A Billionaire Who Makes Sense

[Gunnar]

Billionaires Rally Behind Bill Gates' Call For Wealth Tax In Unprecedented Show Of Unity: 'We Ask You To Tax Us'

An increasing number of billionaires are embracing the viewpoint advocated by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who has called for increased taxation of the super-wealthy.

During Gates' annual "Ask Me Anything" session on Reddit last year, he said ultra-wealthy individuals should pay more tax. He vigorously reaffirmed his position at a panel during the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.

The billionaire made a compelling case for the wealthiest nations to substantially augment their contributions to address global income inequality. He also emphasized the moral duty for individuals, nations, and corporations with substantial resources to be more generous.

"Those who have the most — whether it's countries, companies, or individuals — should be pushed to be more generous," he said at the event, according to Business Insider.

Over 250 wealthy individuals have signed an open letter petitioning global leaders to implement a wealth tax.

The letter straightforwardly declares, "Our request is simple: we ask you to tax us, the very richest in society." It also says that taxing the super-wealthy won't "deprive" their children or "fundamentally alter" their standard of living.

So true! There is something not only immoral but obscene about ultra-wealthy individuals continually seeking to reduce their taxes when they literally already have thousands of times more money than they need to live a very comfortable and secure life, while millions of people are barely making an adequate living (if even that) and on the verge of starving and/or becoming or are already homeless, despite holding full time, minimum wage jobs.

[Some Schmo]

So true! There is something not only immoral but obscene about ultra-wealthy individuals continually seeking to reduce their taxes when they literally already have thousands of times more money than they need to live a very comfortable and secure life, while millions of people are barely making an adequate living (if even that) and on the verge of starving and/or becoming or are already homeless, despite holding full time, minimum wage jobs.

The biggest myth in western society is that the more someone makes, they more they should be respected. The opposite is true.

There's nothing wrong with making a decent living, but there is a number (moving with inflation) where more money makes no difference to your state of happiness. I've hit that number in my own life, and I feel guilt not using any excess I have to help other people.

We know money doesn't buy happiness, it only alleviates stress. And it only takes a modest number to get to that point.

We've talked about this before, Gunnar, but the belief only gets stronger as time goes on: building wealth is the "respected" way to be a hoarder, but any way you slice it, being a hoarder is a sure sign of massive insecurity. A rich person's garbage stacked up in every corner obscuring dead rats is disguised as several offshore accounts.

I don't respect rich people who are also selfish penny pinchers. I've always respected Bill Gates' philanthropy.

[Some Schmo]

I read this article (To beat Trump, we need to know why Americans keep voting for him. Psychologists may have the answer) and it made me think of this thread.

American culture is mired in BS values. I really wish I understood that earlier in life. Americans are impressed by mirages. The contest seems to be who can be most respected by being the biggest fraud, or the most superficial. This can be observed by all the attention the Kardashians get, for example. I'm amazed how many people are influenced by obvious imposters.

I've called Americans stupid many times, but I'm starting to believe the citizens are disadvantaged by myopic and dubious narratives pushed by our culture. Being jealous of a person obsessed by wealth for how it makes them look is like having envy for a terminal cancer patient.

[ajax18]

Is there a law that says billionaires can't overpay their taxes now?

[Some Schmo]

I saw the segment this article was based on this morning. I thought Bill Maher made an interesting point about today's music and the obsession with bragging about having money and a bunch of expensive crap these days. The attitude expressed in these songs is pathetic. I have little doubt this is a contributing factor to teenage depression and anxiety being on the rise. The more we pretend that being rich is the only way to prove an individual's success, the less becoming rich is realistic for most people. It's a recipe for mass depression.

When I was young, bragging was a major turn off, and certainly nobody bragged about being rich. These days, it feels like bragging is all certain pop stars do, like they feel the need to wear their insecurities on their sleeve. What's hilarious and stupid about the whole thing is the idea that someone buying something suddenly elevates their status as a human being for having that thing. It's ridiculous. I'm way more impressed with humility than owning a golden grill. I blame a lot of this on the movie Wall Street and the notion that "greed is good." A lot of people didn't seem to understand that Gordon Gekko was a villain.

Materialism leads to unhappiness. This is not a spiritual concept. It's a basic fact of human life. More crap will never fulfill anyone, unless they're satisfied with being full of crap.

[ajax18]

I saw the segment this article was based on this morning. I thought Bill Maher made an interesting point about today's music and the obsession with bragging about having money and a bunch of expensive crap these days. The attitude expressed in these songs is pathetic. I have little doubt this is a contributing factor to teenage depression and anxiety being on the rise. The more we pretend that being rich is the only way to prove an individual's success, the less becoming rich is realistic for most people. It's a recipe for mass depression.

When I was young, bragging was a major turn off, and certainly nobody bragged about being rich. These days, it feels like bragging is all certain pop stars do, like they feel the need to wear their insecurities on their sleeve. What's hilarious and stupid about the whole thing is the idea that someone buying something suddenly elevates their status as a human being for having that thing. It's ridiculous. I'm way more impressed with humility than owning a golden grill. I blame a lot of this on the movie Wall Street and the notion that "greed is good." A lot of people didn't seem to understand that Gordon Gekko was a villain.

Materialism leads to unhappiness. This is not a spiritual concept. It's a basic fact of human life. More crap will never fulfill anyone, unless they're satisfied with being full of crap.

Se los dedico al Schmo y todos las izquieradistas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwRYAOG8Xkg

They call me offensive, controversial
There's only two genders, boys and girls
They can't cancel my message 'cause I'm the biggest independent rapper in the whole freaking world
Claim that I'm racist, yeah, alright
I'm not ashamed because I'm white
If every Caucasian's a bigot, I guess every Muslim's a terrorist, every liberal is right
I don't wanna talk to folks who don't get it (Tss)
Go woke, go broke, no hope, it's pathetic
Pro-choice, pronouns, pro-love, you're progressives
But you ain't pro-gun, no one to protect it
Where the American flags at?
Remember when people would hang those?
They've been taken down, they all been replaced with BLM flags or a rainbow

[Pre-Chorus: Tom MacDonald]
This ain't rap, this ain't money, cars, and clothes
We ain't sellin' drugs, we ain't gonna overdose
We ain't pushing guns, ain't promoting stripper poles
We won't turn your sons into thugs or your daughters into hoes

[Chorus: Tom MacDonald]
I don't care if I offend you
I was put here to upset you
You can cry and you can scream, you can riot in the streets
You defunded the police, now there's no one to protect you
I hope I offend you
I ask myself, "What would Ben do?"
Let's just keep it real, facts don't care how you feel, man
If you want my pronouns, I'm the man, I'm the man who don't respect you

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[Verse 2: Ben Shapiro, Ben Shapiro & Tom MacDonald]
Let's look at the stats, I've got the facts
My money like Lizzo, my pockets are fat
Homie, I'm epic, don't be a WAP
Dawg, it's a yarmulke, homie, no cap
Look at the graphs, look at my charts
You're blowing money on strippers and cars
You're going to prison, I'm on television
Dawgs, no one knows who you are
Keep hating on me on the internet
My comments section all woke Karens
And I make racks off compound interest
Y'all live with your parents
Nicki, take some notes, I just did this for fun
All my people download this, let's get a Billboard number one

[Pre-Chorus: Tom MacDonald]
This ain't rap, this ain't money, cars, and clothes
We ain't sellin' drugs, we ain't gonna overdose
We ain't pushing guns and promoting stripper poles
We won't turn your sons into thugs or your daughters into hoes

[Chorus: Tom MacDonald]
I don't care if I offend you
I was put here to upset you
You can cry and you can scream, you can riot in the streets
You defunded the police, now there's no one to protect you
I hope I offend you
I ask myself, "What would Ben do?"
Let's just keep it real, facts don't care how you feel, man
If you want my pronouns, I'm the man, I'm the man who don't respect you

[Gadianton]

Ajax, have you ever driven on a road with potholes or otherwise so badly damaged that the thought came to your mind that something should be done about it?

[ajax18]

Ajax, have you ever driven on a road with potholes or otherwise so badly damaged that the thought came to your mind that something should be done about it?

Of course, my uncle lived in Pennsylvania. He called it the land of high taxes and crummy roads.

What did you think of Ben's rap song?

[Gadianton]

How come you didn't go to the government and give them the money to fix the road you didn't like? How come you didn't go to the government during the trump administration and give them more money for the wall if you want it so bad? why should I have to pay for the wall?

Song lyrics in general make me cringe somewhat even when it comes to songs that I like. There can be many reasons for this. One is trying too hard to get something that rhymes. A bigger one might be making the subject too dramatic. Another is being too obvious because you want to micromanage the listeners interpretation.

The lyrics of this song are supremely dumb and embarrassing, it runs on, and lacks creativity. Lists of complaints generally don't make for good lyrics. It reminds me of a documentary I watched a long time ago about the Klan. The Grand Wizard got up to read off a racist poem that he wrote, one that had the meter of a simple rap song. How his own audience didn't melt in embarrassment was beyond me. That doesn't mean I would say any music that has a message I don't like is fundamentally bad and lacks all talent. A long time ago, a morning show I listened to occasionally played some racist folk music. They were playing it to make fun of it. They may have overplayed it, because I think they were a little bit fascinated with the fact it was catchy and understated, and even self-deprecating the way folk music can be. Clearly, the musicians who wrote it had talent, even if they used it to a bad end. That wouldn't be true in this case. Your Ben music fails in every way, except in regards to briefly amusing right-wing nut jobs, however even their enjoyment will be brief and probably will have forgotten about it three weeks from now.

[ajax18]

How come you didn't go to the government during the trump administration and give them more money for the wall if you want it so bad?

We tried that. The RINOs and Democrats wouldn't even allow us to build our own wall. Do you remember Brackite saying that a wall would do too much damage to wildlife and the environment? Steve Bannon ended up going to jail over it. When we put up razor wire, Mayorkas orders his men to cut it down. We'll never be allowed to have a border with the third world without secession. At least most migrants go to sanctuary cities to do the bulk of their stealing. They know they'll go to jail if they do it down here.