"First, anyone who pushes back against helping his fellow man always suffers public outrage and abuse."
I've witnessed this first hand with the socialist programs recently rolled out in Canada. Trying to point out that cost matters when discussing "free" dental for seniors inevitably results in the accusations that I don't think seniors should get dental care.
You're right about the socialist aspect of the national debt issue but there's a the selfish aspect as well; 40% of the public doesn't pay taxes so are happy to vote for "free" stuff.
The universe is transactional. Despite all the machinations of humans, so is economics. You are exchanging one set of resources for another. And as long as that trade has a negative marginal utility, you will always be worse off
As an American I am completely sympathetic to a rising national debt. Bryan Caplan writes thoughtfully about the Pretty Lies and Ugly Truths, which pair nicely with his theory of Rational Irrationality: these concepts explain the emotional pull of socialism. First, anyone who pushes back against helping his fellow man always suffers public outrage and abuse. Economic truths sound heartless and ugly because the outcome socialists desire is unobtainable—free stuff for everyone. No one wants to hear that not everyone will succeed in life on the same scale. And finally, no one vote will decide an outcome in a national election, and whichever way it goes, the financial consequences will be born by the public, not any one individual. We all care about victims until we’re asked to donate an amount that hurts our individual lives.
Well disciplined & informative along with a spotlight on the need for a mathematical education & self reliant approach to solving some basic home economics. Nice peice.
"First, anyone who pushes back against helping his fellow man always suffers public outrage and abuse."
I've witnessed this first hand with the socialist programs recently rolled out in Canada. Trying to point out that cost matters when discussing "free" dental for seniors inevitably results in the accusations that I don't think seniors should get dental care.
You're right about the socialist aspect of the national debt issue but there's a the selfish aspect as well; 40% of the public doesn't pay taxes so are happy to vote for "free" stuff.
The universe is transactional. Despite all the machinations of humans, so is economics. You are exchanging one set of resources for another. And as long as that trade has a negative marginal utility, you will always be worse off
No, Philip, you're not alone.
Unfortunately, however, we do seem to be in the minority.
Great piece. ZL
Thanks ZL!
Yet one more thing "they" don't teach us in the government run schools.
As an American I am completely sympathetic to a rising national debt. Bryan Caplan writes thoughtfully about the Pretty Lies and Ugly Truths, which pair nicely with his theory of Rational Irrationality: these concepts explain the emotional pull of socialism. First, anyone who pushes back against helping his fellow man always suffers public outrage and abuse. Economic truths sound heartless and ugly because the outcome socialists desire is unobtainable—free stuff for everyone. No one wants to hear that not everyone will succeed in life on the same scale. And finally, no one vote will decide an outcome in a national election, and whichever way it goes, the financial consequences will be born by the public, not any one individual. We all care about victims until we’re asked to donate an amount that hurts our individual lives.
Well disciplined & informative along with a spotlight on the need for a mathematical education & self reliant approach to solving some basic home economics. Nice peice.
Thank you very much J.M.!
Maybe this is to be expected with Conservative Poilievre.
Encl.
https://www.city-journal.org/article/canadas-new-young-conservatives?
https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/preliminary-milei-report-card?
"'Free' is just another word for nothing left to lose."
U.S. government, or Kris Kristofferson. They're both dead to me.