5 ms·

Quit being such an ultra-capitalist arse. The funding of public goods is not and should not be an opt-in system. You contribute whether you like it or not becau

Quit being such an ultra-capitalist arse. The funding of public goods is not and should not be an opt-in system. You contribute whether you like it or not because that's in the best collective interest.

dnautics 13y ago
That's all fine and good until "we" decide that the "best collective interest" is to defund gradstudent's research in favor of something else more politically expedient. Then gradstudent throws a hissyfit because the collective interest is not his interest. Who's the selfish one then?
- aaren 13y ago
  All of us. The purpose of government is to marshal these selfish urges such that we benefit as a whole. Whether or not that happens is a political problem. That the political system can be captured by politically expedient interests is a political problem. Of course gradstudent should throw a hissyfit, if it is in their interest - would you expect anything less?
  - gradstudent 13y ago
    Spot on.
  - dnautics 13y ago
    "The purpose of government is to marshal these selfish urges such that we benefit as a whole." I think a lot of people think that's what government should do, but you should really think hard about why that's a bad idea. Who is "we"? Who gets to really decide what is "benefit"? Who gets to decide what is "selfish"? And how can I be that person so that I can screw over gradstudent, and bring about benefits, which, oh by the way, also REALLY benefit my friends and family? Some animals are just.... More equal than others.
    - aaren 13y ago
      > Who is "we"? society > Who gets to really decide what is "benefit"? society > Who gets to decide what is "selfish"? individuals > And how can I be that person ? society is not one person. > Some animals are just.... More equal than others. Which is why the pigs need constant replacement, power must be diffusely held and the executive must be separate from the judiciary.
ahomescu1 13y ago
And if an individual decides to opt out, what then? The current solution is "throw them in jail for a decade", which seems way too excessive for me. I keep hearing people complaining about how others get sent to jail for drug-related crimes, but not many similar complaints about tax evasion. Is this crime so bad that we have to throw a person away for years?

dnautics 13y ago

That's all fine and good until "we" decide that the "best collective interest" is to defund gradstudent's research in favor of something else more politically expedient. Then gradstudent throws a hissyfit because the collective interest is not his interest. Who's the selfish one then?

aaren 13y ago
All of us. The purpose of government is to marshal these selfish urges such that we benefit as a whole. Whether or not that happens is a political problem. That the political system can be captured by politically expedient interests is a political problem. Of course gradstudent should throw a hissyfit, if it is in their interest - would you expect anything less?
- gradstudent 13y ago
  Spot on.
- dnautics 13y ago
  "The purpose of government is to marshal these selfish urges such that we benefit as a whole." I think a lot of people think that's what government should do, but you should really think hard about why that's a bad idea. Who is "we"? Who gets to really decide what is "benefit"? Who gets to decide what is "selfish"? And how can I be that person so that I can screw over gradstudent, and bring about benefits, which, oh by the way, also REALLY benefit my friends and family? Some animals are just.... More equal than others.
  - aaren 13y ago
    > Who is "we"? society > Who gets to really decide what is "benefit"? society > Who gets to decide what is "selfish"? individuals > And how can I be that person ? society is not one person. > Some animals are just.... More equal than others. Which is why the pigs need constant replacement, power must be diffusely held and the executive must be separate from the judiciary.

ahomescu1 13y ago

And if an individual decides to opt out, what then? The current solution is "throw them in jail for a decade", which seems way too excessive for me. I keep hearing people complaining about how others get sent to jail for drug-related crimes, but not many similar complaints about tax evasion. Is this crime so bad that we have to throw a person away for years?