5 ms·

Was excited to read a feel good story about good relationships and the ability to strike out on one’s own. Then got to the “~taxes~ theft” and it killed the bu

Was excited to read a feel good story about good relationships and the ability to strike out on one’s own. Then got to the “~taxes~ theft” and it killed the buzz. Why even include that? Whole article built on the privilege of being able to build your own business but calling the thing that built the infrastructure to make it happen theft :\.

hauzjk 5y ago
I'm pretty sure its just a lil joke
- ezekg 5y ago
  Can confirm, it was definitely in jest. But I am a libertarian, so I have to spread the good word through memes whenever I can.
  - davidw 5y ago
    It is a good article, and I wish you the best with your business, but it is kind of a distracting note in the writing.
  - lupire 5y ago
    You're making libertarians look bad with weak arguments.
lolpython 5y ago
It takes some experience with writing to learn to remove asides like these that detract from the main point. It’s extra weird that they did this on the company blog. Hopefully a couple extra editing passes are done in the future.
lurker2093 5y ago
majority of taxes aren't 'building the infrastructure' that enables one to start a SaaS.
- X6S1x6Okd1st 5y ago
  Majority of life isn't running a SaaS.
t0mbstone 5y ago
I took it as a jab against the idea that crypto should be taxed. Many people feel that crypto should be treated like liquid money that can be bought or sold freely, and not like a taxable investment.
- selectodude 5y ago
  Profit from forex trades are taxed so that’s a losing argument too.
smilekzs 5y ago
There are other ways to build the infrastructure without the current (IMHO exploitative) tax system in the US, especially given how both income and services are taxed. I find it unfair to discredit the authors based on essentially a lighthearted expression of sarcasm on their frustration with such a system.
- X6S1x6Okd1st 5y ago
  Do you mean ancap ways?
LAC-Tech 5y ago
People often drag politics into things. If you don't notice it much and this sticks out for you, it's probably because they're politics you agree with. Though I'm not sure how principled your objection is. Is it against misplaced political hot takes where you don't need them, or is it against those you find objectionable?
jokethrowaway 5y ago
It is theft by definition. You either have to give up part of your profit as tax or you get thrown into a cage by men with guns. It doesn't matter if you'll use the money to cure cancer, splash concrete on the ground, feed me or build the cage where I'll be thrown into. You took that money against my will.
- mikepurvis 5y ago
  Lots of people who are taxed agree with it, broadly agree with what it's spent on (at least in aggregate) and are content with use of force to prevent defectors.
  - genewitch 5y ago
    I think I would like to read a blogring of people who think like this, as a sociological case study. I find it extremely hard to even imagine the mindset of "taxes are fine". Some taxes, sure. Some benefits, sure. But when a plurality of my tax dollars goes to the department of defense, I get skeptical.
    - mikepurvis 5y ago
      Ah. Well, I'm a Canadian, so at the very least, far fewer of my tax dollars go to that specific expenditure.
- beecafe 5y ago
  In the same way you took the money.
dang 5y ago
Please don't pick the most irritating detail in an article and then copy it into the thread to complain about it. This leads to significantly lower-quality discussion, especially when the detail is off topic. Instead, you should pick the most interesting aspect, or the one that generates the most interesting (i.e. least predictable) reaction in you; and of course it's always ok not to post. One thing we're working on learning as a community is how to respond to the interesting parts of an article or situation and leave superficial provocations alone. Not easy, but important for curious conversation. https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=by%3Adang%20%22pick%20the%20most%22%20article&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que... https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- superflit2 5y ago
  His comment may be considered irritating but still is a valid point. The article could be better without that part. Taxes is political and divisive and that does not belong here. Please check the guidelines before modding.
  - dang 5y ago
    > Taxes is political and divisive and that does not belong here. When an article contains a slight passing reference to a political provocation, that's a great reason not to copy it into the thread and create an off-topic distraction on HN. If it were the main point of the article it might be a different story, but it's obviously a generic tangent in this case. When there's flamebait, we should just not take the bait. It isn't necessary and there are much more interesting discussions to be had. You're right to reference the guidelines, which include: "Eschew flamebait. Avoid unrelated controversies and generic tangents." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - superflit2 5y ago
      -> " ....but it's obviously a generic tangent in this case....... When there's flamebait, we should just not take the bait. It isn't necessary and there are much more interesting discussions to be had. " You got me here. "there are much more interesting discussions to be had" You know that thing people you will not change someones opinion on internet. That has changed. This insight is golden. No waste timing on flamebaits when I can have better discussions about other things. Thanks Dang
TacticalCoder 5y ago
> Why even include that? Some people resent what they perceive as too much taxes very strongly. Where do you draw the line between taxation and theft? For example how do you call 50% taxes + 19% social wellfare taxes on top of that, actually a 69% tax bracket? Knowing that in addition to that, should you realize gains (say on stocks) on what you managed to save and put in the stock market, well, these gains are going to be taxed at 34%? What if auntie loved you and made a testament giving you her savings, what about 80% tax on that? Is that what auntie wanted, to give 80% to the state? 69%, 80%: when is it taxes, when is it theft? I do personally think that in many countries we're way, way, way past diminishing returns due to the ultra high tax brackets and I don't buy the "but infrastructure" argument: it doesn't justify everything.

hauzjk 5y ago

I'm pretty sure its just a lil joke

ezekg 5y ago
Can confirm, it was definitely in jest. But I am a libertarian, so I have to spread the good word through memes whenever I can.
- davidw 5y ago
  It is a good article, and I wish you the best with your business, but it is kind of a distracting note in the writing.
- lupire 5y ago
  You're making libertarians look bad with weak arguments.

lolpython 5y ago

It takes some experience with writing to learn to remove asides like these that detract from the main point. It’s extra weird that they did this on the company blog. Hopefully a couple extra editing passes are done in the future.

lurker2093 5y ago

majority of taxes aren't 'building the infrastructure' that enables one to start a SaaS.

X6S1x6Okd1st 5y ago
Majority of life isn't running a SaaS.

t0mbstone 5y ago

I took it as a jab against the idea that crypto should be taxed. Many people feel that crypto should be treated like liquid money that can be bought or sold freely, and not like a taxable investment.

selectodude 5y ago
Profit from forex trades are taxed so that’s a losing argument too.

smilekzs 5y ago

There are other ways to build the infrastructure without the current (IMHO exploitative) tax system in the US, especially given how both income and services are taxed. I find it unfair to discredit the authors based on essentially a lighthearted expression of sarcasm on their frustration with such a system.

X6S1x6Okd1st 5y ago
Do you mean ancap ways?

LAC-Tech 5y ago

People often drag politics into things. If you don't notice it much and this sticks out for you, it's probably because they're politics you agree with. Though I'm not sure how principled your objection is. Is it against misplaced political hot takes where you don't need them, or is it against those you find objectionable?

jokethrowaway 5y ago

It is theft by definition. You either have to give up part of your profit as tax or you get thrown into a cage by men with guns. It doesn't matter if you'll use the money to cure cancer, splash concrete on the ground, feed me or build the cage where I'll be thrown into. You took that money against my will.

mikepurvis 5y ago
Lots of people who are taxed agree with it, broadly agree with what it's spent on (at least in aggregate) and are content with use of force to prevent defectors.
- genewitch 5y ago
  I think I would like to read a blogring of people who think like this, as a sociological case study. I find it extremely hard to even imagine the mindset of "taxes are fine". Some taxes, sure. Some benefits, sure. But when a plurality of my tax dollars goes to the department of defense, I get skeptical.
  - mikepurvis 5y ago
    Ah. Well, I'm a Canadian, so at the very least, far fewer of my tax dollars go to that specific expenditure.
beecafe 5y ago
In the same way you took the money.

dang 5y ago

Please don't pick the most irritating detail in an article and then copy it into the thread to complain about it. This leads to significantly lower-quality discussion, especially when the detail is off topic. Instead, you should pick the most interesting aspect, or the one that generates the most interesting (i.e. least predictable) reaction in you; and of course it's always ok not to post. One thing we're working on learning as a community is how to respond to the interesting parts of an article or situation and leave superficial provocations alone. Not easy, but important for curious conversation. https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=by%3Adang%20%22pick%20the%20most%22%20article&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que... https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

superflit2 5y ago
His comment may be considered irritating but still is a valid point. The article could be better without that part. Taxes is political and divisive and that does not belong here. Please check the guidelines before modding.
- dang 5y ago
  > Taxes is political and divisive and that does not belong here. When an article contains a slight passing reference to a political provocation, that's a great reason not to copy it into the thread and create an off-topic distraction on HN. If it were the main point of the article it might be a different story, but it's obviously a generic tangent in this case. When there's flamebait, we should just not take the bait. It isn't necessary and there are much more interesting discussions to be had. You're right to reference the guidelines, which include: "Eschew flamebait. Avoid unrelated controversies and generic tangents." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - superflit2 5y ago
    -> " ....but it's obviously a generic tangent in this case....... When there's flamebait, we should just not take the bait. It isn't necessary and there are much more interesting discussions to be had. " You got me here. "there are much more interesting discussions to be had" You know that thing people you will not change someones opinion on internet. That has changed. This insight is golden. No waste timing on flamebaits when I can have better discussions about other things. Thanks Dang

TacticalCoder 5y ago

> Why even include that? Some people resent what they perceive as too much taxes very strongly. Where do you draw the line between taxation and theft? For example how do you call 50% taxes + 19% social wellfare taxes on top of that, actually a 69% tax bracket? Knowing that in addition to that, should you realize gains (say on stocks) on what you managed to save and put in the stock market, well, these gains are going to be taxed at 34%? What if auntie loved you and made a testament giving you her savings, what about 80% tax on that? Is that what auntie wanted, to give 80% to the state? 69%, 80%: when is it taxes, when is it theft? I do personally think that in many countries we're way, way, way past diminishing returns due to the ultra high tax brackets and I don't buy the "but infrastructure" argument: it doesn't justify everything.