborn). Take (without their consent) something they earned (and value) and donate it to Goodwill. Afterwards, when you tell them what you did, you can explain to them it's for the good of society if you want. See how they react.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - thfuran 8y ago
      Your argument hinges on the opinions of children? Children don't have fully developed brains.
      - snikeris 8y ago
        My argument doesn't hinge on the opinion of children. It was just a thought experiment. My point was that children have an inborn sense of fairness and are less likely to have ideologies lodged in their head. So perhaps they would be a better judge of what is fair.
  - thfuran 8y ago
    Ubiquitous healthcare access does benefit all of society. As does everyone being able to afford food.
    - snikeris 8y ago
      How so? Sure, it benefits those who otherwise wouldn't have these things. Also, sounds like a slippery slope to me. I suppose everyone having a cellphone benefits all of society as well?