Maybe Being Stupid Just Doesn't Cost Enough?

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

I've been thinking about it, and I found a hilarious satire website on "natural selection" that posits the theory that with all the padded play grounds, helmets, and safety features imbedded in everything from cars to light sockets that the stupid are living longer than they otherwise would.

But the economist in me really sees life more in terms of incentives-- yes, the stupid may be living longer, but what's worse is that they're decisions are not only not life threatening so that they die, but they're cheap-- to the stupid person anyway-- but very expensive to society at large. So, the incentive-- or more to the point, the disincentives just aren't there.

Who would you rather be: the person that put 30% down on a property in 2006 whose property value has dropped 40%, or the person that put 1% down, is upside down, lives in a state with no deficiency judgment option for the lender and 29% of the original purchase price of their home is in the bank-- not in the property? One could almost draw the conclusion that the stupid person was the responsible person. I mean, why bother?

Life is full of examples like this. You work hard, go to school nights and weekends, and 20 years later you're an "overnight success". Some politician labels you "rich" or one of the "winners of life's lottery" (direct quote of Dick Gephardt circa 1995ish or so), and hits you with a special higher tax rate just for you. Almost seems like the stupid people are the ones that actually care, and bother to work diligently and plan ahead.

But it's really more down to earth and practical. When I was growing up, you did't "write a check with your mouth that your a** couldn't cash" because someone would punch you in the face. You might be fortunate- a good sized person, a reasonably good fighter. Most of us still don't want to get into a fight, so back then-- you kept your stupid stuff to yourself. Now, if you hit someone who desperately deserves it-- you not only risk getting locked up, fined, and all that good stuff-- you risk a lawsuit, the loss of your job, and many other negative things. So doing what comes naturally costs more, but being the a**hole that deserves to be punched costs less-- result: A whole lot more a**holes and generally rude people.

If you wrecked mom and dad's car- there was a good chance you wouldn't live through it, let alone live through it and survive to require medical care forever and a day-- and sue the auto manufacturer because clearly the street race you were in should have been anticipated by the engineers that designed the car you destroyed.

[Loopdilou]

We should definitely execute the stupid, rude people so that the libertarian wet dream can exist!

[resolution]

You might get a kick out of going to the Darwin Award site. (I should warn that the site involves real deaths.) At any rate you will see that at some point natural selection does take its toll on the truly foolish. www.darwinawards.com/

I believe that you and I grew up around the same time, 1970's and 80's. When I was growing up, the kid that went around punching people was considered a bully and not "doing what comes naturally." The one fight that I got into in Jr. High the school called the cops who came down and threatened to lock me up. My dad was all proud that I won but also worried about getting sued. So I don't think that was ever acceptable for our generation or a normal way to teach people manners. Personally I blame TV and radio for the lack of manners and civility in our society. It made people think that certain conduct was normal and acceptable, when it really wasn't.

[Deleted]

You are just noticing this now??? Actually a lot of the people that are walking away now are doing so because they looked at what many of the rich get away with and felt like they were stupid for being ethical. I mean the really rich folks, not anyone that would be on this board. Locally we have a situation where the previous CEO of the hospital let construction go forward without a contract that covered the public's butt. The project went 10's of millions over budget and she got a huge yearly bonus. Stuff like that makes folks look twice and say why am I being a chump.

I won't even start on CC company's being able to arbitrarily change your credit limits and interest rates.

[thyme4change]

I'd rather hang out with a stupid person, than a total judgmental a-hole.

[ihearyou2]

Jan 26, 2011 15:39:47 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I'd rather hang out with a stupid person, than a total judgmental a-hole.

Then what are you doing on this thread...

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jan 26, 2011 15:39:47 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I'd rather hang out with a stupid person, than a total judgmental a-hole.

That should be easy enough for you. Just stay right where you are.