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The loan is good. What is not ideal is how the cheap money gets you to buy things you wouldn't buy otherwise. This didn't need to be a $27k purchase. But since

The loan is good. What is not ideal is how the cheap money gets you to buy things you wouldn't buy otherwise. This didn't need to be a $27k purchase. But since he could get a loan that felt easy to pay, it was.

lotsofpulp 7y ago
> the cheap money gets you to buy things you wouldn't buy otherwise. Who should be held responsible for a bunch of molecules in your brain making you feel good about buying something you shouldn’t have? Who’s to say what you should and shouldn’t have bought?
- asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
  I don't know if responsibility or blame are the best ways to think about this. There is a system. Here are its effects. We should think about whether we like those effects and if not how to change the system. Fault is not that relevant.
  - lotsofpulp 7y ago
    Then it seems to me, the only solution would be to make lending money illegal.
    - asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
      You could do other things to make expensive cars unattractive. For example, you could make them much more expensive by imposing a sin tax on them. For example, you could impose a 100% tax on every dollar spent on a car purchase above $24k. I'm not saying this is a good idea, but it's one way you could attack this problem without making lending illegal in general.
      - HeyLaughingBoy 7y ago
        Your entire premise is based on considering this a problem. Why do you think how other adults choose to spend their money should be a problem that needs correcting?
        asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
        Everyone has something they think other people should be prevented from wasting money on. The difference is where we draw the line. Fwiw I'm not saying I think this is a big enough problem that it should be addressed with such severely punitive taxes. I'm only saying that there are other policy tools besides banning loans if you think something should be changed.
        HeyLaughingBoy 7y ago
        Everyone? No, no, they really don't! I honestly don't care what people spend their money on. I may think it's a bad idea, or it's even stupid, but I'm far from arrogant enough to think that I should in some way, work to "protect them from themselves."
        asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
        I'm skeptical that there is no thing you would prefer the government to regulate the purchase of for the benefit of the buyers. But if that is actually true, feel free to substitute in "almost everyone."

lotsofpulp 7y ago

> the cheap money gets you to buy things you wouldn't buy otherwise. Who should be held responsible for a bunch of molecules in your brain making you feel good about buying something you shouldn’t have? Who’s to say what you should and shouldn’t have bought?

asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
I don't know if responsibility or blame are the best ways to think about this. There is a system. Here are its effects. We should think about whether we like those effects and if not how to change the system. Fault is not that relevant.
- lotsofpulp 7y ago
  Then it seems to me, the only solution would be to make lending money illegal.
  - asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
    You could do other things to make expensive cars unattractive. For example, you could make them much more expensive by imposing a sin tax on them. For example, you could impose a 100% tax on every dollar spent on a car purchase above $24k. I'm not saying this is a good idea, but it's one way you could attack this problem without making lending illegal in general.
    - HeyLaughingBoy 7y ago
      Your entire premise is based on considering this a problem. Why do you think how other adults choose to spend their money should be a problem that needs correcting?
      - asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
        Everyone has something they think other people should be prevented from wasting money on. The difference is where we draw the line. Fwiw I'm not saying I think this is a big enough problem that it should be addressed with such severely punitive taxes. I'm only saying that there are other policy tools besides banning loans if you think something should be changed.
        HeyLaughingBoy 7y ago
        Everyone? No, no, they really don't! I honestly don't care what people spend their money on. I may think it's a bad idea, or it's even stupid, but I'm far from arrogant enough to think that I should in some way, work to "protect them from themselves."
        asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
        I'm skeptical that there is no thing you would prefer the government to regulate the purchase of for the benefit of the buyers. But if that is actually true, feel free to substitute in "almost everyone."