That inheritance is considered "bad"

Beholderess · 2011-01-10 11:49:17

Was thinking about posting it on the main forums, but been unable to formulate it in a way that is not complaint, so here it goes.

It seems that many people of these fora consider inheritance to be a unjust thing that should be eliminated. It is true that inheritance provides a significant advantage to the children that did nothing themselves to deserve it, however, removing it would be unjust towards their parents. First, it is their damn money which they can use as they see fit. Second, helping their children to get a better life than parents themselves had is pretty much the point of parenthood. Why should the parents be denied that? And, third, for many people concern about their children, and about providing them as good start of their lives as they can, is the main motivation for achievement. If people were only concerned with what they, personally, could spend in their life, motivation to reach somethig, to rise higher than you were born, would be diminished, which would impact overall productivity.

TheMightyAnonym · 2011-01-10 14:32:34

I see inheritance as a good gift.

The one gains it however, is given a special responsibility with that gift, and if they squander it then it's very much so bad.

Otherwise, it's a good opportunity.

Khwarizmi · 2011-01-10 16:32:02

^^ From a certain, far-left perspective, it's bad because it is not the parents' money to use as they see fit, since they should not have so much money in the first place when there are others struggling in poverty.

Not saying I agree with that perspective, only that your post seems to take as a given something which people opposed to inheritance might well disagree with.

Super Lazuli · 2011-01-10 16:35:46

The only reason people think this is that being loaded from birth tends to make dicks out of people.

Not always, of course. But it happens.

saladofstones · 2011-01-10 16:40:42

They don't understand what its like not to be born in money, of no fault of their own.

Longfellow · 2011-01-10 16:41:22

Dismiss this post if it's too obvious I don't know a rat's ass about economics, but wouldn't inheritance mess up smooth-running meritocratic capitalism, too? It means the people who rise to the top are not necessarily the most capable. It gives an advantage to people who haven't earned it.

Again, not my perspective, but an objection I'd have to consider before weighing in on inheritance.

Gelzo · 2011-01-10 22:24:23

I thought this was about the book series.

Anyway, I'm all for inheritance, but past a point it becomes detrimental, since the kid won't have any self-interest motivating them to contribute to society.

Of course, there's no shortage of lazy people not giving a shit in any economic class...

DonZabu · 2011-01-10 23:34:21

Really, the entirety of Western civilization is based on inheriting the baggage of your ancestors for stuff you didn't even do. Apple, anyone? So it only figures that inheritance of money exist.

Tnophelia · 2011-01-10 23:35:57

It's not bad. It's just complicated as hell.

Khwarizmi · 2011-01-11 09:06:42

^^ Can I lose my ancestors' baggage? Or like, burn it, or leave it in an airport where it'll be destroyed, or something?

Beholderess · 2011-01-11 09:43:36

All of it?

TheyCallMeTomu · 2011-01-11 10:19:19

Eh. Inheritance is old money. Once you have a certain amount of money, it's possible to basically just sit on it, using it for no purpose other than to make basic investments in SPDRs or T Bills or whatever and actually live off of that. You then create members of society who basically don't have to do anything. Old money gets old by not spending it.

Comparatively, if you tax an inheritance, that's a benefit to the social structure. So I'm all in favor of estate taxes-even though they're going to hurt me in the future.

Khwarizmi · 2011-01-11 20:32:55

^^ At least whatever's weighing me down?

snowbull · 2011-01-12 21:44:55

I only dislike inheritances because other people will get bigger ones than me. I'm sure if I was being piped a billion dollars I'd change my tune.

EternalSunset · 2011-01-12 23:27:08

#include 



class LazyHeir : ObscenelyRichFather, ObscenelyRichMother {

/* Lots of money */

long netWorth = LONG_MAX;

}

Yeah, I don't like multiple inheritance either.

Kraken · 2011-01-12 23:33:07

All of human history is about inheritance. Your ancestors and forefathers bled and worked and toiled and sweated and fought, so they could give their children a little more than what they had growing up.

Only in the twenty-first century would certain people's bloated inheritances make others believe that the concept itself is harmful.

Only in the twenty-first century would people believe that your father's fathers lives of toil is "weighing them down."

They spent their entire lives working for this, for you! Centuries of labor! And you want to throw it away?

Damn you all.

TheyCallMeTomu · 2011-01-13 00:01:01

Hey man you're killing my buzz.

Sorry, it's really impossible to take you seriously when you respond like that.

Kraken · 2011-01-13 00:10:49

I'm serious.

I'm fine with estate taxes. I'm fine with not accepting it so someone else may take it for themselves or for other special reasons such as a religious calling.

But to discard what those before you have labored all their lives for just because it "weighs you down"? Well, that is foolish and insensitive and makes me sick.

Gelzo · 2011-01-13 01:04:59

"Sorry, it's really impossible to take you seriously when you respond like that."

Khwarizmi · 2011-01-13 09:03:22

I'll give it a shot, since I was quoted, and I would hate to think I made somebody sick over the Internet.

When I spoke of my ancestors' «baggage» and referred to it «weighing me down», I wasn't thinking of literal, physical inheritance, but alluding more abstractly to all the guilt and responsibility which supposedly comes from being a white, middle class Englishman from a Christian family. Y'know, like the slave trade. I suppose that was rather disrespectful given that my ancestors were working class and likely had no part in that, but most of them are dead so I don't think they care what I say about them.

It was a thoughtless remark, and I can see how it was insensitive, but I really think you're overreacting.

Super Lazuli · 2011-01-13 10:32:17

There is a massive difference between cultural inheritance and what's being discussed here.

You're smart enough to know the difference, Kraken.

Khwarizmi · 2011-01-13 11:05:35

Well, in fairness, I guess my post was ambiguous. It was a flippant remark in an otherwise serious topic. I guess I just assumed «baggage» in a figurative sense would be understood to denote something negative.

Kraken · 2011-01-13 19:02:27

Bah. Stupid kids.

Y'ALL RUNNIN' ALL OVER THE PLACE WIT' YA TANGENTS

YEAH AH KNOW YER ALL OLDER THAN ME

AH DUN CARE

Also, white guilt? My own countrymen have some of the greediest, cruel, brutal, and destructive peoples in the world. Don't talk to me about guilt.

Because I don't feel it.

Maybe the reason I feel no guilt is because nobody tries to make us feel guilty, unlike you guys.

TheyCallMeTomu · 2011-01-13 19:06:27

Go ahead and accept your blood money then!

Khwarizmi · 2011-01-13 19:14:19

I expect that is the reason, but it isn't very nice to be accused of being a Nazi or a slave trader, I have to say. Admittedly, in hindsight I can say that those were probably IRL trolls, but it still bothered me at the time.

Either way, you can't expect me to feel proud of belonging to a country which profits off the exploitation of others.

To be clear, my earlier reference to my ancestors' baggage was intended as a joke, although I guess it was a pretty poor one.

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That inheritance is considered "bad"

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