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Social media usually appears minor and innocent, simply an app or two on the facet for leisure and studying. Initially, it was alleged to be a beautiful factor that introduced the world collectively. World peace was lastly at our fingertips, or at the least enjoyable cat movies.
Sadly, we’ve discovered that it’s an enormous misinformation machine, it will increase nervousness and self-consciousness (together with the extra excessive results of that), it’s rife with bullying, and it’s typically miserable to see what has turn out to be of outdated childhood classmates and mates.
Additionally, to extend time and engagement on the app, executives at social media firms found that rage-inducing posts have been “good content” that ought to be highlighted extra. Whereas there could also be 1000’s of posts at any given time that would logically be put in entrance of your eyes, not a lot can beat posts that wind you up and get your blood boiling — by way of producing higher stats and extra income for the social media firm.
One in all our core behind-the-scenes guys, Benni, lately famous in our group chat, “Social media is the wrong name — it’s digital opioids.” It’s a very good level. I’ve seen comparable metaphors from varied social media specialists and psychologists, however this was an particularly catchy and apt line. He additionally beneficial and shared directions on how to delete your Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts. He was significantly upset with current choices by Mark Zuckerberg, and added, “quick article idea: Zuckerberg poisons the world — selling digital opioid.” Therefore the title….
More and more, even right here on CleanTechnicait seems like we have to handle the social poison of “social media” — which, once more, has far too innocuous a reputation, at the least for what it has developed into. Warped social media is rising the unfold of unpolluted vitality misinformation, local weather misinformation, all types of political misinformation, and hate.
However there’s one other angle to it as effectively. Wealth is concentrating an increasing number of amongst just a few hundred folks, whereas lots of of tens of millions wrestle an increasing number of. Whether or not, like Zuckerberg, they grew to become super-billionaires, or, like Elon Musk, they purchased an enormous social media platform to have dramatic affect over society, it’s the 0.01% who management the social media apps we dwell on.
Simply trying on the US, Benni additionally pointed us within the course of an op-ed from the New York Occasions“Is America an Oligarchy Yet?” Past the article, he highlighted some feedback:
- “It is an oligarchy already. The difference now is that we will get less and less crumbs of the wealth as it gets ever concentrated among the few.”
- “Justice Louis Brandeis said that we could have a democracy or vast wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but not both.”
A number of issues are distracting the US from higher self-governance and are resulting in a rising divide between the super-rich and the lots. We’re getting misled and misinformed, and our consideration is being pointed obsessively towards issues which are actually nothing greater than a distraction. As Benni notes, we’re on digital opioids — and the world goes to s*** round us within the meantime.
We in all probability must disconnect. Nevertheless it’s extremely unlikely most of us will. So, we at the least must be extra discriminant. Additionally, although, if we wish to cease dropping our grip on society and the economic system, extra is required. When it comes to the way to cope with it, Benni requested AI, and obtained the next response:
Given the contradiction between democracy and the focus of wealth, the best wealth tax can be one which successfully addresses inequality, ensures a fairer distribution of assets, and reduces the outsized affect that the ultra-wealthy have over political and financial techniques.
In gentle of this, I’d advocate for a progressive wealth taxwhich will increase because the wealthier people accumulate extra property. Right here’s how I’d body it:
1. A Progressive Wealth Tax Beginning at 2%
- Preliminary Fee (2%): A 2% tax on wealth over a sure threshold (e.g., $1 billion) might be an inexpensive place to begin. This may start to curb the extreme accumulation of wealth whereas not instantly destabilizing the worldwide economic system or triggering mass capital flight.
- Escalating Over Wealth Tiers: The tax charge may improve progressively as the quantity of wealth grows. For instance:
- 2% on wealth over $1 billion
- 4% on wealth over $5 billion
- 6% on wealth over $10 billion
- 10% or extra on wealth over $50 billion
This may create a extra equitable system, the place the wealthiest people contribute proportionally extra to society with out crushing incentives for funding or innovation.
2. Worldwide Cooperation to Keep away from Loopholes
- World Coordination: A crucial facet of this plan can be world coordination to stop tax avoidance, evasion, and capital flight. The tax would must be carried out by a number of nations, with robust measures to implement it throughout borders. This might be carried out by means of worldwide agreements, very like efforts to shut tax havens or fight cash laundering.
- Asset Valuation: Wealth ought to embrace all property—shares, actual property, personal companies, and different investments—not simply liquid wealth. To keep away from evasion, common audits and assessments can be mandatory.
3. Addressing the Root Causes of Wealth Inequality
- The income generated from this wealth tax ought to be directed in direction of social applications that scale back inequality and improve alternative. This consists of funding for common healthcare, schooling, inexpensive housing, and addressing local weather change. Moreover, the federal government may spend money on applications that assist small companies and innovation in underserved areas, making certain that wealth creation is unfold extra broadly.”
Conclusion: To deal with the evident imbalance of wealth, the mixture of breaking apart monopolies, confiscating sure unproductive or dangerous propertyand a extra progressive wealth tax may assist restore democratic fairness and curb the ability of the ultra-wealthy. The present establishment, the place billionaires exert such outsized affect, is unsustainable for democracy and social justice. The wealth tax ought to certainly be extra progressive, particularly as we’ve grown accustomed to the acute imbalances of energy and wealth which have by no means been better in historical past. Solely by means of these daring steps can we start to rectify the financial distortions that preserve wealth within the fingers of some and return to a system that serves the numerous, not the few.”
Hmm … we’ve plenty of work to do.
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