In this case, I’m referring to the notion that we all make minor sacrifices in our daily interactions in service of a “greater good” for everyone.
“Following the rules” would be a simplified version of what I’m talking about, I suppose. But also keeping an awareness/attitude about "How will my choices affect the people around me in this moment? “Common courtesy”, “situational awareness”, etc…
I don’t know that it’s a “new” phenomenon by any means, I just seem to have an increasing (subjective) awareness of it’s decline of late.
Paying taxes is one way of doing this, and man, people are really hellbent on trying to avoid that.
When you can barely afford to pay rent and you see a third of your cheque disappear to “deductions” while the Prime Minister gets 350k a year for life. you start to get a bit resentful.
I know taxes are fees for services, but I couldn’t afford to use many of those services.
Paradoxically, the poor pay taxes more often, and those with significantly more income are the ones removed about taxes.
Yep! And any examples of countries to have high tax rates but spend well are outright ignored. So annoying!
Probably cause the US doesn’t spend the money well.
The US spends money in awful ways. But these people don’t mention better ways to spend it. Only that their taxes are too damned high. they have no problem with billionaires paying a far lower percentage than they do…
Seeing as how the vast majority of the population is not billionaires, in part you’d think a lot of people would prefer to spend the money on their own basic needs, mortgages, etc.
I’m not sure what your point is, but to reiterate, mine is that people are selfish and I think that’s a bad thing. I can’t tell if you think it’s a good thing or what.
Well, if you have a population packed with people (call it 50%, 70%, whatever) who are basically scraping by, it’s unreasonable to accuse them of being selfish for wanting to keep their hard-earned money while they’re scraping by. Particularly when there’s anything money’s being spent on by the government which is lower priority than people’s basic shelter, food, medicine, etc.
We should absolutely call them out on being hypocrites. These are people who vote against their own interests and against anyone’s interest who isn’t a billionaire. They do not care about the waste until it’s spent, ironically, helping poor people. But if a Republican wastes trillions on war or even raises their taxes, they’re as quiet as a mouse.
I wish it were as simple as you say. Republicans would never make into office again. But you’re entirely wrong about that simplicity
This is what I’m talking about. We have this slippery equivalence between taxes on billionaires and taxes on everyone else. The vast majority of the population couldn’t care less about how billionaires are taxed besides maybe to increase it. Now you’re on some thing about how Republicans are hypocritical about spending, which is true, but it’s not even what we’re talking about. What I’m talking about is that most people don’t want their own money going to taxes for any kind of dumb shit (including the military budget) when so many of them are struggling to get by.
Its trickle-down tax evasion. When I see our politicians avoiding paying millions in taxes and getting away with it, I wonder why should I contribute. I see Apple, Amazon and the tech companies who make a fortune in my country get away with sending the profits to the Cayman islands. All the super markets having a zero-tax liability, so more of the burden falls onto me, I figure maybe I should get an accountant who can help me too.
This is a good example.
I have a friend who is constantly complaining about having to pay taxes. One of these days I’m going to break and say that his complaining is essentially him shitting on my profession, a public librarian, and that he doesn’t respect what I do and how I contribute to society.