a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment by crafty
crafty  ·  3187 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Deep State America

This is fairly off topic, but I'm just curious about where you're coming from here.

Would your point of "2. Taxation is extortion." change if the penalty for failing to pay were different? Say forcible deportation? This is purely hypothetical, so I have no idea where one would be deported to, but there would be no imprisonment, if you don't want to pay you'd be dropped off at the border, free to start your own micronation or whatever.

I also consider a second hypothetical scenario, no "government" (as we traditionally understand it), just a commune that you're born into, everyone produces food, goods and services for each other, while using certain communal facilities and resources. All members participate with the understanding that a portion of their labor each month must go to maintain those communal facilities, otherwise they will no longer be welcome to engage with the other members. Would you consider that labor an immoral tax?

To me, the simple logic of, "1. Extortion is immoral. 2. Taxation is extortion. 3. Taxation is immoral." short circuits some of the logic behind what allows communities of humans function. The maxim "No taxation without representation," captures the gist of what I find immoral about taxation much better. If you are (truly) represented at the decision-making table, to me, that makes taxation less of a "forced extortion" and more of an agreement among peers. Now of course, when we consider our current situation with the US Federal government, it strains credulity to say that 99% of us plebeians have our interests represented at the political table. Furthermore, talking specifically about the Deep State here, I think it makes it even more apparent that we have taxation without actual representation, and there are only a tiny fraction of particularly wealthy and powerful individuals who have decision-making power. The premise that America has turned into an oligarchy is not exactly a new idea.

I think you still have a point, but it's undermined by such simplicity. People are social creatures and I think most individuals understand that contributions to the community, as a whole, do not seem immoral if they are made with representation and consent. It's easy to get caught up in the rhetoric, "The State is evil! Individual autonomy is paramount in all circumstances!" but personally, I reject that notion; collectivism is both important for the progress of our species, and does not necessitate an "immoral State" to maintain.





shiranaihito  ·  3186 days ago  ·  link  ·  

When you say "penalty for failing to pay", you're actually talking about "punishment for disobeying". When a mafia tells you to give them money, they know you won't do it voluntarily, so they'll have to force you (by threatening you with violence or property destruction or whatever).

"Penalty for failing to pay" sounds like you have an obligation to pay, which of course you don't.

When a government tells us to give them money for all their fucking adult lives, they know we wouldn't do it voluntarily, so they force us to pay (by threatening us with imprisonment).

People grumble about having to pay taxes, just like a restaurant owner would grumble about having to pay protection money, but they don't see that it's actually just extortion, because they've been brainwashed by government schools and continuous propaganda bombardment from the media.

Suppose a photography club- .. nay, commune, imposes its membership on you and starts extorting you for money. They'll tell you that your money will be used to provide equipment for the club's members, so that they can produce lovely photographs.

Naturally, the photography club has a Leader who gets to impose his will on all the other members. The leader is chosen by voting, and anyone who disobeys him will be punished.

Since "collectivism" is important for the progress of great photography, I guess everything is alright?

crafty  ·  3186 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Unfortunately the planet is no longer big enough for humans to sustain themselves as free and independent family/social units, as prehistoric humans did. If you want to start your own country and make your own rules, make a micronation and fight for your independence, but don't expect that you can just mooch off of society by continuing to interact with the members of that society. If you want to be part of a group of people, you have to play by the rules of the group. If those people's rules are set unilaterally by a tyrant, they're probably shitty rules to live by, akin to extortion. If those rules are set through the consent of the members of the group, well, that is the will of the group and they are under no obligation to allow you to be a part of the group if you choose not to follow their rules.

You really think any group should be forced to allow you to be a member if you choose not to follow their rules? I get the impression you don't really want to talk hypotheticals here, so I'll say this: here in America, we have "freedom" or whatever you want to call it; you can "buy" land and you "own" that land, but that land is still under the jurisdiction of the federal government, the state government, the county government, and perhaps even a local government. If you want true freedom, without those airquotes, as in you are lord, king and commander, beholden to no one but yourself, you have to fight to the death for it.

I hate to be the one shatter your illusions of what the difference between "freedom" and freedom is, but most of us have already wised up to this. Like I said before, the planet is no longer big enough for humans as a species to sustain themselves as free and independent family units, so I'm willing to accept the airquotes around my freedom. As a compromise, I would like to live in a true democracy (either direct or representative) where myself and my peers have a real and equal say in the decision making process of the state that governs my life and property. Unfortunately, the government I live under does not resemble this, and I'm willing to join with others to fight for a more equal say in the governing process, but if you want to be on your own, then you have to fight on your own. No one is going to fight for your rights if your responsibilities end at your doorstep.

shiranaihito  ·  3186 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Hmm.. I wonder how you, as a psychopath playing games with me, see this situation.

I'm guessing you thought you managed to "hook me" with the earlier message where you were "more reasonable", and now thought it was time to start making me jump through your bullshit hoops, refuting complete fucking horseshit?

As an aside, how fucking sad is it to gleefully play games where your "opponent" doesn't even know he's playing?

In reality, your supposed opponent is not even an opponent, because he's simply not playing. There's only one player, like some retarded child moving the pieces of both sides of a chessboard and being proud of winning.

You might want to consider trying to have your life amount to more than just a shitstain on the sole of humanity's boot. Participate.

crafty  ·  3185 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    ... psychopath... your bullshit... complete fucking horseshit... how fucking sad... some retarded child... just a shitstain...

See, here's the difference between you and me. I'm here to rationally and honestly discuss things, looking for new ideas to challenge my beliefs. You, apparently, are here to spew expletives and insults, which while mildly entertaining to read your anger, only serves to debase your arguments. Your point that "taxation is immoral" because "taxation is extortion" is both shallow and incomplete; "taxation without representation is immoral" because "taxation without representation is extortion" is a much more rigorous assertion. I've responded to your points, yet you return crude language with no intellectual value. If you want to continue our discussion, edit your comment to remove the quoted language and I will consider your points if there is anything left. Until then, good day to you.

shiranaihito  ·  3185 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm not playing anymore :p