DiscussMormonism.com

King Benjamin made it clear that we are to help the less fortunate. One often hears the LEFT talk about how Christians should do more to help the poor and that conservative reluctance to support this is wrong. However, I recently saw a video asking why we shouldn't do the same for grade redistribution.

I guess those guys have a point. I mean I fully support charity to help those who are financially less fortunately. I haven't been thinking about the misfortune of those who have less grades. Therefore I propose that we create a charity where people can donate part of their grades to those who need a bit more. I mean, it makes sense right--if they're using it as an argument against taxes for welfare?

Maybe the Book of Mormon should have included the parable of the scholar and the knave where the scholar had mercy on the knave and gave him some of his credentials.

Thoughts?

asbestosman wrote:King Benjamin made it clear that we are to help the less fortunate. One often hears the LEFT talk about how Christians should do more to help the poor and that conservative reluctance to support this is wrong. However, I recently saw a video asking why we shouldn't do the same for grade redistribution.

I guess those guys have a point. I mean I fully support charity to help those who are financially less fortunately. I haven't been thinking about the misfortune of those who have less grades. Therefore I propose that we create a charity where people can donate part of their grades to those who need a bit more. I mean, it makes sense right--if they're using it as an argument against taxes for welfare?

Maybe the Book of Mormon should have included the parable of the scholar and the knave where the scholar had mercy on the knave and gave him some of his credentials.

Thoughts?

I think there's a slight difference between helping people with housing and food and redistributing grades.

Appallingly ridiculous analogy. Holy cats, asbestosman.

Edited to add: I'm more than a little annoyed that I just did the very thing I said I didn't want to be doing in this thread.

I've got to do better. But then again, seriously abman...

I'm trying to think of a similarly ridiculous analogy. How about we collect the strategic nose hair reserve of America because I know there are a few men and a lot of women out there who are lacking.

The purpose of grades is to gain advantage--over others. To get scholarships, to get better jobs, to get into better grad schools, to get research grants, etc.
Amassing money is amassing credits that others will trade their goods and services to obtain.

Money is a measure of advantage over others. Grading is another measure for gaining advantage vis-a-vis others, and getting one of the plum positions versus one of the many more servile positions.

I think there is merit in the analogy, but like all analogies, it does not square on all four.

Abman, your analogy is funny because it's a joke.

Actually, we do have many "socialist" programs to help those with low grades. The government pours money into underperforming schools, teachers grade on curves, schools offer remedial math, students are socially promoted, special support is offered for the disabled. I mean, there are limits to all of this, because total grade equality would defeat the purpose of grades and eliminate incentives to perform in school. But we do try to give a helping hand to those not blessed by birth or upbringing with an abundance of intelligence and motivation. A pure capitalist might object that this rewards low performers, thereby creating dependence, and detracts from the teacher-hours spent on high-performing students who actually deserve it. But in his fixation on incentive, said capitalist would be forgetting the important variable of opportunity. If teachers spent all their time rewarding high-performers, the smart would get smarter and the dumb would get dumber, because the smart would have a disproportionate amount of the opportunity.

Earning grades is just as valid and important as earning money rather than having either redistributed by the government.

It reminds me of an economics professor who gave a writing assignment. One young lady laid the merits of socialism in Marxist fashion and condemned the evils of capitalism. Of course she came charging up to his desk demanding an explanation for her C.

His response, well you see your classmate. He plays on the football team and doesn't really have the time or even ability to do the kind of work that you do. So I took your advice, given according to need, taken according to ability to pay and with your A and his F, I was able to give both of you Cs. Now you both can pass the class and now we're all happy right?

There isn't much differnce between grades and money as Sock Puppet eloquently pointed out. In fact good grades can save you money. If you don't make good grades, you're going to have a hard time honestly making money in my estimation. Maybe the Dude would be willing to share his biochemistry grade with me.

The Dude wrote:because it's a joke.

We have a winner!