> But can you then spend anything? Yes, of course you can. > Because spending anything is also a decision on what is more important? Yes, that is literally t

> But can you then spend anything? Yes, of course you can. > Because spending anything is also a decision on what is more important? Yes, that is literally true. Or at least, it's true in a rational economic framework, which is the most common shared fiction when people are discussing these things. When a rational actor spends $X, that means they expect to receive a value of more than $X. Between two things that cost $Y, the rational actor will prefer the one with a higher net present value. The decision that society makes about allocation of money is equivalent to a decision of how to represent the intangible portions of the value of a given investment so that the things we as a society deem important have enough money spent on them. > But spending money on education and homelessness isn't immoral in most moral frameworks, hence the argument must be faulty. "Giving benefits only encourages dependence on the state and discourages people from improving their own situation" is a very frequent argument from conservative types. One assumes it's made in good faith. From upthread: > It's a totally valid thing to wonder whether it's the best use of that money there is. You have a particular answer to that question in your head, and that's fine. It does not invalidate the question, nor guarantee that the assumptions leading to your conclusion are universal in time or space.