I think it's unlikely the Door Dash grandma had $11,000 in "no tax on tips" savings. Assuming her average income tax rate was 20%, in order to get an $11,000 reduction in tax she'd need to have made $55,000 in tips. Assuming she worked 300 days per year (which seems like a lot), if she made on average 20 deliveries a day (which also seems like a lot), she'd have needed an average tip of $9.16 (seems high too) to get to $11,000 tax savings. And since it came out after the fact that she's not just an average grandma, but a Republican operative of sorts, I'm inclined to think the $11,000 figure is completely made up. What are the odds?
That said, your writing is consistently spot on and true. Keep up the excellent, important work. Such clear analysis is badly needed.
Oh wow. Yeah I read it as $11,000 in savings too. My unmathematical brain did some rough calculations and it seemed like she must be getting paid a LOT. A $1000 saving and the $100 "tip" Trump likely recovered, would barely pay her gas.
You read it like that because that's what was widely reported before people like you started breaking it down and saying, whoa that's not possible. I would be shocked if most people in the US have the capacity to reason that out though.
Yes I suspect most people just accept the performances without thinking too much. Hence why Trump can still get away with a continuous stream of lies. Apparently yet again he was on Fox last night saying he'd stopped 8 wars, no other president has ever done that, he built 1000 miles of wall, America pays NATO trillions of dollars, etc etc. All 100% horse shit. What frustrates me most, is I think he genuinely believes in his own rhetoric. He's told himself he's good and brave and stopped wars so many times, that's what his demented brain goes to sleep with. I wish someone would sit him down so he can't storm out, and just MAKE him see the actual facts. Along with his sycophantic MAGA bros. Having people walking around believing this stuff is awful.
the inability of the comfortable to perceive the desperation of the uncomfortable as a real condition rather than a solvable management problem — is not apocryphal. It is a recurring feature of the final act of every arrangement that has pushed too far for too long.
Wow I really like the scientific basis. The sociological application is accurate. So when will people pick up their pitchforks and storm the Bastille???!
Yes. Unfortunately the upper class - who rarely evolve from the lower class- does not comprehend what nitmal living is.
I always say, take one of them, give them my Social Security and my coach to live in, let them shop, pay bills and cook, take care of the house. I doubt they could do it.
Great piece. Love the phase transition analogy. I’m not the first to observe this, but a door dash grandma isn’t the heartwarming image the stagers think it is: for those of us with open hearts it’s evidence that the system is broken… intentionally.
It’s a clever metaphor and you’ve written it beautifully but perhaps our culture heats and cools more like a wax than water. After all, water- both in its freezing expansion and its incompressibility as a liquid - is a rarity among common liquid compounds.
This might be the beginning of one of the biggest issues the modern world faces; disparity of wealth. When Elon has a trillion dollars, money far beyond the understanding of anyone, and the bulk of the world's population can barely afford to eat, you've got a problem.
I think we're past the beginning of this and my question now is when do countries become obsolete when there are individuals who have more money than many of them?
Yes, we've let the tech lords amass incalculable wealth and power. They have monopolies over communication, news, and entertainment - all the things we need for functioning democracy. We've let this happen. The hyper-rich should have been taxed HARD before it got to this. Now I fear it's too late. As you say, Elon's wealth exceeds that of several fairly large countries. A simple tweet from him can tip the markets and cause chaos. No individual, certainly not unconstrained, should have that kind of power.
Absolutely we are in a phase transition. So outcomes are openly and small actions can have outsize consequences. Either way. Certainly true for canada where we are rapidly de-risking from USA
I think it's unlikely the Door Dash grandma had $11,000 in "no tax on tips" savings. Assuming her average income tax rate was 20%, in order to get an $11,000 reduction in tax she'd need to have made $55,000 in tips. Assuming she worked 300 days per year (which seems like a lot), if she made on average 20 deliveries a day (which also seems like a lot), she'd have needed an average tip of $9.16 (seems high too) to get to $11,000 tax savings. And since it came out after the fact that she's not just an average grandma, but a Republican operative of sorts, I'm inclined to think the $11,000 figure is completely made up. What are the odds?
That said, your writing is consistently spot on and true. Keep up the excellent, important work. Such clear analysis is badly needed.
Yeah. This was an editing mistake by me. She had $11,000 in tips reported. About $1,000 in estimated savings. I have updated the piece.
Oh wow. Yeah I read it as $11,000 in savings too. My unmathematical brain did some rough calculations and it seemed like she must be getting paid a LOT. A $1000 saving and the $100 "tip" Trump likely recovered, would barely pay her gas.
You read it like that because that's what was widely reported before people like you started breaking it down and saying, whoa that's not possible. I would be shocked if most people in the US have the capacity to reason that out though.
Yes I suspect most people just accept the performances without thinking too much. Hence why Trump can still get away with a continuous stream of lies. Apparently yet again he was on Fox last night saying he'd stopped 8 wars, no other president has ever done that, he built 1000 miles of wall, America pays NATO trillions of dollars, etc etc. All 100% horse shit. What frustrates me most, is I think he genuinely believes in his own rhetoric. He's told himself he's good and brave and stopped wars so many times, that's what his demented brain goes to sleep with. I wish someone would sit him down so he can't storm out, and just MAKE him see the actual facts. Along with his sycophantic MAGA bros. Having people walking around believing this stuff is awful.
Fifty years of a move towards crony capitalism and wealth hording has come home to roost. The trickle never came and the people are thirsty.
Phase change. What a brilliant framing, it's like an actualized metaphor. Dude, this is why I subscribe to you.
the inability of the comfortable to perceive the desperation of the uncomfortable as a real condition rather than a solvable management problem — is not apocryphal. It is a recurring feature of the final act of every arrangement that has pushed too far for too long.
End stage capitalism. Hunger Games meets ‘1984’.
Wow I really like the scientific basis. The sociological application is accurate. So when will people pick up their pitchforks and storm the Bastille???!
When they can't afford food.
Yes. Unfortunately the upper class - who rarely evolve from the lower class- does not comprehend what nitmal living is.
I always say, take one of them, give them my Social Security and my coach to live in, let them shop, pay bills and cook, take care of the house. I doubt they could do it.
Great piece. Love the phase transition analogy. I’m not the first to observe this, but a door dash grandma isn’t the heartwarming image the stagers think it is: for those of us with open hearts it’s evidence that the system is broken… intentionally.
This was a hell of a read. Thank you!
Absolute banger.
💥💥💥 TRUTH 💥💥💥🇨🇦
It’s a clever metaphor and you’ve written it beautifully but perhaps our culture heats and cools more like a wax than water. After all, water- both in its freezing expansion and its incompressibility as a liquid - is a rarity among common liquid compounds.
This might be the beginning of one of the biggest issues the modern world faces; disparity of wealth. When Elon has a trillion dollars, money far beyond the understanding of anyone, and the bulk of the world's population can barely afford to eat, you've got a problem.
I think we're past the beginning of this and my question now is when do countries become obsolete when there are individuals who have more money than many of them?
Yes, we've let the tech lords amass incalculable wealth and power. They have monopolies over communication, news, and entertainment - all the things we need for functioning democracy. We've let this happen. The hyper-rich should have been taxed HARD before it got to this. Now I fear it's too late. As you say, Elon's wealth exceeds that of several fairly large countries. A simple tweet from him can tip the markets and cause chaos. No individual, certainly not unconstrained, should have that kind of power.
I think they do know the fantasy is no longer selling and its why they have gathered their brown shirts around them.
Absolutely we are in a phase transition. So outcomes are openly and small actions can have outsize consequences. Either way. Certainly true for canada where we are rapidly de-risking from USA
Important topic but shame that AI wrote it.