I admit that politics is mixed into my opinions here.
It's just that based on current political climate, I think it's hard to keep politics aside.
My thoughts about pg have essentially gone through this flow:
- Start reading some of the old essays in college, agree with most of the points
- Start working, the essays slowed down. I read old ones once in a while, still mostly agree
- Start following pg on twitter. There's some stuff I don't agree with but it's alright.
- See a lot of stuff that I don't agree with [1]
(in between somewhere, I got convinced that keeping politics on sidelines is not an options)
Then I see the essay on wealth tax. My read is that main argument is that the tax compounds. But I don't see any alternative arguments. So I see his position as against the transfer of wealth and societal equality and I don't agree with that.
Maybe I'm being too opinionated or not reading deep enough, but that was my line of thought.
> So I see his position as against the transfer of wealth
That would be consistent with his previous writings on the topic. He doesn't necessarily seem to be against all taxation that results in some transfer of wealth away from the rich, especially, I suspect through inheritance. Someone who believes founding startups are an important way humanity's wealth increases is likely to be hesitant about anything that might put the brakes on that process; a wealth tax would diminish the incentive for smart people to go all-in on high-risk high-reward ideas.
It's just that based on current political climate, I think it's hard to keep politics aside.
My thoughts about pg have essentially gone through this flow: - Start reading some of the old essays in college, agree with most of the points - Start working, the essays slowed down. I read old ones once in a while, still mostly agree - Start following pg on twitter. There's some stuff I don't agree with but it's alright. - See a lot of stuff that I don't agree with [1]
(in between somewhere, I got convinced that keeping politics on sidelines is not an options)
Then I see the essay on wealth tax. My read is that main argument is that the tax compounds. But I don't see any alternative arguments. So I see his position as against the transfer of wealth and societal equality and I don't agree with that.
Maybe I'm being too opinionated or not reading deep enough, but that was my line of thought.
https://twitter.com/Pinboard/status/1130241349935149056