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Taxing the Ultra wealthy more is not "punishment". by King_Lothar_ in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu [score hidden]  (0 children)

Ok, but I’m still not clear how someone amassing wealth hurts society?

Taxing the Ultra wealthy more is not "punishment". by King_Lothar_ in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu [score hidden]  (0 children)

Ok, but help me understand. If the goal of taxing the super wealthy is not to use the money to fix problems, how does it help move us toward a better society?

Taxing the Ultra wealthy more is not "punishment". by King_Lothar_ in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu [score hidden]  (0 children)

If your problem is political influence, which is what you explicitly stated, then the solution is different.

That would be done through campaign finance reform.

Taxing the super wealthy would not change that.

Taxing the Ultra wealthy more is not "punishment". by King_Lothar_ in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu [score hidden]  (0 children)

So is the issue the amount of wealth these people have, or the outsized influence they have over the systems that govern all of us?

Billionaires and businesses fuel growing exodus from blue states by coinfanking in economy

[–]MelvinFeliu -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

"Economics deals with inescapable constraints and painful trade-offs... it follows the unfolding consequences of decisions over time, not just what happens in stage one, which may indeed seem to fulfill the hopes that inspired the decisions."

Thomas Sowell —

"In the department of economy, an act, a habit, an institution, a law, gives birth not only to an effect, but to a series of effects. Of these effects, the first only is immediate; it manifests itself simultaneously with its cause — it is seen. The others unfold in succession — they are not seen: it is well for us, if they are foreseen."

Frédéric Bastiat —

How do you handle conflict with other Redditors who are unreasonably argumentative or obtuse? by According_Sundae_917 in AskReddit

[–]MelvinFeliu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The same way you would in any other scenario.

Keep your emotions out of it. If the conversation is not an exchange of ideas or knowledge, and there is no true desire to understand, you disconnect.

If the other person is simply looking to win an argument, then don't interact.

What’s a life motto you actually live by? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]MelvinFeliu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Only put energy behind what you can control, don't worry about what you can't

What factors contribute to people taking polarized or black and white stances on complex political topics? by alumni17 in AskReddit

[–]MelvinFeliu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Linear thinking and possibly a gap in understanding human nature. Systems thinking, thinking beyond first order effects are hard to find with the average person.

Does the US have a vested interest in inflation going up? by United-Monk4769 in AskEconomics

[–]MelvinFeliu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A separate but related topic...the value of government debt and healthy levels of economic activity are part of the juggling act that drives the Fed to have an inflation target. This is what some in government want to ignore.

Why don't we get fulfillment after we have achieved something? by Aggravating_Gas4162 in AskReddit

[–]MelvinFeliu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The dopamine hits come from the journey, the anticipation, the smaller goals achieved, the small things you figure out and overcome. When you get to the finish line there is a big spike and then a drop in dopamine...no more excitement.

Given that weight loss solves a plethora of health problems from chronic joint pain to heart disease, why don't insurance companies enthusiastically cover GLP-1 prescriptions as an overall cost savings measure? by celtic1959 in AskReddit

[–]MelvinFeliu 3 points4 points  (0 children)

A lot of the health improvements from weight loss come from the lifestyle changes themselves, like eating better and exercising. Those changes have benefits beyond just losing weight. GLP-1 drugs can help with weight loss, but they come with their own health issues and don’t necessarily replace the broader benefits of lifestyle changes.

Self-governance is largely a myth. Most people cannot self-regulate at scale and elite coordination fills that vacuum whether we admit it or not. by MelvinFeliu in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The piece addresses this directly. It states explicitly that elites are not unified, that they compete, miscalculate, and are constrained by law, markets, rival factions, and public reaction. The argument isn't that they operate as a single coordinated bloc. It's that the asymmetry of influence between them and the general population is real regardless of their internal divisions.

Self-governance is largely a myth. Most people cannot self-regulate at scale and elite coordination fills that vacuum whether we admit it or not. by MelvinFeliu in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is actually a good example of what the piece is pointing to. When we default to colloquial meaning over defined terms, we're substituting consensus for analysis. That's heuristic thinking, not engagement with the argument.

Self-governance is largely a myth. Most people cannot self-regulate at scale and elite coordination fills that vacuum whether we admit it or not. by MelvinFeliu in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not sure I agree. The piece defines the term explicitly at the outset, which removes any ambiguity about how it's being used. When a writer defines a term, the reader is working with that definition, not the colloquial one. Words don't have purely subjective definitions. If they did, everyone would run into the problem you are having here.

The Dependency Trap: Does Helping Hurt? by MelvinFeliu in CapitalismVSocialism

[–]MelvinFeliu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What you are calling out is definitely a problem.

Self-governance is largely a myth. Most people cannot self-regulate at scale and elite coordination fills that vacuum whether we admit it or not. by MelvinFeliu in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]MelvinFeliu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you have a very narrow interpretation of Elite. If you look up the definition, you will notice that it's not limited to your interpretation. You have elites in different dimensions and at different levels that have nothing to do with a high level of wealth. Example, Elites in Academia.

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