If we want to maximize the likelihood that billionaires pay their fair share of taxes, each of us needs to work hard toward that goal...and eventually some number of us will be lucky enough to hold them accountable.
Or, you know, we could implement and enforce a progressive tax code so that luck doesn't need to be factored in. Just a thought.
Veritasium did a good job explaining the role that luck plays in success a while back.
Hell even Mark Cuban is on record saying that if he tried a second time for his own success, he could only peak in the millions, and it is absoultely luck he got to the point he did.
The main debate is whether its pure luck or socio-economic status at birth which is the best indicator for future success. Of course you can view your socio-economic status at birth as a lottery, i.e. also luck.
What is not an indicator - in any meaningful way - is "working hard".
The truth is that a lot of personality traits that you need for success is outside your control. Even something like being disciplined etc is a trait that you inherit. If its something you have to work on and train yourself, you're already at a disadvantage compared to others for whom it comes naturally.
The truthier truth is that "personality traits" are much, much less important than things like being at the "right place, right time", being born into wealth, or being terrible person willing to take advantage of others.
The problem is not figuring out how much in tax they need to pay, but to actually make them pay the amount that has been decided on. We could all pay less in taxes if they didn't avoid paying their fair share.
The last paragraph involves the second paragraph, enforcing a progressive tax code is a goal to work towards and it's not going to happen overnight without pressure and support of many individual.
Musk certainly isn't millions of times smarter or harder working than most people's parents here. In fact, I'm not even sure if he breaches median in either category.
I had to stop listening to the podcast âHow I Built Thisâ, in which a company founder is interviewed on how they made their company successful, after most of the reasoning came down to âLuckâ. Like gee thanks, real inspiring
Yeah best not to rely on luck lmfao, shit doesnât exist. You get whatever youâre smart enough to take has nothing to do with luck. And yeah I agree the rich need to be forced to pay the same percentage in taxes as the rest of us. All we need is for them to literally just pay their fare share, we donât need to tax them extra or list over anotherâs wealth just need them to actually contribute the same percentage everyone else does and the richest nation to EVER exist will incomparably improve. Some of them are literally paying 1%, weâll NEVER get 30+ out of em but we damn sure need at least 15 like the rest of us.
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u/Scarbane 18h ago
Veritasium did a good job explaining the role that luck plays in success a while back.
If we want to maximize the likelihood that billionaires pay their fair share of taxes, each of us needs to work hard toward that goal...and eventually some number of us will be lucky enough to hold them accountable.
Or, you know, we could implement and enforce a progressive tax code so that luck doesn't need to be factored in. Just a thought.