> There are two ways to view the world,....
More than that. Seeing that is the first step in "not being a dick"
I agree.
An additional aspect which is the reason I'm fairly left leaning is that I really dislike encounters with downtrodden people so I will gladly pay more taxes to prevent/save them from being that way.
I could not live in a place with a homelessness issue like LA.
Re:Stop Filming Strangers in 2023
by wonderwonder on Monday January 09, 2023 @02:21PM
(#34314715)
Places like LA have high taxes and more homeless than places without high taxes. Maybe the programs in place that the high taxes pay for just incentivize homeless people to move there? Left leaning cities have a far greater number of homeless people.
Re:Stop Filming Strangers in 2023
by wonderwonder on Monday January 09, 2023 @02:27PM
(#34314789)
I would argue there is a third. I'm open to taxes going up if the extra money is used effectively. Also what behavior are the funds incentivizing? If they are not used effectively or the incentivized behavior is not optimal then I am against them. For example cities like LA and SF give money to the homeless with virtually zero requirements so they are in effect incentivizing homeless people to move there and stay homeless. I am against this. I would be for spending money to clean homeless people up and get them jobs and provide shelter until they have acclimated back into society. The program would require actual proof of the participants trying to fix their circumstances. I am always for feeding and caring for homeless kids.
I make no judgement about which is "better" or "worse" - they both have positives and negatives. Inevitably, and obviously, you can probably figure out which one you fall into based on which one you react to.
In the first case, you view the world around you and yours. You see events and think "how does this affect me and people like me". If taxes are going up this means I get less money.
The alternative is through the lens of "how does this affect others." - them and theirs - yes, taxes are going up, but those in need will get better medical care, and I already have enough money myself.
It's not just about money. Basically every policy discussion revolves around "us" and "them". Immigration, inflation, exploitation, environment, defense, guns and do on. How will this affect me and mine. How will it affect them and theirs.
Inevitably every policy has an impact on a continuum, but too often the extreme is presented by media to reinforce one end of the spectrum. Thus the extremes start to matter more than the nuanced middle ground.