Missing the Point
What is it about political or social “debates” that always seems to escalate into a shouting match where neither side of ANY argument is actually shouting about what really matters? It’s a strange phenomenon, but it’s all too common. Honestly it reminds me of the way kids will argue in elementary school.
Billy: It’s my turn to use the swing, Tommy.
Tommy: No, I got off for a few minutes earlier so I still have time.
Billy: That’s not fair Tommy, you should have let someone else use it then.
Tommy: Oh yeah? Well you smell bad!
Billy: Your hair is ugly!
Etcetera.
Here’s a real world example Slashdot repost on wealth distribution. First let me preface this by saying I’m speaking of the US only. The overwhelming response here is “We need socialism,” “Balance the wealth,” or simply “This is so unfair!” Well yes, ok it is “unfair,” but definitely not in the sense that most of these people are crying. They ignore the fact that the people that are abundantly wealthy earned it through work, cleverness, or maybe just luck. In some cases maybe it was previous generations of their family that earned the bulk of it, but that doesn’t make any difference really. It was legitimately gained in almost all cases.
Somehow when the subject is brought up, the wealthy are ignored. Somehow they become dehumanized entities, and instead are thought of as just resources. “Well they have all that, they don’t need it, they should give it to everyone else!”
Wait… what?
That’s the common cry, you’ve heard it to. You know as well as I if the roles were reversed the same people crying for the government to rob the rich would be fighting tooth and nail to keep what they’ve rightfully earned. It’s not fair indeed. It’s not fair to demand from others something you have no right to.
No one has a right to have wealth given to them. Everyone has the right to earn it for themselves.
It’s interesting, because there’s a lot of other points that the people complaining about the wealthy miss. Our country has tons of benefits it pours on its citizens. Many I disagree with, but there’s still plenty I’m happy to pay for. Roads, Defense, Education being my top 3 favourites (the sad state of our schools is fodder for another entry.) Where do you think that money comes from?
The top 1% pay about 30% of all taxes
The top 5% pay about 50% of all taxes
and the top 50% pay about 98% of all taxes
The median income in the US is about $36,000 a year. That’s not the mean, as at the high end of the chart it gets disproportionately high. Looking back at percentages that means if you’re making an average income or higher, you’re getting taxed disproportionately more than people making a few thousand below you. I’ve actually seen this on my taxes, going up a bracket can net you an effective loss if you’re not careful. So we already have a system in place that’s taking more money from people that have more. People that are middle income or slightly below are paying next to nothing comparatively, yet still enjoying the same benefits.
No that’s not true. The exorbitantly wealthy enjoy far less benefits from government programs. They’re already sending their children to private schools, they don’t take advantage of any of the numerous programs in place to help out if you’re in a bind.
So those decrying the wealthy are correct in a way, it’s just not fair. The thing is, they’ve completely missed on WHAT is actually unfair.
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