4 ms·
The reason for 10% is because (a) tithing isn't that hard on most people's finances and (b) it's a nice round number, memetically strong and aesthetically satis
by pjscott 4y ago
The reason for 10% is because (a) tithing isn't that hard on most people's finances and (b) it's a nice round number, memetically strong and aesthetically satisfying. Sure, it's arbitrary -- but it's arbitrary in a way that was designed to appeal to as many people as possible without making them feel like they have a moral obligation to make arbitrarily large sacrifices.
That's it. There's no broader philosophical reason for why 10% is Objectively Correct. This is driven entirely by practicality. (If we had twelve fingers, the number would probably be 12%.)
- skybrian 4y agoYes, I'm well aware. I agree that it's arbitrary, and it doesn't bother me much. The problem is that this argument doesn't seem likely to succeed if you're talking to someone who is especially interested in philosophical or moral consistency. The arbitrariness of the boundary will bother them.
- a1369209993 4y ago> (If we had twelve fingers, the number would probably be 12%.) Actually, it would be 8.33̅% - ie 10/100 in base 12, or 12/144.
- pjscott 4y agoAh, of course. Thank you, kind emissary from Twelve-Fingered Alternate Earth.
- a1369209993 4y agoActually, I use hexadecimal (or occasionally 6, 60, or 5040 for the factors) - for me it would be 10% => 6.25% (1/10 => 1/16).
- Aicy 4y agoNot quite because if we had 12 fingers we would most likely use base 12.