re: #198 PT Barnum

The Chinese philosopher Mencius (don’t know the actual chinese name) said that human nature was to strive for advantage. The longer I live, the more I agree with him.

So why fight human nature? Why not co-opt and direct it, such that it is impossible to do well without benefiting your fellows? Income taxation seems like it would discourage income-generating activities, while letting sales go largely untaxed seems to encourage spending. Neither is a desirable state of affairs.