Parasitism and Inheritance Tax

Fun
#1

I was private messaging someone and got to thinking about some things; they may have been hashed out years ago on this forum but are new to me so I thought I’d throw them out here.

If a major critique of the way civilization naturally manifests is the extensive parasitism- insider trading/skimming small amounts off the trillions of daily transactions/taxes/etc.- is that angle actually legitimate given the array and extent of parasitism in nature?

If parasites are natural how can they be bad?

Also, are these circles for the marginalized(subjective truth) or for those actually interested in objective truth?

If you found out tomorrow that a rich uncle left you a billion dollars would you still be interested in a different paradigm; or would you hop on the phone and find a professional at gaming the system?

How would you apply a million dollars toward furthering feral culture? Or is using money of all things to do it too diabolical?

I’m guessing the real proponents of civilization(those who do the hard work everyday to keep it relevant) are actually millions of people not inheriting just money but actual business plans. Businesses their ancestors worked hard to set-up. Mortuary affairs and the 10K bill, the guy on the phone with the reverse finance “opportunity”, etc.-- these are just handed down business.

So is being anti-civ more like being pro inheritance tax?

#2

Most business is corporate now, not handed down, handed out, but only if you’re willing to do evil things to people and the environment. The few remaining small businesses will be gone soon. The path from capitalism to fascim is inevitable.

I can’t think of too many instances, under natural, normal conditions, where a species is parasitic to its own kind, or even similar subspecies.

Business itself is based in the mindset of domestication, the idea that one can exploit Nature and each other, without equally giving back, rather than symbiotically collaborating with Nature and each other. The best businesses take in the most while outputting the least. The inherent imbalance is what makes profit. The imbalance creates suffering and dysevolution. The need for this imbalance encourages socio/psychopathic behavior. The psycho/sociopathic behavior createa the need for infinite growth, which is impossible on a finite planet.

All of Nature runs of gift economy. I don’t think we can break away from that model and expect evolution.

#3

All of nature is a gift economy. That is really interesting and something to think about.

Guessing we’ll have to make a distinction between a gift and something “free”.
One way to say it might be when the system gives you a gift, such as a dumb phone map app or Facebook- 9 times out of ten you are the product. The product they are either trying to sell or create. The greatest example might be the free public school education. A product of the public schools is a very special thing these days.

#4

Free is for everyone, and like you mentioned, is rarely positive. A “free” RV is another good example. I could have worked a minimum wage job and bought something running easier than polishing some of the free turds I picked up over the years.

A gift is a token of appreciation. It’s not a credit/debit thing though, it’s just a natural reaction, and incentive, to positive collaboration. A lot of people see gift economy as, “Everything’s free, so take whatever you want.”, where in practice, it’s, “Freely give, freely receive.”. There has to be a balance or resentment and dependence will ruin the relationships.