Paris preserves its mixed society by pouring billions into public housing

Post by smeej » Fri, Mar 22, 2024, 10:04 AM UTC

bombcar wrote: post #294

whywhywhywhy wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> American culture doesn't like to think about how much of "success" is down to luck Think it's more surprising how little of it is down to luck. Even working slightly harder reaps rewards quickly that outweigh the extra work. It's most just most people are not even putting in the minimum.

Luck controls the biggest swings in some cases, but diligent hard work covers for quite a bit of the small changes. Some people are just really bad at diligent hard work and lack the self control needed. The question is how to handle that without causing other issues.

Post by rastignack » Fri, Mar 22, 2024, 7:06 PM UTC

devilsbabe wrote: post #587

jamiek88 wrote: post #495

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In France? How when the top tax rate is 45%?

That's only income tax. There's also social contributions including pension, health insurance, and unemployment insurance. This adds up to around an extra 20% tax (although pension contributions are capped so could be less for very high salaries).

Post by mistermann » Sat, Mar 23, 2024, 5:29 AM UTC

closeparen wrote: post #599

mistermann wrote: post #597

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Massive quantities of evidence exist demonstrating that human beings have at least some capacity to believe that they have concern for the well being of other humans. Prime example: do you remember that big pandemic a few years ago? Do you remember how passionate most people were that everyone should go get their vaccinations, to protect each other? I sincerely think that these people genuinely believed that the feel…

The charitable impulse in municipal housing politics gets you a cluster of tiny trailer homes on a parking lot surrounded by a 8 foot fence in an industrial part of town far away. Maybe, if you are feeling especially magnanimous, a servant’s outbuilding in the shadow of your house. It’s not in human nature to give charity that would elevate others to the same or, God forbid, higher status as compared to the benefacto…

Post by andrepd » Sat, Mar 23, 2024, 4:01 PM UTC

verisimi wrote: post #606

digging wrote: post #560

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, some actions have bad outcomes and some good. Are you saying everything the government does objectively makes life worse? Then you should be furious about driving anyway, because the government effectively forced you into it.

Yes. I think government was acting immorally back then, far exceeding whatever people required and acting in support of powerful interests (petrol companies, industry). Now it is far, far worse, with government seeking a level of micro management and control over people that is abhorrent to me - control of travel, energy, water, money, location, etc. And amazingly, most people want it! Because they have been mis-educ…

Post by mattzito » Sat, Mar 23, 2024, 10:00 PM UTC

mlrtime wrote: post #576

mattzito wrote: post #572

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With all respect, “didn’t see a car for hours on a typically busy midtown avenue”, even during peak covid, is bananas if for no other reason than the ambulances were going almost constantly (ymmv based on where you live). But I distinctly remember watching the odd car here and there and wondering where they were going. And things were quieter! There was the background noise of machinery and buses and cars but it was…

Living in Texas and Manhattan you should aware that we very good at adapting to our surroundings. The relative noise is not comparable between rural Texas and Manhattan. I agree the city was quieter during covid, and would be quieter without cars. It's ridiculous to debate otherwise. But a major is vastly noisier without cars than any normal suburb with the rare car passing by a residential street. NYC will always be…