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The basic problem is, as people have pointed out, euphemistic political language and moral relativism. Asset forfeiture is theft. Taxation is theft. Imprisonme
by stegosaurus 11y ago
The basic problem is, as people have pointed out, euphemistic political language and moral relativism.
Asset forfeiture is theft.
Taxation is theft.
Imprisonment is kidnapping.
War is killing.
And so on.
They are not necessarily evil. It would not be evil for me to steal my neighbours' rifle if I knew he had nefarious plans. It is not evil to take money from a billionaire if he willingly allows the poor to starve otherwise.
But it is still theft.
Somehow people seem unwilling to use the basic, concrete, obvious terms and prefer intelligent-sounding euphemisms.
- rayiner 11y agoBoth asset forfeiture and taxation are taking, but they are not "theft" because that is taking in violation of law. Lawful takings cannot be theft by definition. "Theft" is also not a concept that exists in the world outside our legal books and dictionaries. In the state of nature, everything is mine that I can take for myself.
- seanmcdirmid 11y agoTheft has a very specific definition: noun 1. the wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal goods or property of another. So to claim X is theft, you are claiming that it is wrongful; i.e. evil. > Somehow people seem unwilling to use the basic, concrete, obvious terms and prefer intelligent-sounding euphemisms. Somehow people seem to be willing to twist and distort basic, concrete, obvious terms to push and reinforce their ideology.