210415 What I learned in my studies this morning

Taxes? Kiss my ass.

Gov't is upscaled mugging.

Voluntaryism.

Today's Meditation:

A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy

Actions have consequences far, far beyond what is seen. See also: Frédéric Bastiat What is Seen and Unseen.  It's also an important lesson.

Seriously. Go read it.  Please.

See also:

• Henry Hazlitt — Economics in One Lesson
• "The art of economics consists in looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy not merely for one group but for all groups."
• Thomas Sowell — Basic Economics

From The Daily Stoic: 

I pay taxes because, if I don't, men with guns will come and put me in a cage and confiscate my money anyway.  It has nothing to do with thinking gov't will do good things with that money. Seneca is right to say we should deal with adversity with grace and detachment, but he is wrong when he says we should not look for exemption or escape.  

Part of Stoicism is working to make the world a better place. Ending the theft of money by robber-barons-writ-large would make the world better.

Paying taxes and "being grateful for what you are allowed to keep" is like saying we should be grateful a mugger didn't kill us. Technically true, but that doesn't excuse the immorality of the muggers actions, nor does it mean we should not try to prevent such things in the future.

#TaxationIsTheft