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Antiwork

Please help me understand!

I'm sorry if this sort of thing isn't your cup of tea, and feel free to ignore, but I know that some people here would welcome a chance to legitimately inform someone on the other side, and I really want to learn. I grew up in a leftist family, but I never really had any reasons for why the right was wrong about the economy/jobs. I went to a good business school and remained on the left, although looking back, perhaps that's when some of my questions started? Lately I've been very informed by Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell, and sort of classically liberal economists like them. In general I'm against minimum wages, unions, and most forms of government intervention (except some specific negative externalities and monopoly situations), because I really think that it's the best way to improve society's lot long term, including those on the lower end of…


I'm sorry if this sort of thing isn't your cup of tea, and feel free to ignore, but I know that some people here would welcome a chance to legitimately inform someone on the other side, and I really want to learn.

I grew up in a leftist family, but I never really had any reasons for why the right was wrong about the economy/jobs. I went to a good business school and remained on the left, although looking back, perhaps that's when some of my questions started? Lately I've been very informed by Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell, and sort of classically liberal economists like them.

In general I'm against minimum wages, unions, and most forms of government intervention (except some specific negative externalities and monopoly situations), because I really think that it's the best way to improve society's lot long term, including those on the lower end of the SES spectrum. I really support the sentiment behind these interventions, just not their efficacy.

These things seem fairly obvious to me, so I know I'm missing something important: I don't understand why people would be on the other side. So I would say I'm not very confident in my opinions, while still finding the evidence for my position compelling.

I've been reading this forum for a couple hours, and I agree with all the posts where people left jobs with bad employers, but I think I disagree with the whole anti-work idea in general. I think my biggest disagreement comes down to the idea that no one owes you their money or property, and no one owes you a job; it's really hard to start a company that employs people. I've both been employed and employed others, and I get why people would prefer one to the other.

I'm not looking to debate or present my side, which I feel like is better represented by typing 'Milton Friedman' into YouTube, but rather just to properly understand how people would rationally oppose that idea. Hopefully I'll learn something and develop a more nuanced / different position.

I've tried researching this on my own, but the stuff I've found hasn't really been presented to persuade someone who disagrees.

Thanks for helping me! Hopefully you find it enjoyable so we both win. 🙂

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