Hard work = $250,000 ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2006
Hard work = $250,000 ?
376
Fri, 10-24-2008 - 9:07am

I’ve read repeatedly that the $250,000 is hard earned money that the government has no right to tax. Personally, I don’t believe that hard work consistently results in high salaries and I’m not convinced that people who make more money work harder or deserve more than most people. Most people, I believe, do work hard and most people are rewarded with 25,000 – 45,000 salary. Not all some hard workers make more and some make less. What do you think? Is the Just World view valid?

http://www.princeton.edu/~rbenabou/beliefs7csend.pdf

most people have a strong need to believe that they live in a world that is just, in the sense that people generally get what they deserve, and deserve what they get. When confronted with data that contradicts this view they try hard to ignore, reinterpret, distort, or forget it —for instance by finding imaginary merits to the recipients of fortuitous rewards, or assigning blame to innocent victims.

Because of their imperfect willpower, individuals constantly strive to motivate themselves (or their children) towards effort, educational investment, perseverance in the face of adversity, and away from the slippery slope of idleness, welfare dependency, crime, drugs, etc. This is another recurrent finding from the sociological evidence. In such circumstances, maintaining somewhat rosy beliefs about the fact that everyone will ultimately get their “just deserts” can be very valuable. Furthermore, if enough individuals end up with the view that economic success is highly dependent on effort, they will ultimately represent a pivotal voting block, and set a low tax rate. Conversely, when individuals anticipate that society will carry out little redistribution, the costs of a deficient motivation to effort or savings are much higher than with high taxes and
a generous safety net. Each individual thus has greater incentives to maintain his belief that effort ultimately pays, and consequently more voters end up with such a world view.

For instance, data from the World Values Survey shows that only 29% of Americans believe that the poor are trapped in poverty, and only 30% that luck, rather than effort or education, determines income. The figures for Europeans are nearly double: 60% and 54% respectively. Similarly, Americans are more than twice as likely as Europeans to think that the poor are lazy (60% versus 26%).

Indeed, 59% of Americans agree or strongly agree that “in the long run, hard work usually brings a better life”; this view commands much less support in Europe, ranging from 34% in Sweden to 43% in Germany.

Is the “American dream,” according to our theory, just a self-sustaining collective illusion?

http://www.princeton.edu/~rbenabou/beliefs7csend.pdf

uCruiser.com Ticker

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2006
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 11:48am
You are the only one implying anything.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2007
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 11:54am

You do realize that is not Holocaust specific?

Jess


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2007
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 11:56am

"Stop implying that McCain was secretly pleased with the skinheads who were arrested for plotting to kill blacks."


Can you show me the post where this was implied?


"Stop implying that because someone disagrees with you, it reminds you of Nazi policies."


I believe you brought up the Nazi implication.

Jess


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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 12:00pm
go look at 4694.1 in the thread "So it begins"
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2006
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 12:03pm

You are the only one that brought up those things.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 12:03pm

Actually, given the reference to "of a certain blood", I do believe it was Holocaust-specific.


That eliminates your suggestion that it could apply to China.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2006
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 12:04pm

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 12:04pm
See my comment above where referring to mom's reference to "of a certain blood".
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2007
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 12:06pm
I do not see any instance that implied Sen McCain would be happy about the developments.
Jess


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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 12:07pm
given that the poster said that McCain and Palin instigated it, they'd certainly be happy with the results, no?

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