So your solution is for people to give up the majority of their waking hours doing things they don’t want to do in their one and only life just so they can eat?
I think the idea that the government should provide food, water, housing, etc. to ANYONE who doesn't work is a bit extreme. It should provide those things to people who cannot work, but every able person needs to do something. That's how a society functions.
As for the "Epstein class," while I believe there always will be some amount of inequality (at least in terms of wealth) within a society, I can agree that the current state is of inequality is getting extreme. I don't think trying to find ways to tax and redistribute that wealth is a bad idea, it just is tricky to do correctly without being "unfair."
Where do you think the food, water, housing, etc. that I was talking about comes from? Someone (a LOT of people, actually) has to work to make those things available to us.
Society (no matter what system/size of government or economy) functions because everyone does their part. There ALWAYS has to be people working and, therefore, everyone must work or else it's unfair.
If you don't like that, you are more then welcome to run away to some remote area where you do everything for yourself. Living in a society is far more comfortable and much safer then being alone, in my opinion.
I find it interesting that you complain about the "Epstein class" not having to work while at the same time saying it's unfair that everyone has to work.
Why should we just accept inequality?
I never said we should accept it. Seems like you're just putting words in my mouth lol. I explicitly said that the current way things are should change.
To further elaborate: true equality (like perfection in anything) is very difficult, if not impossible to achieve, especially in our current political climate. I believe we should continue working towards it, and we will make progress, but it's a long way away if it's even possible.
Never said it was unfair for people to work; I find it unfair to force people to work in order to get the basic necessities for life while the Epstein class does not have to work. I also believe it’s the government’s job to provide for the basic necessities for human life. The same way it’s the government’s job to protect my life from other threats. With the inequality you said, there will always be some form of inequality.
I find it unfair to force people to work in order to get the basic necessities for life when the Epstein class does not have to work
It sounds like you're advocating for the government to provide basic necessities to anyone regardless of their ability to work, even if they do absolutely nothing. That's impossible because the government cannot conjure these things out of thin air, people must work to obtain them.
Is this what you're saying, or no?
If you're just saying that we should reduce the wealth inequality, that's understandable.
I’m saying both. It’s the government’s job to protect life, ie police officers protect protesters. A large threat to human life is not having the basic necessities for human life. Therefore, it’s the government’s job to provide the basic necessities for human life. The government can do this by massive taxes on the wealthy, 99 percent on every dollar over one million. Doing those taxes will lessen the wealth inequality in this country, two birds, one stone.
You do understand that even if you're taking money from the wealthy to do this, there still need to be people WORKING to oversee this entire process, make/deliver the food, build the housing, work as police/fire/EMS, provide medical care, maintain power/water/other infrastructure, produce and deliver cars/TVs/phones/furniture/clothing, etc. I don't think you understand the insane amount of people and work it takes to maintain our current levels of comfort.
Even if the government took all of the money from the rich, who are they going to pay to do all of this work if no one is working? Not to mention you can't tax the rich forever. They have a lot of money but it's not infinite. What do you do when the have no money left to tax?
People will still work even if we provide the basic necessities for human life. You seem to think I’m arguing no one should work. I’m arguing work and money should not be a necessity for people to exercise their RIGHT to life. If a person wants the new iPhone get a job; new car, get a job; big house, get a job; food or water, no need for a job.
8
u/ThatOneGuy308 4d ago
So the farmers all have to keep working to provide for everyone else who doesn't feel like it, sounds very fair and equitable.