Intrusive advertising is THE cornerstone of capitalism...

[Ankesh]

Originally Posted by Richard Dennis

That people are happier with less freedom, less money, and more government?

Thanks Richard.

To tell you the truth, the idea does not sit well with me personally. But I'm trying to look at it from a macro level.

I don't think people in Denmark are less free.
I think their per capita income levels are also higher. So its certainly not less money.

But what they have is higher taxes. And bigger governments. And the government using higher taxes to provide basic necessities like security, food, health, education to all.

So "less freedom, less money, and more government" should not be bunched together. Because it'll just deviate the discussion.

There seems to be evidence that shows that populations get happier when their basic necessities are guaranteed. So it makes sense to not to reject the idea of social democracy out right. But figure out a middle way to may be make it a bit more merit based. At least thats my current thinking on it.

the answer.

Look at all of the lottery winners who thought winning the lottery would make them HAPPY.

Saying you are happy is like saying you have the in-laws living with you
but they are staying in the camper in the back. It's its own oxymoron.

Being content on the other hand is the key. Happiness comes and goes... BUT if you truly are content, you will have peace AND happiness in your life.

It's not all about money, or who provides you what, its about being content with ones life.

I would like to know the countries that have the most CONTENT people.

Am I happy if someone is paying my health care, maybe my bills, my mortgage and so on. SURE. BUT AM I CONTENT?

The difference between happiness and contentment? Deep down inside.

later...
Pappy

Ankesh,

Here's the thing.

A business must have a clue what it is doing, because it has competitors. A business must make some % of good choices when it spends money. Most businesses cannot make bad choices for long, or they will sink below the waterline and drown.

A government has no such restrictions. People in government are not spending their own money, so they have no worries about drowning. In the US, government reps work out deals with each other to benefit each other's re-election chances ... spending your money and mine.

And what they spend it on doesn't matter to them. Not only is it not their money, but if they make 100 or 1000 bad choices in a row, they just print more money. The only losers are everybody not on the government payroll.

And all that money comes from you and me.

So absolutely, more government = less money, 100% of the time.

And how do you get more government? Because the legislators - and in the US, well over half of them are lawyers - pass more laws. Lawyers LOVE more laws. Every new law is more work for lawyers. Every new law takes money out of your hands and my hands and transfers it into the hands of lawyers ... and congress. And every law is a restriction on something we used to be able to do, 100% of the time.

So absolutely, more government = more laws = less freedom.

Richard

Hi Ankesh, and others involved in this discussion.

I'm an Australian living in Denmark, and you're right, Taxes here are ridiculously high, and public servants take up 900,000 jobs, in active workforce of less than 3 million!

Tax rates start at around 45-50 % and go up to 63%. Vat, or 'Moms' as it is called here is 25%, on everything you buy.

A car that costs US 30,000 in Belgium ends up, with the help of a 180% duty (vat is added before the 180% kicks in), on all new cars, costing close to US 100,000.

I honestly think that there must be something in the water, that makes The Danes forget how much it costs them to enjoy the right to live here.
Combine this with a climate that is cold, damp and dark in the winters, occasionally warm in the summers, and a landscape whose highest 'mountain' peaks at 135 m above sea level.........

Why am I still here? Three days after I arrived in the country back in 1991 a local asked me the question.
"If not for Love, what the f&?k are you doing in Denmark?

Right there lies the answer!

Will agree to Bill, I mean you can do others things while the commercial is rolling. It is just the same what we do watching TV, when the commercial pops, that is the cue to stand up and go to the bathroom..

Benn, you are absolutely right.. as Ankesh given a point and well explored in your words and I completely agree with you amte.. Even I am an Australian and living in scotland. This place is bit considerable than places like Denmark. The revolution has started here saying 'enough taxes'. let us see if we can win from here..

..

Originally Posted by Dien Rice

Anyway, this "dependency" mindset is a big danger to be aware of!

Amen to that Dien.

Huge danger.

To me, it's like that water bottle in a hamster cage with the little metal ball at the end of the drinking tube...IF someone puts water in the bottle, the hamster drinks...if they don't...the hamster dies.

I'd rather fill my own bottle.