Sociopath Community

So as someone who thinks that humanity improves for all if we exercise a bit of wealth redistribution, the idea doesn't seem that far-fetched. If a populace is less stressed and people have better outcomes, things tend to just get better overall. And I'm not saying the rich even need to lose a lot. I think a lot of times, they earned their fortune. So let them be rich.

Bezos is worth 158.4 billion USD, do you think it's egregious to tax him a bit more than we do? The capitalist system centralizes currency and power in one place, that's why the 1% is even a real thing. The idea of caring for your fellow person doesn't even need to involve damaging these people in any substantial way. Even Warren Buffet says the system is fucked up. There's a middle ground that helps the system we're intertwined with, and that doesn't involve raping people for being successful.

Tryptamine said: 

So as someone who thinks that humanity improves for all if we exercise a bit of wealth redistribution, the idea doesn't seem that far-fetched. If a populace is less stressed and people have better outcomes, things tend to just get better overall.

I disagree. People just shift their relative perspective of what is a better outcome. People love to be miserable, IMHO.... If you've ever seen the movie Matrix, I'm sure you have. They summed it up pretty well. The first matrix was a perfect paradise for all... Yet people were unsatisfied with it, and the whole system collapsed. The second revision was endless working hours and desk jobs, and voila, everything worked.

Tryptamine said: 

So as someone who thinks that humanity improves for all if we exercise a bit of wealth redistribution

We could lose money just as easily that way, in fact, more easily. 

It's arguments like this that are pro-fracking and pro-taxes. We need clever solutions, like developing newer industries that change how society itself works. 

If a populace is less stressed and people have better outcomes, things tend to just get better overall. And I'm not saying the rich even need to lose a lot. I think a lot of times, they earned their fortune. So let them be rich.

This view is extremely general and overlooks what made people "have better outcomes" in the first place. This ignores factors for example like "The Trickle Down Effect" where you may not even be seeing said outcomes until someone else is in charge and able to snag the credit (we see it with US presidents a lot). 

The rich can afford to pay higher taxes through cutting it by the % instead of lump sums, it shouldn't be harder to factor than this. Instead the rich get tax breaks through fraudulent charities and faux-concerns about "The Economy" while your everyman is losing out. 

"Less Stress" comes from results, not the other way around. You can't just do a #BeChill program and watch "The Economy"'s boner rise. 

Frankly we need to rush to the "over 50% of people don't have jobs" hurdle and rip that bandage now. 

To do that, our biggest step is getting The Self Driving Car to become a reality. 

Major Major said: 

Tryptamine said: 

So as someone who thinks that humanity improves for all if we exercise a bit of wealth redistribution, the idea doesn't seem that far-fetched. If a populace is less stressed and people have better outcomes, things tend to just get better overall.

I disagree. People just shift their relative perspective of what is a better outcome. People love to be miserable, IMHO.... If you've ever seen the movie Matrix, I'm sure you have. They summed it up pretty well. The first matrix was a perfect paradise for all... Yet people were unsatisfied with it, and the whole system collapsed. The second revision was endless working hours and desk jobs, and voila, everything worked.

The Wachowski's did such a good job with this project, it's an underrated masterpiece that only looks as cringe as the era that made it, and the echoes that follow it's passing. 

I will return to this, but I'm just not in the mood at the moment. There are pretty solid reasons for where I'm coming from, I'll return to this later.

Tryptamine said: 

 

Bezos is worth 158.4 billion USD, do you think it's egregious to tax him a bit more than we do?

 See here's the deal. These guys don't make any "real" taxable money. Just because someone is worth something, does not mean you can tax them. Their worth is tied up in stocks of their companies. So its virtual deferred wealth. Unless they cash out, its not taxed.

here is a little summary about this.

In its annual regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jeff Bezos' sprawling e-commerce empire said it paid $162 million in federal income taxes on $13.3 billion of U.S. pre-tax income, an effective tax rate of 1.2 percent. It deferred more than $914 million in taxes.

1.2% taxes is nothing, typical families are in the 12% to 13% tax rates, some even 20% to 25%.

So how does Amazon they do this?

"We follow all applicable federal and state tax laws, and our U.S. taxes are a reflection of our continued investments, compensation of our employees, and the current tax rules,"

They reinvest their profits back into their business. They grow. This is good for everybody creating jobs, etc...

So you tax these people, you get less jobs, less growth.

People don't understand this.

People get all crazy about "Corporate America" raping. It's not true. "Corporate America" is the people of America, you just have to participate.

would it not be good for the USA to take a minuscule slice off the top and double the wealth of every other american? i dont see problems there. but total equality is stupid for americans. we just don't think that way. people aren't ready they would lose purpose and degenerate 

and amazon is pretty piss poor workplace. the bulk of the jobs they create, half their workers are contractors the other half given just enough hours not to have any benefits in poor working conditions that damage your body, which would be alright with benefits tbh. thats what participation looks like for half the country. just a little slice extra would go a long way 

12 year old girl said: 

 

would it not be good for the USA to take a minuscule slice off the top and give double the wealth of every other american? i dont see problems there.

 Are you Robin Hood? Capitalism is good at pointing out who wins. I think this is a little about envy and human nature.

"Those rich people don't deserve to be rich, How dare they" Lets take from them that don't deserve and give to those that do. kinda pathetic huh?