*** OFFICIAL BREXIT SUNLIT UPLANDS and #MEGA THREAD ***

[OngBonga]

I mean, forgetting about how the wealth was obtained, I'm not against a dying person being legally permitted to give away their assets to whoever they like. The downside of that is wealth accumulation in rich families. That does suck. But what sucks more is the state saying "your assets aren't actually yours, they're ours and we'll take them back when you die". I have a greater moral problem with that than I do inheritance.

Of course, where the wealth has been obtained by historically questionable methods, it's a different debate, but that's a matter for courts, not something I'm going to concern myself about because it's politicised and subject to misinformation and propaganda, it's a can of worms I don't care to open. Pretty much every country in the world has something in their history to be ashamed of. There are bigger problems with the RF than their history, such as protecting nonces today.

Poop, do you really think classism isn't a thing in Europe? France certainly has class issues, that's a civilised republic isn't it? Surely Germany does too, and for sure Italy does. That's the three big comparable countries to the UK in the EU. There are laws in both the EU and the UK that protect people from discrimination, so it's a socioeconomic problem. That isn't something you can change by just demanding it or voting for it. The only way to remove class from society is if there is income equality, but why the fuck should I get paid the same as a doctor? My job has evolved from making beds and cleaning toilets to sitting on my ass all night drinking tea, trying to stay awake while hoping the fire alarm doesn't go off. I deserve to be in a lower economic class than doctors. The doctor deserves a nicer house than I do, a nicer lifestyle. In a world where we all have different tasks requiring different skills, intelligence and physical abilities, we're going to have income inequality, and therefore class.

Social discrimination (as opposed institutional discrimination) is kind of inevitable in free market societies. People tend to socialise with those on relatively equal financial footing. If my friends were rich, I wouldn't be able to afford to eat where they wanted to. You'd probably be guilty of that yourself. If you have two equal candidates for a job, one comes from a poor background and the other a wealthy background, and you give the job to the poor guy for that reason, you're discriminating against the rich guy. That's classism. It works both ways. You can morally justify it to yourself easily and sleep just fine at night, but it's still classism.

If a society is classless, it surely has bigger problems.

[Poopadoop]

I mean, forgetting about how the wealth was obtained, I'm not against a dying person being legally permitted to give away their assets to whoever they like. The downside of that is wealth accumulation in rich families. That does suck. But what sucks more is the state saying "your assets aren't actually yours, they're ours and we'll take them back when you die". I have a greater moral problem with that than I do inheritance.

The state taxes us, that is taking wealth from people. I suppose you want to abolish that too? Ok, no more roads, etc.

And I don't have a problem with inheritance in principle. I have a problem with the royal family getting £100m a year of our money to walk around being useless.

Of course, where the wealth has been obtained by historically questionable methods, it's a different debate, but that's a matter for courts, not something I'm going to concern myself about because it's politicised and subject to misinformation and propaganda, it's a can of worms I don't care to open. Pretty much every country in the world has something in their history to be ashamed of. There are bigger problems with the RF than their history, such as protecting nonces today.

Fine, let them keep some of their property. But stop giving them grants and tell them they have to earn a living like the rest of us. And pay taxes like the rest of us.

Poop, do you really think classism isn't a thing in Europe? France certainly has class issues, that's a civilised republic isn't it?

I haven't lived in Europe, but I doubt it is an issue the way it is here. My postdoc is French, and she says class is not a thing in France the way it is here. That's what happens when you abolish the monarcy. In Canada and the US (where I have lived), no-one talks about what class a person is. It just isn't a thing.

And I know for a fact that class has been historically a bigger issue here than in Germany, France, and Italy.

The only way to remove class from society is if there is income equality,

Class and income inequality are related, but they're not the same thing. You've never lived anywhere else, so you don't get it.

I know a fellow prof who has a bug up his ass because he comes from a working class family. Nobody where I'm from would give a shit, they'd just say 'so what?'. But he brings it up all the time and so obviously it's a big thing here.

Even the language you use here. People use the words 'working class', 'middle class', 'upper class', all the time when they talk about politics. So again, obviously it's a big thing.

but why the fuck should I get paid the same as a doctor?

I think you're confusing me with a communist. I never said everyone should earn the same amount. It should just be less disparate, like in Scandinavia (or Canada for that matter). And you shouldn't have a whole group of aristocrats who's biggest contribution to the world is say "pwahhh!" and riding around on horses and shooting foxes. Fuck off.

Social discrimination (as opposed institutional discrimination) is kind of inevitable in free market societies. People tend to socialise with those on relatively equal financial footing.

It doesn't have to be as gross as it is (income inequality).

If a society is classless, it surely has bigger problems.

Like what?