Does it make sense to become a good slave?

[wdiaz03]

If we are all part of a tax farm. What is the rationale for becoming the best at what one does?

Why should a slave be as much productive as he can be?

Why not just get by and not feed the beast, The more productive you are, the more tax revenue that can be extracted, making the farmer wealthier and providng him with the resources  to better enslave not only you but your fellow tax cows.

 

Thoughts?

[TheRobin]

My first thoughts: You also get more money for yourself, which means more quality of life for you and, in case you have (or going to have) kids and family, for them.

[Magnus]

I have absolutely no desire for what passes for luxurious wealth.  I live in a part of the country with some major high rollers, so I see these people with their multiple houses with servants' entrances, cars, boats, all kinds of travel ... it holds zero appeal for me.  It makes me tired just to think of dealing with all that stuff. 

 

When I daydream, I dream of having zero debt and economic independence.  I would just as soon live in a small apartment and keep my personal possessions to minimum -- a bicycle, a tablet, my bass, a tennis racquet.  I already dress like an Amish person.  If I wanted to get really fancy, I think about buying a motorcycle from the 1970s and rebuilding it myself.  If I could afford the $2,000 for that, that's what I'd drive. 

 

Even my short list of stuff represents some real luxury, I think. The level of quality of modern clothing, shelter, electronics and transportation ... it's things that most of humanity, for most of human history, would never be able to own.  In the modern West, as hamstrung as our markets are, having so little stuff is considered to be extremely odd. 

 

I think the typical consumerist fantasy is promoted by the same interests that promote Statism.  And, unfortunately, the groups that tend to promote minimalism and anti-consumerism are all heavily Socialist, or (even worse) Enviro-nutters.  Libertarianism/anarcho-capitalism tends to be anti-anti-consumerist, just to rebut the Commies and Greens, and revels in the consumer abundance that markets provide.  I tend to agree, philosophically, but personally, none of it motivates me.  It's anti-motivating, if anything. 

 

One of the things that people used to justify a upper-middle-class consumerist lifestyle was the idea that high incomes meant you could send your kids to the best schools.  That sounds so selfless and laudable doesn't it?  But nowadays, in the age of the Internet, I'm not convinced that legacy educational credentials are a good buy, even if you could afford them.  The price is insane, thanks to governmental subsidy, and is only going to get worse now that Obama has fully socialized the "student loan" industry.  For what?  So you can send your kid off to Princeton so he can become a bond trader?  So he can "repay" his loans?  Something like 70% of them go into finance or "consulting" after graduation.  Where's the creativity?  The entrepreneurship?  Ivy League educations are trading entirely on their brand name now (i.e., a lot of smoke and mirrors), not offering any real value to a person's life. 

 

So, beyond achieving financial independence, what is a good motivation?  I don't know.  I've spent a lot of time thinking about it, and I guess I'm too busy getting out of my debt-prison to figure it out, but if I had to answer, I'd say that the only thing that could motivate me to get out of bed in the morning would be to accomplish things that are difficult and personally-meaningful -- whatever your strengths are, offer them to the world to improve it.  That thing could be artistic, philosophical, scientific, entrepreneurial, or something else entirely, but it's too personal and subjective for anyone to tell you what it is. 

[Hannibal]

If we are all part of a tax farm. What is the rationale for becoming the best at what one does?

Why should a slave be as much productive as he can be?

Why not just get by and not feed the beast, The more productive you are, the more tax revenue that can be extracted, making the farmer wealthier and providng him with the resources  to better enslave not only you but your fellow tax cows.

 

Thoughts?

 

Have you read Atlas Shrugged?  I don;t think going Galt is as simple these days though.

 

To answer your question, the rationale for becoming the best at what you do is pride, and pride is the source of real human happiness. If your job hobby/whatever is creating value, increasing the quality of life for yourself and/or those around you, then for someone who values life the creation of wealth and happiness should bring great pride (look at a caveman - your default state - and compare that with the lifestyle you create. It's all by deliberate choice and effort). 

 

Why do I strive to be the best I can be even though that just makes more money for the state? because despite having a chunk of my wealth-creation wasted, there is still a net gain as far as I'm concerned. If that were ever to stop being the case, then i'd stop being productive. If you think about it, these kinds of discussions aren;t happening in other countries where the people are so poor that just surviving takes up all of their attention. The relatively huge wealth I have gives me the freedom to consider the evils of the state, and how they might be undone. 

[Pepin]

My suggestion is to not consider the state in these choices.

[Gaurav251]

I used to think of this too before "why should I work hard if the harder I work the more I give into these parasitic grubby hands of the state?" Then I thought that it would actually hurt me more then it would hurt them if I stop doing things I want or not do something at the best of my abilities just because of the state taking a part of my work as a way to sustain them selves. Its not like the world will suddenly change to the better if I stopped working or doing my best at life just because of the state so I just like to think that I do things for my own self (or my own benefit) and not because of any one else's desires or wishes, or what ever they want out of me.

[Stoic_Dreamer]

A working class/low income living sucks... it takes its toll on you physically, mentally, financially, and emotionally. When you come home after work aching to the bone every day, get sick often, and have to constantly worry about budgeting/bills all while realizing that you make almost no real salary that isn't automatically consumed in the moment, it wears you down to the point where you're 26 years old and already burned out. The middle class might be disappearing/taxed out of existence but they lead much cushier lives, and so do their children. Screw the state, ignore it as much as possible would be my advice. You wouldn't base/reorient your existence off of a private individual that mugs you, and neither should you do it when a gang robs you. Find tax shelters- contribute as much as you can to private retirement, trust funds for your children, other investments, or nonprofit/philanthropic organizations that allow you to take tax deductions. Send money to overseas accounts, work in the grey or black market if you have to. Just don't live a crappy life the other 364 days because some thug points a gun at you once a year.

 

I also like Ben Stone's "beyond civil disobedience" notion of doing an absolutely horrendous job in the public sector so that you help bleed the empire dry and show just how incompetent it can be. I personally don't think that I could stomach working for the state... but a house slave with a field slave mentality can be absolutely devastating if they are in the right position. Public sector workers also contribute absolutely nothing to the tax revenue, as they feed off of it. I don't know what effect that might have on your soul/moral principles though. Like I said, I don't think that I could personally do it.

http://www.badquaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/0388pc323BeyondCivilDisobediencePart3.mp3

If you have the time listen to Part 1 through 4 in order so that it makes more sense.

[Zimobog]

If we are all part of a tax farm. What is the rationale for becoming the best at what one does?Why should a slave be as much productive as he can be?Why not just get by and not feed the beast, The more productive you are, the more tax revenue that can be extracted, making the farmer wealthier and providng him with the resources  to better enslave not only you but your fellow tax cows. Thoughts?

Be productive because it benefits you and your partners in life. Stay mad about getting robbed. But be productive.Many people are happy "getting by". I shop at thrift shops, heat with wood or coal, plant a garden, bring home the wild meat and fish, ie all kinds of things that could be considered "getting by". HOWEVER: I hate having other people telling me what to do. So working hard to get to a level where I work so that no one can tell me what to do also brought financial rewards. A fringe benefit of working hard/smart/efficient. Money can bring you more freedom than the other cattle. But stay mad about being robbed.Look at it this way: if millions of people on welfare and trillions dumped into militarism couldn't "bleed the beast" than how can little old you?I say I am better off making more money, investing it wisely, enjoying my vacation package, and having the money to attract a decent hard working mate who partnered with me to raise freedom-loving children.You want to hurt the bastards: raise kids who laugh at them.

[wdiaz03]

...

Be productive because it benefits you and your partners in life. Stay mad about getting robbed. But be productive.Look at it this way: if millions of people on welfare and trillions dumped into militarism couldn't "bleed the beast" than how can little old you?

...

 

Thanks all for the replies. Zimobog, I was not approaching if from the angle of "bleeding the beast".

 

My question involves the morality of being the best one can be for personal comfort while knowing that the more you achieve the more resources the farmer have to keep the cattle enslaved.

 

For example, Say you are in a plantation and the more potatoes you collect the more food you are rewarded with etc. but the more potatoes you collect the more money the slave owner has to buy better chains, wips, and more slave handlers etc. In other words while you as an individual benefit the group of slaves as a whole is not better off.

 

To take it to a biology analogy, Say you had a parasite that would get bigger the more and better you ate. The more you indulge in good food the bigger it gets...SO while your present self benefits from the nice flavors and satisfaction, your future self will pay the price. Why not refrain from indulging yourself from fancy food, remain at a confortable level and keep the parasite growth to a minimum,

 

I hope this makes sense. I'm not talking about becoming a hobo. I'm talking about the fancy stuff people want and have to be more productive to get. in other words, if it makes sense to go the extra mile,

[TDB]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Our choices are: go Galt or produce to the max, transparency or obscurity, follow the "legal" rules or break those based on coercion.

Transparency and honesty help us achieve integrity, authenticity, sincerity, etc. and cultivate our true selves and struggle for self-knowledge. Deceit and secrecy reenforce the false self, and bring cognitive dissonance. I conclude that healthy people either tell the truth honestly, or refuse to reveal information others have no right to know (info that could be used for identity theft, or intimate details of sex life, etc.).

So in an ideal world, we would all act with integrity. In the actual world we inhabit, honesty may bear a high price. By honestly producing value and openly following the rules, we prop up the system and provide resources to violent aggressors. And while our psychological health may gain from the honesty, honesty and rule-following will not protect us if some bureaucrat finds us inconvenient or not sufficiently respectful.

transparent outlaw = civil disobedience = expect to live in jail, with integrity, activist

transparent legal Galt = low risk of jail, poverty, high integrity, mostly pointless

transparent legal producer = low risk of jail, good income, flaming tax cow

obscure productive outlaw = risk jail, good income, integrity problems, black market maven

obscure Galt outlaw = risk jail, poverty, low integrity, saboteur

obscure productive legal = low risk of jail, good income, flaming tax cow

obscure legal Galt = low jail risk, poverty, total slave

 

The amount of taxes we pay make almost no difference to the federal budget, borrowing or money creation take up any slack. Higher debt and larger money supply increase the fragility of the system, but no amount of tax paying would solve that problem.

[weeb]

Just try not to be the most recognized, "stand out" slave on the farm.  The farmer will notice.  Herd mentality will keep you off the farmers radar, so that you can enjoy as much freedom as they'll let you have.  If you are perceived to be a problem with the herd, you will be put in a separate pen for closer control. 

[wdiaz03]

....

 

So your question can be rephrased from what I gather is that, "For people who know that they are slaves to the government (forced taxation and other things), what is the best way to live so as to benefit ourselves and not harm others in the future?" My answer to this would be to do self work, inform people of the parasite, and to raise kids with the principles of NAP. Because I believe that these things changes our lives (I'm on my journey now so someone like Stef is a big inspiration for me) for the better. And economically wise, I think people should (I included...looking for a career now...urg...long process) do what they really like doing so they have a happy life irregardless of whether it benefits the master or harms the future slaves....we probably won't make a huge dent in the general flow of the well being of masters and slaves just by economic activities alone. 

 

Does this answer your question? I hope I'm not going too far off..

 

Thank you for your reply, You correctly rephrased the question. And I think you are correct about the small effect on the "plantation" but to me it becomes one of those...Will you take money from someone if they will never find out...but it is only a dollar... it is such a small about....etc.

There seems to be a moral responsibility hidden somewhere...

 

For example say you are working on the human genome and decode all sort of genes and their effects. Later the government uses that knowledge for social engineering and exploit people even more. You can claim that you had no idea that your research was going to be used in this way. On the other hand, if somehow you knew for sure that your work was going to be used for evil...would you stop doing it?

[wdiaz03]

If I knew for sure that it would be used for evil, yes I would stop it because if my knowledge or invention was surely going to create more harm than good, my creation is useless unless I intended to do harm. So anyone who would create something like that fully knowing that it is going to harm more people than help people, that person is not a slave...he just became the abuser. I think the hardest part is knowing it fully the consequences of your inventions. Maybe if you are intending to create a bomb or something, you know it will harm people....but if you are decoding the genome or something like that it's really difficult to know because there are tremendous benefits to that as well. For example, the gov. uses the internet to more efficiently kill and track people but it's not exclusive to the gov. People from all around the world benefit from it.

 

I think the only thing that is wrong is the persistent intention of and the use of aggression. A slave that accidentally creates something that the abusers (gov, masters, parents) can use to enslave use even more isn't wrong I think. It's the aggressors that are wrong. So IMHO, the line has to be drawn there. Because first, we can speculate as to how our products are going to affect the world, but we fully don't know unless there is an evil intention to it. And second, by worrying about what we-the slaves-are doing good or bad I think we may get  stuck in this dangerous mindset of thinking slaves are somehow bad morally. We can try to judge which slaves are the best and the worse morally but the truth that probably divides us even more into slave factions (good people vs bad people) that the masters can use for their own benefit. And just to reiterate, if you knew that your invention is going to harm more people than do good with 100% certainty, and you create it, you have just become the abuser or you are really wanting to be one...

 

Hope the explanation helps answer your question...

 

And I was curious as to why you asked that question? Are you having a dilemma somewhere? Hesitancy about a new venture? I don't know...just guessing by the content.. 

 

Thanks again,

I see your point, but things are less obvious, For example on the genome analogy, you are part or a very large team, your contribution is miniscule but knowing what you know now, the end result will be abused, would you still work overtime go for promotions and become overall more productive?

 

The reason I ask is because after taking the red pill one starts questioning the "be all you can be" slogan that is chanted by the masses, It would be like Neo increasing his brain energy output over time knowing that he is fueling the very machine that imprisons him. Certainly for Neo becoming a burden by not producing enough energy will call the attention of the machine, and he will probably get recycled, but does it makes moral sense for him to produce as much energy as he can?

 

This might be a "Life boat" type citation we are living in and morality might not apply, or I might just be over thinking this. I just wanted to get your thoughts on the matter.

 

Thanks all that replied.