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I've given it some more thought. I won't deny that it would meet with huge resistance, but it's not as far fetched as it first seems. Look...there was a point in history where government officials said "okay...we have to draw a line. From now on, you can't just claim land and do what you want with it anymore. It'll become a good that can be bought and sold, and will be taxed accordingly". To us, this makes perfect sense, but I can imagine the general population didn't like being taxed for simply using what was already there to begin with.
And...it might just be Belgium, but I assume this goes for most countries: there are already huge amounts of taxes that make little to no sense (anymore). Most often, a tax is created in times of need or to change a certain behavior (festivals playing too loud? Introduce a local tax on loud noises) and then quietly remains dormant, sometimes years after the origin is taken away. When I learned about taxes in...2000, I think...there was this Belgian thing called "crisisbelasting". It was a tax to help out in a crisis that was then introduced somewhere years before that. And I just checked: it still exists to this day.
Compared to that, at least a tax on clean air makes SOME sense. Yes, everyone who breathes has to pay that tax. And those who drive cars as well (hint: cars pollute). Airline and shipyard companies as well. Farmers will have to pay for their animals as well. And so on. And while this certainly sounds increasingly scary (is the government just going to tax EVERYONE?????), you have to look more to the global picture.
First and foremost: the more people getting taxed, the lower the total amount will be (taxes are usually drawn up so they bring in a certain amount of money. Usually because they already have plans to use said income on other projects).
Second: even small taxes have huge effects on people's behavior. Over time, it will lead to things that now have 'air pollution' as side product to become more expensive. This will simulate companies to search for alternative means of production that have less air pollution. Which isn't so much "tax evasion" as the probable intention of the tax. Because in case you haven't noticed: no one is in favor of pollution, but companies (and even individuals) generally don't mind it if it means it's the cheapest way of production. If a tax means that a non-polluting way of production becomes cheaper...then who is really against it?
And...it might just be Belgium, but I assume this goes for most countries: there are already huge amounts of taxes that make little to no sense (anymore). Most often, a tax is created in times of need or to change a certain behavior (festivals playing too loud? Introduce a local tax on loud noises) and then quietly remains dormant, sometimes years after the origin is taken away. When I learned about taxes in...2000, I think...there was this Belgian thing called "crisisbelasting". It was a tax to help out in a crisis that was then introduced somewhere years before that. And I just checked: it still exists to this day.
Compared to that, at least a tax on clean air makes SOME sense. Yes, everyone who breathes has to pay that tax. And those who drive cars as well (hint: cars pollute). Airline and shipyard companies as well. Farmers will have to pay for their animals as well. And so on. And while this certainly sounds increasingly scary (is the government just going to tax EVERYONE?????), you have to look more to the global picture.
First and foremost: the more people getting taxed, the lower the total amount will be (taxes are usually drawn up so they bring in a certain amount of money. Usually because they already have plans to use said income on other projects).
Second: even small taxes have huge effects on people's behavior. Over time, it will lead to things that now have 'air pollution' as side product to become more expensive. This will simulate companies to search for alternative means of production that have less air pollution. Which isn't so much "tax evasion" as the probable intention of the tax. Because in case you haven't noticed: no one is in favor of pollution, but companies (and even individuals) generally don't mind it if it means it's the cheapest way of production. If a tax means that a non-polluting way of production becomes cheaper...then who is really against it?
Funny, most people I meet seems to love paying for taxes and they are all for new taxes and such. So much for resistance, at least in the US anyways. Perhaps I'm associating with all the wrong people?
Erm...assuming you're not being sarcastic...
I would think so. From what I've heard of the US, it's very common to be "anti government". AFAIK, the republicans always wanted at least government as possible, but even the democrats regulate things only a tiny bit. It can very well be that a large population percentage understands that taxes pay for all that is necessary in a country that companies won't touch (and frankly: Sanders leading the poll vote seems to indicate that not even being unlikely).
But still...it's not the image foreigners have of Americans (sorry).
How are they going to stop people from breathing air for free?
I might pay for pure oxygen, but paying for something which is largely nitrogen our bodies can't use seems like a scam. No thanks.
I might pay for pure oxygen, but paying for something which is largely nitrogen our bodies can't use seems like a scam. No thanks.
They won't. However if you feel the mental effects of lower oxygen/high CO2 then springing for some air that our biology is more adapted for becomes an easier sell, though you might go the other way and figure that by such a time as it matters there might be some body mods that make it better.
In most of the scenarios it is not like paying to remove a bad smell that will go away in a few minutes, or having to buy a paper face mask (or maybe slight activated charcoal).
Also look up Hyperoxia, the Bends and other such things.
Only a person serious enough to kill the human race would want such a thing to be reality.
U hit the spot... i really what to this happens as soon as possible. I dont want to see it when im old enough to no defens my self. No matter if is water, food, oil, acid ocean or what ever it will happend in less that 30 year and as soon as better.
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Less car's polluted air. Paris has to take action to prevent cars from being used specific days to lower pollution.
Alps are definitely better than Paris for air comparison. Same for weather, it's sunny 90% of the year. that's why we (people living here) think higher price is related to that. better place, everyone prefer being here, offer and demand rises prices.
you are right the air is more humid.
not salty (first and second degree)
Alps are definitely better than Paris for air comparison. Same for weather, it's sunny 90% of the year. that's why we (people living here) think higher price is related to that. better place, everyone prefer being here, offer and demand rises prices.
you are right the air is more humid.
not salty
(first and second degree)
Last edited by Cyan,
Yes, pollution is a negative word I'll leave you with that:
Polution are molecules in the air broken down towards part of a million, that shows no significant population age differences between rural regions and cities in statistics. Because the thresholds were chosen as such. (edit: In the west)
Also, cities are still growing.
http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/mods/theme_c/popups/mod13t01s009.html
But you do you man. And you feel good about it. (= Thats what humans are all about.. ) So should the average person in a city.
Polution are molecules in the air broken down towards part of a million, that shows no significant population age differences between rural regions and cities in statistics. Because the thresholds were chosen as such. (edit: In the west)
Also, cities are still growing.
http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/mods/theme_c/popups/mod13t01s009.html
But you do you man.
And you feel good about it. (= Thats what humans are all about.. ) So should the average person in a city.
Last edited by notimp,
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Here are the hard questions, that dont foster a mob mentality:
- Would you still care about air polution if it kills, or impacts you heavily, only after you are statistically dead? How about 5 years prior?
(How about if it doesnt impact your lifespan, but only 30% of your peers?)
- Do people still smoke voluntarily? Not because that would excuse it - but beacuse they are also trading 5 years of their lifespan for "good conversations" and an addiction.
--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------
Those are there to make people feel better about themselves momentarily.
We have the same thing in the west. We call them "juice bars". (People drink apple juice with vegetables in good company.) Great business model. Customer always satisfied.
- Would you still care about air polution if it kills, or impacts you heavily, only after you are statistically dead? How about 5 years prior?
(How about if it doesnt impact your lifespan, but only 30% of your peers?)
- Do people still smoke voluntarily? Not because that would excuse it - but beacuse they are also trading 5 years of their lifespan for "good conversations" and an addiction.
--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------
Air bars. Totally not a marketing ploy.
Those are there to make people feel better about themselves momentarily.
We have the same thing in the west. We call them "juice bars". (People drink apple juice with vegetables in good company.) Great business model. Customer always satisfied.
Last edited by notimp,
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Former trope of philosophy students, now a trope of transhumanists (lol).
(sings: *Who wants to live forever..*)edit: here is the satirical look at it: "Now that all of the worlds production industry is situated in china, we in the west really need to takle the polution problem, that left with them. Asap."
Last edited by notimp,
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