Adding every picture I take on my phone to the blockchain is an enormous invasion of my privacy, and the number of times where having a cryptographically secure hash on the blockchain to prove a photo’s authenticity is minuscule. Especially in a world where people eagerly believe the most ludicrous bullshit because it reinforces their worldview, in spite of a mountain of evidence to contradict it.

Taxes are either regressive, proportional, or progressive; flat and progressive are the same thing. While some (many?) consider proportional to be a separate category, I would argue that it’s inherently regressive, as any fixed percentage is going to come disproportionately from non-disposable income for any lower income individuals. Sales taxes are considered regressive because of this and they are a flat rate for most purchases.

You can make the argument that people have to buy stuff to exist, but they don’t have to purchase a home, but given the alternative is renting which impacts lower income people even worse, this seems like a specious argument.

Even with property tax, insurance, repairs, and mortgage, I’m paying less per month than people renting much smaller apartments in my area. Thats neither fair nor right.

I feel like you’re ascribing so much more intelligence and thoughtfulness to Trump’s reasoning than has been consistently demonstrated. I fully believe that his entire reasoning is that Greenland is really big on most map projections and relatively easy to take by force (whether by bullying Denmark into ceding it or literally invading it militarily).

He wants to leave his mark by doing something very few Presidents have done, especially in the modern era. Same reason he created the Space Force or the White House ballroom - it’s a vanity project by a malignant narcissist who wants to leave a legacy and doesn’t care about the cost, or even the actual benefits.

I love that this is like that evolution of man painting, but showing how script evolved over the years.

Do we want the informed consumers making rational decisions kind of capitalism, or the kind where corporations exploit people who are helpless to whatever a lie they want to tell about the true cost of our decisions? Guess we have the answer.

Am I afraid to face down a cashier? No.

Is it REALLY that bad? No.

Can I make awkward small talk with a stranger? Yes.

Do I want to make awkward small talk with a stranger? No.

Am I relieved that I’m not forced to interact with a stranger and can continue to have to my own inner thoughts and not have to spend time rehearsing in my head what to say if they ask me how I am because I feel weirdly compelled to answer it honestly instead of simply saying “fine” like most do? Absolutely.