Sometimes people ask rhetorical questions that make no sense

[conuly]

Like with the talk about the minimum wage recently. "How would you feel if you worked hard to earn this much money, and your neighbor suddenly started getting that for standing behind the register at McDonald's?" Um, I'd be glad that my hypothetical neighbor could put food on the table without having to go to the food bank every month?

And if I lost my house (looking less likely by the day) and my neighbor had a sudden bailout that allowed them to keep theirs, I'd be glad that they got to stay in their home. Seriously, do these people all hate their neighbors or something? Maybe they should move! (These people inevitably are the sort who say that "If I couldn't feed my child, I wouldn't beg my neighbors." They think they sound principled and proud, but really they just sound like bad parents. I'd turn tricks on the street if I couldn't feed my kids, and man, that is not my skillset. Fortunately, I wouldn't have to - I've given money to my neighbors when they needed it, and they've given cash to me. That's because the people on my block don't all hate each other, or if we do, we keep it to ourselves.)

Except they won't do that. "If I lived in one of those countries where conditions are miserable, I wouldn't try to sneak into another country!" Well, bully for you, because I would, and I wouldn't look back. Bombs are dropping, there's no food, the money I had saved to buy a house isn't enough to buy a dollhouse - yes, I'm getting me and the kids out of there just as fast as our little legs can carry us.

Seriously, I don't get it. There may be good arguments to be made, but this is one area where an appeal to emotion is not going to work, because these people seem to be devoid of all human emotions whatsoever.

Comments

[siderea]

"How would you feel if you worked hard to earn this much money, and your neighbor suddenly started getting that for standing behind the register at McDonald's?"

Me, I'd feel grateful I could make that much money without having to stand behind a register at McDonalds. Is this not universal?

I just found out how much therapists at my credential level can make working for the VA. It is a lot of money. Like, programmer money.

And I find myself thinking, "Yeah, it would kind of have to be, to compensate for handling Federal paperwork."

If you think standing behind a register at McDonalds is a better job than what you've got right now for the same money, good news: you can trade up with no pay cut! Go apply for your McD position and enjoy your dream job!

Also, can I just say I am wicked in favor of as many people around me making as much money as possible because I sell things to my neighbors for a living. Like approximately everyone who is not a defense contractor or selling things wholesale, does. My ability to earn a living depends on the financial ability of customers to pay me. I am really, really, really in favor of people who want to buy my services being able to pay me for them. There are few things I am more a fan of, tbh.

As a convenient side-effect of people being able to afford to keep me in shelter and food in exchange for my professional services, they are also able to keep my favorite restaurants and cafés and bookstores and ice cream shops and museums and boutiques open, they are able to keep my favorite musicians, comedians, documentary film makers, authors, artists, and instrument makers from having to get boring day jobs that won't entertain me, and they keep my favorite music festivals and theater companies alive. My neighbors being well compensated means I get to have planetaria and movie theaters, libraries and tall ship parades, FirstNight and the Fourth of July, well kept parks and structurally sound bridges; it keeps grocery prices down and civic engagement up. Really, my neighbors making more money... I don't even, to be honest, think of it as their money, so much as "money that will soon benefit me." So I am entirely in favor of there being lots of it.

[conuly]

Me, I'd feel grateful I could make that much money without having to stand behind a register at McDonalds. Is this not universal?

Apparently not. Apparently, if you can earn $15 an hour at McDonalds, then nobody will ever put in the footwork to become a doctor or an engineer. Nevermind that the social status of those jobs is a benefit all on its own, it just won't happen.

I don't even, to be honest, think of it as their money, so much as "money that will soon benefit me." So I am entirely in favor of there being lots of it.

This is because you didn't completely sleep through high school economics, I take it? (And also kindergarten. These people inevitably seem to have gone to some crappy-ass kindergarten that didn't teach them to share their toys.)

[siderea]

This is because you didn't completely sleep through high school economics, I take it?

No, it's because I did. Man, that class was useless.

And also kindergarten. These people inevitably seem to have gone to some crappy-ass kindergarten that didn't teach them to share their toys.

I often ask people, in my head, "Did you flunk kindergarten?"

[conuly]

LOL, maybe my class was better, or maybe I was already so thoroughly indoctrinated into lefty views that it didn't take.

[agoodwinsmith]

I am here by way of Andrew Drucker, and I have quoted your words here hugely because you have exactly captured my inchoate view of Economics 101 - "it's about the customers, less-intelligent-person."