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I read it similarly as "inheriting money". And it's true that inheritance IS a performance hack--not for the children, but for the parents. Inheritance incenti

I read it similarly as "inheriting money". And it's true that inheritance IS a performance hack--not for the children, but for the parents. Inheritance incentivizes parents to accumulate wealth not just for one lifetime but for multiple lifetimes. (Granted it may paradoxically have the opposite effect on the children as you mention.) Here's Milton Friedman on the matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km9OCw3f5w4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km9OCw3f5w4

gher-shyu3i 6y ago
What's wrong with someone wanting to provide for his offspring?
- carlhjerpe 6y ago
  Ted Kazinsky was talking about it in his manifesto. https://unabombermanifesto.com/#THE%20POWER%20PROCESS https://unabombermanifesto.com/#THE%20POWER%20PROCESS It depends on how much you provide for your offspring according to this deranged terrorist. And I've read stories from billionaire kids not living "the good life" because they never have to fight/work for anything.
  - jokethrowaway 6y ago
    That's just bad parenting. I think rich people tend to be people obsessed with work, giving access to money is easier than teaching their kids to earn stuff - it is a different problem.
    - gher-shyu3i 6y ago
      Exactly. There are many rich people who have properly raised their children.
  - gher-shyu3i 6y ago
    An atheistic/secular lifestyle tends to result in such outcomes.
    - cto_of_antifa 6y ago
      yikes. why?
jokethrowaway 6y ago
Inheritance is a natural phenomenon. If all my money were stolen when I die (let's say, 100% inheritance tax), I wouldn't have much incentive to grow my business more once my business makes more money than I can possibly spend in a lifetime. Sure, some people may still do it because they love working or because they love providing for their society. The main reason I want to accumulate money, is so I can offer them a job instead of them going through the corporate bullcrap I had to do when needing some starting capital. Bigger businesses are capable of bigger bets (think Elon Musk) which benefit everyone, removing an economic incentive doesn't sound wise for innovation and growth.
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > Inheritance is a natural phenomenon. Biological inheritance, property inheritance, however, is not. > If all my money were stolen when I die (let's say, 100% inheritance tax), I wouldn't have much incentive to grow my business more once my business makes more money than I can possibly spend in a lifetime. Even if one agrees that that is true, that’s not an argument that inheritance is natural, that’s an argument that it is a feature of society chosen to incentivise people to accumulate wealth surplus to their personal needs.
  - achenatx 6y ago
    property inheritance seems like it is also a natural phenomenon. For example animals can "inherit" territory. https://ideas.ted.com/humans-arent-the-only-ones-that-help-out-their-adult-kids-heres-why-animals-do-it-too/ https://ideas.ted.com/humans-arent-the-only-ones-that-help-o...
- amelius 6y ago
  Also, there are probably numerous ways to avoid inheritance tax, so a 100% inheritance tax wouldn't make much sense anyway (even if I agree ideologically with such a tax).
- tnzm 6y ago
  >wouldn't have much incentive to grow my business more once my business makes more money than I can possibly spend in a lifetime. >going through the corporate bullcrap I had to do when needing some starting capital. The corporate bullcrap you had to go through is a direct consequence of someone growing their business beyond what they could spend in a lifetime.
take3 6y ago
If you're "not able to spend it in a lifetime..." Then you're selfish and no good for the money anyway. One can only buy so many jets and sports teams, sure. But, if society endows you with that sort of reward, it becomes your responsibility to move society forward with that blessing. Anything less is exactly why we live in Trump world and not some sci-fi future we all imagined as kids.
- whywhywhywhy 6y ago
  Life is more than just self indulgences, I don't actually see a point in working or contributing to society at all if I can't build a foundation that will benefit my children. I'm certainly not working so I can drive a fancy car or whatever. Honestly not sure I'd even bother getting out of bed most days if the future of my children was just in the hands of the state, what would be the point.
  - take3 6y ago
    Sounds like you may be depressed. My mom would tell us of how, similarly, us kids would be the only thing that helped her get through periods of depression. Life itself, even for those of us without children, is an incredible experience.
    - whywhywhywhy 6y ago
      I just work myself to my limits but I do it for a reason, if that reason isn't there why not just be comfy instead?

gher-shyu3i 6y ago

What's wrong with someone wanting to provide for his offspring?

carlhjerpe 6y ago
Ted Kazinsky was talking about it in his manifesto. https://unabombermanifesto.com/#THE%20POWER%20PROCESS https://unabombermanifesto.com/#THE%20POWER%20PROCESS It depends on how much you provide for your offspring according to this deranged terrorist. And I've read stories from billionaire kids not living "the good life" because they never have to fight/work for anything.
- jokethrowaway 6y ago
  That's just bad parenting. I think rich people tend to be people obsessed with work, giving access to money is easier than teaching their kids to earn stuff - it is a different problem.
  - gher-shyu3i 6y ago
    Exactly. There are many rich people who have properly raised their children.
- gher-shyu3i 6y ago
  An atheistic/secular lifestyle tends to result in such outcomes.
  - cto_of_antifa 6y ago
    yikes. why?

jokethrowaway 6y ago

Inheritance is a natural phenomenon. If all my money were stolen when I die (let's say, 100% inheritance tax), I wouldn't have much incentive to grow my business more once my business makes more money than I can possibly spend in a lifetime. Sure, some people may still do it because they love working or because they love providing for their society. The main reason I want to accumulate money, is so I can offer them a job instead of them going through the corporate bullcrap I had to do when needing some starting capital. Bigger businesses are capable of bigger bets (think Elon Musk) which benefit everyone, removing an economic incentive doesn't sound wise for innovation and growth.

dragonwriter 6y ago
> Inheritance is a natural phenomenon. Biological inheritance, property inheritance, however, is not. > If all my money were stolen when I die (let's say, 100% inheritance tax), I wouldn't have much incentive to grow my business more once my business makes more money than I can possibly spend in a lifetime. Even if one agrees that that is true, that’s not an argument that inheritance is natural, that’s an argument that it is a feature of society chosen to incentivise people to accumulate wealth surplus to their personal needs.
- achenatx 6y ago
  property inheritance seems like it is also a natural phenomenon. For example animals can "inherit" territory. https://ideas.ted.com/humans-arent-the-only-ones-that-help-out-their-adult-kids-heres-why-animals-do-it-too/ https://ideas.ted.com/humans-arent-the-only-ones-that-help-o...
amelius 6y ago
Also, there are probably numerous ways to avoid inheritance tax, so a 100% inheritance tax wouldn't make much sense anyway (even if I agree ideologically with such a tax).
tnzm 6y ago
>wouldn't have much incentive to grow my business more once my business makes more money than I can possibly spend in a lifetime. >going through the corporate bullcrap I had to do when needing some starting capital. The corporate bullcrap you had to go through is a direct consequence of someone growing their business beyond what they could spend in a lifetime.

take3 6y ago

If you're "not able to spend it in a lifetime..." Then you're selfish and no good for the money anyway. One can only buy so many jets and sports teams, sure. But, if society endows you with that sort of reward, it becomes your responsibility to move society forward with that blessing. Anything less is exactly why we live in Trump world and not some sci-fi future we all imagined as kids.

whywhywhywhy 6y ago
Life is more than just self indulgences, I don't actually see a point in working or contributing to society at all if I can't build a foundation that will benefit my children. I'm certainly not working so I can drive a fancy car or whatever. Honestly not sure I'd even bother getting out of bed most days if the future of my children was just in the hands of the state, what would be the point.
- take3 6y ago
  Sounds like you may be depressed. My mom would tell us of how, similarly, us kids would be the only thing that helped her get through periods of depression. Life itself, even for those of us without children, is an incredible experience.
  - whywhywhywhy 6y ago
    I just work myself to my limits but I do it for a reason, if that reason isn't there why not just be comfy instead?