an underappreciated benefit of social democracy is it might diminish people's incentive to exaggerate and lie for a living. "grift" is a macroeconomic, not just a moral, failing. most people would do better things if they were under less stress and/or knew better things to do.

— Steve Randy Waldman (@interfluidity) June 26, 2020

This is true. If I had a better option than legally stealing money from people dumber than me in the stock market, I would do it.

I find it kind of appalling that society allows that. But between that and not having a nice life, I’ll take having a nice life. These terrible incentives are how the world is made worse, bit by bit.