[marshallp]

That's why I said government maybe needs to redistribute wealth if these rich folk genuinely don't give a shit about poor people. They can keep their money if they invest in society improving stuff. That's why I said immortality tech. He could get involved in miniaturizing extra-corporeal devices (artificial organs) that keep people alive even if their hearts or lungs get too damaged. He can start by watching that video and contacting those people and putting together a team of engineers to get it done. If you're not doing an Elon Musk, then maybe the government needs to raise your taxes.

[koide]

Ignoring all the problems like: who gets to decide; how are the decisions made; how often is success measured; what corrective measures are allowed; what is the best way to help the poor; what is the best way to redistribute the wealth; how to prevent lobbies from destroying the plan; how to avoid money escaping the countries implementing this into tax heavens.

Ignoring all that (and many more questions of the sort) I'm left with only one question: how exactly is Musk helping "the poor"?

[marshallp]

He's helping the poor by making energy cheaper indirectly through kickstarting an electric car industry.

The tax issue can be resolved by luxury taxes. If people decide they'd like $100 million yacht, tax them $200 million for it. Countries like Singapore already have punitive taxes like that on cars.

[scott_meade]

How many Teslas would Musk sell when his $100,000 car becomes $250,000 after tax?

[Jayschwa]

How the guy decides to spend his own money that he earned is none of your business. Mind your own, please.

If you think it's such a travesty that the guy has money and enjoys it, then maybe you should go to all the people who consensually traded with him and tell them what bad people they are for buying his products and services.

[marshallp]

Maybe you should visit your local cancer ward or rat-eating homeless indian peasants and then decide what's what.

[koide]

And how on earth seeing suffering/poor people convinces you that the solution is to grab from the rich and give it to the government?

That's one of the less efficient ways to solve most problems, even after discounting corruption.

[marshallp]

Like I said earlier, a luxury tax. The capitalist utopia of singapore has them. Tax the rich and give it to NASA or create multi-billion dollar seed fund for immortality hacktivists.

[koide]

AFAICT taxes in Singapore only create a welfare state that relieves somewhat poverty. A noble and worthy goal, but there are still poor people in Singapore. What about cancer cures and immortailty research, are they big there?

And now for the things you haven't addressed. Why is the government the most efficient way to solve the problem? Why cancer or immortality or space exploration are more important than food or malaria or sex education? Just because you like them?

I think you should stop and think real deep about the questions I've stated and implied in this thread, and answer them in length, with references where appropriate. Then share them.

Else all you end up doing is coming across as a naive angry fanatic with not too much reading comprehension skill (remember all this started because you misinterpreted DHH's essay) who doesn't even get to see the problem and is boasting about solutions.