h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think warner, like most religious people, has had his irony detection organ* removed.

I think they do it at confirmation.

RF

Er..

Dont we think it's wrong that the most helpful jobs are the least adequately reimbursed?

'kin 'ell. There was an 18thC French author (I forget which) who could never understand when people like Voltaire were being ironic. He seriously suggested that they should indicate it with a special punctuation mark ('la pointe d'rironie').

Similarly, for warner's benefits, in furure I shall endeavour to use subtitles for the hard of thinking, such as:


****** THIS NEXT BIT IS A JOKE (silly buggers) THAT LAST BIT WAS A JOKE *****

Would something like that be clear enough?

Was it HG Wells who suggested that binmen be allowed to wear special, golden suits to indicate their worth to society?

>>Would something like that be clear enough?<<

Something like should do the trick. Be modern, man!

I'm always confused by the view that the rich need to be motivated by letting them have more, but that the poor need to be motivated by threatening them with the prospect of having less.

The motivation and incentives question is an interesting one, and is one of many reasons why I think John Rawls was pretty much right about what a just society would look like.

You're not suggesting that anyone *reads* anything, are you?

Parts of this thread have reminded me of the Mitchell and Webb line about the radio phone in:

'Phone us and tell you what you think...Even if you don't think, it doesn't matter...Phone and tell us what you reckon.'

>>Something like should do the trick. Be modern, man!
and Almighty God is Most Merciful!

"For the rich man to get to heaven is like the camel going through the eye of a needle"
Jesus of Nazareth

Warner, where do you get your crowbars from? I need to get me one of them!

Tut Tut EtheB - I can understand your frustration.
F19585?thread=6331578&post=76195741#p76197951
Most of what is said is a joke anyway. You should really lead your disciples along the path of righteousness. For instance ask one of them to explain how trying to control and understand why people struggle can be interpreted as trying to screw them. You may also get it into there heads that taking care of the pennies often results in the pounds taking care of themselves but warn them that in becoming penny wise they must not become pound foolish.
The course that I am suggesting is 'benefit' cards, it has nothing to do with those on low incomes, unless they are on some form of benefit.
You obviously have no idea where to start with getting something done about your dreams. So let's go back to post 143. and see if I can provoke more comment.
You go a long way round to bring anarchy/theft into the equation. You must open another thread if you want to find my views on crime and punishment. Just a clue, there is more to punishment than prison and you know full well there is more to crime than money, although crime is part of the trouble with money.
Your last comment I find laughable. I am a Bl**dy northerner. Born during a recession, spent my teens in a country at war, dug for victory, helped dad with his pigs and chickens, obtained a professional qualification, brought up two sons, stopped smoking. because I thought that the money could be better spent. Poverty no but I have lived. You can find out quite a bit about me here on h2g2.
A question to you and your disciples.
How do you find the time to spend here on h2g2 ?

Ok, can we stop being personal? Now? Or I'm out of here. Ancient, your posts have given the impression that you are arguing that credit is a way to control speending, and that a highly controlled system of judging what people can and cannot spend their benefits on is a fair way to fund those unable to work, or to find work.

Ed, well, I agree with you, but still... I can see this descending into a really dull slanging match, please dont encourage it

"By increasing tax on rich people, you disincentivise people to get rich."

That is simply not true. It has never happened, as far as I am aware, that rich people* have offered to swap lifestyles with poor people as a result of their tax bill being so high that being rich is no longer the more attractive option.

Correct me if there has been an instance when rich people* offered all their wealth to the poor because there was no incentive in having wealth - I'd be interested in hearing about it!

The important words are "get rich", not "already rich". High taxes disincentivise entrepreneurism. Why bother, if the state is going to take an inordinate proportion of the results of your efforts?

RF

Correct me if there has been an instance when rich people* offered all their wealth to the poor because there was no incentive in having wealth - I'd be interested in hearing about it!

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

RF

kin'ell - if I'm a "disciple" there's gonna be a crucifixion soon.

<>

The incentive to "get rich" is to *be* rich - being rich is that being rich is preferable - even if your tax bill is higher.

I said that I didn't know of an instance where "rich people" volunteered to give all their wealth away to the poor because their tax bill was so high. You countered it with an example of philanthropy by those who can afford it. As touching as it is, it's not really the same as swapping places with someone who is poor because there is no longer an incentive to be wealthy, is it?

So - again - no matter how high the rate of tax, I'm unaware of any time or place where the wealthiest people offered to change places with the poorest because wealth was no longer an attractive prospect. If it remains an attractive prospect despite tax, then the incentive to get rich remains.

SWL - I'll help carry the cross.
Have a read :- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2810504/Last-barrier-to-cashless-society-in-peril.html
The technology is there, banks and financiers will benefit from the detailed information that spills out of the system and card users will go happily swiping along oblivious to the fact that they are being watched. I once said link the ID card to a credit card, you would get ID cards for free and everyone would want to carry one. Please don't open a debate about this one. You young'ns will see it all happen.

I'm fed up of this thread, back to lurking for a while.
See you around Ancient Brit.

AB
>>Last Updated: 1:47AM BST 04 Sep 2007<<
Are you joking? Your news ref. is a bit out of date isn't it?
So much has happened since and continuing to happen!

So AB
Benefit cards for those poor unfortunate, and including willfully out of work or unable to work.
Isn't it making the system more unfair, making it a 2 tier system and promoting more dissatisfaction and envy. I suppose it could control some peoples' mis-spending but other than that ..
Those on benefits who can't manage bills etc. already have direct payments deductible from their benefit, so I understand.

<<"For the rich man to get to heaven is like the camel going through the eye of a needle">>

for the rich can afford the giant food processor and is able to blitz the camel down and pour it through a tiny funnel, or pay someone to do it for him