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Subject: 
Re: Preaching to the Choir
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Mon, 9 Aug 2004 23:54:41 GMT
Viewed: 
2097 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks wrote:
   In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler wrote:
   In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
   In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks wrote:

  
  
  
  
   And does “common earnings per hour rate” mean that everyone would get the same hourly wage regardless of profession?

Yeah. Ideally, under such a system the medium of exchange would simply be the manhour.

But wouldn’t that play havoc with comparative advantage?

Hopefully. That’s the goal.

Seriously? Have you read “The Road to Serfdom”? I’m just curious.

  
  
   One hour of Bill Gates’s time is worth more than one hour of Paul Krugman’s time

I used to think that too. But I’m stunned with myself for having done so. It is so clearly obvious to me now that that philosophy is supportive of an inherently unfair and anti-social society that it is startling that I fell for it.

OK, can I run a thought experiment here for a sec? Suppose I’m a brain surgeon and a darn good one. Save lots of lives every day I go in to work. But one day I decide my real calling is digging holes. So I go out in my yard and put in a 40 hour week digging holes.

They’re very nice holes, really, but they serve no useful purpose, in fact they detract from the value of my yard. However I worked really really hard at it, I wasn’t goofing off at all, I put in 40 hours fair and square.

Should I get paid 40 hours at my normal rate (whatever that is, I am guessing a standard wage in your system) for those holes? Why or why not? If so, who decided I should? If not, who decided I shouldn’t?

   The very desire to have more than others is a sickness that we probably can’t help.

How so? How is wanting to have a Lexus instead of a Tercel a “sickness”?



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Preaching to the Choir
 
(...) I haven't. If I was going to take the time to read this or Machinery of Freedom (which I've meant to read forever) which would you suggest? (...) But of course! (...) Digging holes (useful ones, that is) is perfectly honorable work and should (...) (20 years ago, 10-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)
  Re: Preaching to the Choir
 
(...) This sounds to me like a strong statement in support of Chris' thesis that one person's workhour is not inherently worth more than another's. If my brain is working just fine (let's say that it is), and the brains of my friends and family (...) (20 years ago, 10-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Preaching to the Choir
 
(...) That's how I meant it all along. Sorry for being unclear. You don't have to have people as stewards, though that might foster a philosophic advantage for society, so long as what's taxed is the wealth, regardless of who owns it. For the rest (...) (20 years ago, 9-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)

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