Post ApkSl30MPdHgNIJtIW by stiefel_fan@troet.cafe
(DIR) More posts by stiefel_fan@troet.cafe
(DIR) Post #Apjgr9WeHluYXJGfQ0 by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-03T07:14:30Z
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As John Burn-Murdoch (FT) notes, across the UK, in general, inequality hasn't risen particularly over that last two decades, but... what has risen is the inequality between the top 1% & the rest of us....Nevertheless, concerns about inequality are still germane, given the rates of poverty we see across the UK...But we might also suspect what actually drives middle-class (media) concern with inequality, actually is the pulling away of their super-rich neighbours in London?#inequalityh/t FT
(DIR) Post #ApjgrAd4BOdfxVHJ3o by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-04T10:42:06Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 But we must remember, that inequality is nothing bad in itself, and just a consequence of peoples different abilities, priorities and laws of nature. It is an integral and important feature of our economic system, and removing inequality will hurt everyones quality of life, since it removes a strong incentive to work, and also, the feedback mechanism that determines when you are doing something right or not.
(DIR) Post #Apjh5oA402xOcUgxuq by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-04T10:44:46Z
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@h4890 I'd agree that where inequality is related to personal/individual proclivities & actions then you're right; the key Q. is what about the inequalities that are not due to those individual actions, either due to the effects of luck & happenstance, or where inequalities are engineered by political processes.If we could easily divide off these two aspects then politics would be a lot easier... perhaps the difference is to which aspect we give the benefit of the doubt?
(DIR) Post #ApjiUFR2Ldl470qgt6 by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-04T11:00:24Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 If we're talking venn diagram time ;) I'd be perfectly happy to do something about wealth which has been gained only by having the government as a customer. On the other hand, I do not know how that could be, while also not ending up in a situation where the government would have to pay more, or have less choice, since no one good would want to do business with the government if profits where regulated. Then you have obvious bribes and government incompetence, such as
(DIR) Post #ApjifiNP5KJd3dcKR6 by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-04T11:02:28Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 a region in Stockholm buying medical socks for 500 EUR a pair, which is just silly. I don't think anyone would cry if the company selling those socks had to leave some of their profits on the table. As for luck, everyone has their good and bad days, and it would be impossible to balance it. I can live happily with my neighbour being lucky, and will rejoice with him. By its very nature, it is nothing that affects me, if we're talking lotteries and such things. If we're talking
(DIR) Post #ApjijJngOsq5zicxrE by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-04T11:03:07Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 business, it is again impossible to say where skill ends and where luck begins. Some famous baseball player said, the harder I train, the luckier I get, and I think that is a very true statement.
(DIR) Post #ApjjbuCrG9gsXkQqum by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-04T11:12:58Z
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@h4890 No. I don't disagree; the line between the two is very hard to find & is often obscured just by circumstance, but as I said the difference is whether one decides therefore to intervene with the danger prospect that might be overly intrusive or not & just to accept inequality auctioning on people through no fault of their own.... and for me the political power involved is much wider than just Govt.; the political power of those who've benefited by luck s all around us
(DIR) Post #Apjzlge08Y4sdwoXFg by stiefel_fan@troet.cafe
2025-01-04T14:13:57Z
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@h4890 @ChrisMayLA6That's a good statement, I think! As for myself I started with the need of unemployment benefits and social assistance right after finishing my studies at the University. But then I was lucky chosing a job later, which was not only rising fast but also made fun (well, mostly 😜) until now.A close friend even had more luck and also worked hard on his career, so he's overtaken me by far. 🤷🏼♂️👍What I really dislike 🤬 ...
(DIR) Post #ApkMBMDUuFdpoF3xwm by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-04T18:25:11Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 Hmm, luck is difficult to quantify. I don't see how this line of reasoning could be turned into fair and balanced action. Of course there are obvious cases, but those are far from the most common ones. It would be fun though, to know how much of Elons wealth is due to government contracts, and how much is due to private individuals free, informed consent, when buying his products.
(DIR) Post #ApkNIXYjEY4ay6yz0C by stiefel_fan@troet.cafe
2025-01-04T14:14:49Z
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@h4890 @ChrisMayLA6... are these billionaires getting their wealth from suppressing unions and paying low wages! 👿✊
(DIR) Post #ApkNIYU9n20hqDqqW0 by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-04T18:37:38Z
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@stiefel_fan @ChrisMayLA6 For me, low wages is all fair game, as long as the employees are equally free to leave. In europe, where government social security levels are so high, and in some countries, where legal minimum wage is so high, artificially low wages just lead to people simply not taking the jobs. Unions I have no problem with as long as the union members are not forcing people to join the union, or forcing people who are not union members to not go to work during a strike.
(DIR) Post #ApkNLQoskOLww2uuX2 by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-04T18:38:13Z
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@stiefel_fan @ChrisMayLA6 But unions as a form of collective bargaining I have no quarrel with. This I think is fair game for workers in a company with a strong owner.
(DIR) Post #ApkSl30MPdHgNIJtIW by stiefel_fan@troet.cafe
2025-01-04T19:38:51Z
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@h4890 @ChrisMayLA6But here - if I understood it correct - you are quite near the arguing which is preferrably used by right-wing and fascistoid parties."Social assistance is so high, people won't work but enjoy social hammock!"Similar for minimum wages: "They will ruin the economy!"In my opinion the wages should be so that the employees can have a fair living with just one job for themselves and their family or children.Btw: In Germany you do not need to be member of a union.
(DIR) Post #ApkhvFxkaYsQlsQPpI by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-04T22:28:45Z
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@h4890 and also how much is due to being int the right place at the right time?
(DIR) Post #Aplmzsy2Cr9JpSXpEu by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-05T11:00:22Z
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@stiefel_fan @ChrisMayLA6 I'm not arguing, it is a fact that in sweden (which is the country I am following) social benefits have been so high, that immigranst with children received 3000 EUR per month doing nothing. That's absurd, has hindered integration, and led to an increase in hostility toward immigrants. That high minimum wages is a negative for the economy is scientifically proven. It hurts competitiveness of companies, and hurts the ones that are furthest from the job market the most.
(DIR) Post #Apln4bCJhW4iAJTM2a by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-05T11:01:13Z
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@stiefel_fan @ChrisMayLA6 This is nothing controversial, but just common, proven knowledge. Sweden has no minimum salary and is doing just fine, by allowing the market to set the salaries. The only thing sweden would need is a massive lowering of social security benefits, and the economy would be in even better shape.
(DIR) Post #AplnI74UVRjwmiFwBc by stiefel_fan@troet.cafe
2025-01-04T19:50:43Z
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@h4890 @ChrisMayLA6On the other hand even if you are not a union member you will get the same wages as union members. So why not become a member? Getting all the advantages but don't do anything in exchange? It's just a few €/month and you get monetarian support during strike, union lawyers in case of trouble with your company etc. etc.Right-wing parties like this but what, if the unions are not strong enough for week or monthlong strikes? Imagine for yourself.I call these employees ticks! 🤬
(DIR) Post #AplnI8RvNo4x3gEALo by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-04T22:33:52Z
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@stiefel_fan @h4890 Its the old free-rider problem - a problem unions have had to deal with for years....
(DIR) Post #AplnI9Aahjo9ID7pyK by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-05T11:03:36Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 @stiefel_fan As for the unions, this is easy to explain. They are extremely crappy salary negotiators. I've never been a member of any union because of this, and because of ideological reasons, and I always gotten higher raises negotiating myself. Strikes I find most often, to be unethical, depending on how they are done, and I never had the need for it. If I am unhappy I quit and find another job. Their benefits are also quite crappy, and I can buy better services, if I need
(DIR) Post #AplnKTFB2b2S88NX72 by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-05T11:04:06Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 @stiefel_fan them, with the higher salary I get from negotiating myself, and the money saved by not being a member of a union.
(DIR) Post #AploOoGouHE2SHmQCW by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-05T11:16:04Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 A lot... but the odds of that happening can be changed by trying to be in the right place and the right time, often. Based on personal experience, the more sales calls you make, the more sales meetings you have, the bigger the chance that you eventually will be in the right place at the right time.
(DIR) Post #AploucJqsNNWekMgi0 by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-05T11:21:48Z
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@h4890 @stiefel_fan Why would strikes been unethical - surely, as per you previous remarks, is merely collective action by workers? Not dissimilar to a collective action by shareholders (via management) not to invest?
(DIR) Post #AplpIyyUIN6Bs2zSgi by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-05T11:26:11Z
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@h4890 A quantity theory of luck?
(DIR) Post #ApntXeJ2D9S0FElnZw by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-06T11:23:06Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 @stiefel_fan It depends. As long as the strikes respect each individual employment contracts, and does not stop other from working, I have nothing against them. But if peoples on a strike would stop me from working, as someone not part of the union, it is not ethical.
(DIR) Post #Apnu1sRgCnrcmjEAEK by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-06T11:28:35Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 That sounds plausible to me. Of course you do need to make sure you are doing approximately the right thing, in the right way, but as long as you got that covered, I'd say the more and harder you try, the greater your luck will be. It could also be framed as hard work, perhaps. ;)
(DIR) Post #Apo0WH89ahVJkyyM5I by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-06T12:41:15Z
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@h4890 @stiefel_fan aha, yes I can see that; how do you feel about non-obstructive picketing?
(DIR) Post #Apo0qhqvwpYiQTezeC by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-06T12:44:56Z
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@h4890 That's certainly what's behind the Gary Player saying
(DIR) Post #ApprlL62cL65850pm4 by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-07T10:12:36Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 @stiefel_fan Well, I am not against people communicating their point of view and arguments, this is ok. As long as I, after having received their information, have a free choice of working or not working, that is perfectly fine.
(DIR) Post #AppsCItmtcli8G8eo4 by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-07T10:17:29Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 Who is Gary Player? I don't think I ever heard the name before.
(DIR) Post #Appv3V4cYr7h9DhQvo by ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
2025-01-07T10:49:29Z
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@h4890 He was an American golfer, who said:'The more I practice the luckier I get'!
(DIR) Post #ApqL7mR8XqZGxtvt1U by h4890@liberdon.com
2025-01-07T15:41:37Z
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@ChrisMayLA6 Ahhh... so that's where it's from! I thought it was a baseball player, but now I know. Thank you!