Post by @hikingdude@mastodon.social

2026-09-01 07:43 UTC

Someone recently complained about all the taxes we pay. I said: "well, our social system want's to be paied, too. But okay, let's lower the taxes - which kind of services are you willing to give up?" He responded with several services that OTHERS benefit from. I let him talk and then said: "nono, what are YOU willing to give up, not what you want to take away from others? I mean, we want less taxes, so we give away sth" ... and then there was silence. I think he got the point.

Replies (4)

@ives@mstdn.social 2026-09-01 08:15

@hikingdude@mastodon.social same over here. “The government is robbing us!” (deep sigh 🙄)

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@electricfusionQ@muenchen.social 2026-09-01 08:27

@hikingdude@mastodon.social you can pin it always down to comfort/benefit. If it gets uncomfortable or someone else has a benefit, people start complaining.

Open ##5237744
@Halaana@mastodon.social 2026-09-01 08:49

@hikingdude@mastodon.social There's government spending that I do object to, dysfunctional defence procurement for example. Things like health spending are beneficial, even if I rarely directly benefit from it. I prefer paying a little more tax to living in a health insurance dystopia.

Open ##5237752
@slotos@toot.community 2026-09-01 08:59

@hikingdude@mastodon.social There’s one service that I’m willing to take away entirely and I won’t ever feel guilty about it - the service of having capital extract rent from working people. „What are you willing to give up” makes two bold claims that most people aren’t equipped to immediately address: - the claim that taxing work exclusively and sufficiently funds governments - the claim that everyone gets taxed equally

Open ##5237755