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[kaijyuu]

Never state ideas like this in public, or else the majority of the USA will declare you a RED COMMIE BASTARD!

 And the idea of equality is a communist axis. Because an 'evil' supports something does not mean it is without merit.

Hitler ate sugar. Therefore, sugar = evil. QED



Anyway, the way I'd do it is pretty much destroying the concept of inheritance. Parents could spend their paychecks on luxuries and whatnot for their kids, but as far as education/etc goes, they get the same as everyone else regardless of how much money they have. Plus, hefty death taxes.

[Loud Whispers]

Clearly we cannot steal childrens and start a goblin fortress.

-"Legally."

[RedKing]

Interesting (and relevant) links my wife just sent me:

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/16/162950011/six-things-surnames-can-say-about-social-mobility

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/16/162936707/movin-on-up-that-may-depend-on-your-last-name

Basically, they've found that your surname is rather heavily predictive of financial and academic success. Of course, not because there's anything magic about the name but it works as a good cipher for wealth, prestige, connections, etc. And hell, maybe there is something about the name itself. If you're a financial manager, and you get two applicants of roughly the same credentials, and one is John Carnegie and the other is John Winkelspecht.....you're probably taking Carnegie.

[genmac]

Never state ideas like this in public, or else the majority of the USA will declare you a RED COMMIE BASTARD!

 And the idea of equality is a communist axis. Because an 'evil' supports something does not mean it is without merit.

Hitler ate sugar. Therefore, sugar = evil. QED



Anyway, the way I'd do it is pretty much destroying the concept of inheritance. Parents could spend their paychecks on luxuries and whatnot for their kids, but as far as education/etc goes, they get the same as everyone else regardless of how much money they have. Plus, hefty death taxes.

Totally agree, if there's anything this country needs its for all children to be educated to the same standard.  That way no one gets privileged enough to read or do math and we're all on the same playing field.

[pisskop]

  is that satire?

That way no one gets privileged enough to read or do math and we're all on the same playing field.

[Cthulhu]

I dunno, he might be onto something.  Take a page from Brave New World.  The easiest way to make everyone equal isn't to bring everyone up to the level of the highest member, it's to cut everyone down to the level of the lowest.

[kaijyuu]

  is that satire?

That way no one gets privileged enough to read or do math and we're all on the same playing field.

I'm assuming typo, but I suppose he could be strawmanning me.

[Karlito]

Interesting (and relevant) links my wife just sent me:

...

I suppose that's not terribly surprising when you think about it, though it's not really a useful way to predict your own future success. For example, from what I know of my family history, all the wealth and affluence is on my mothers side, where as my father's family (I got his surname) are all uneducated peasants.

[genmac]

  is that satire?

That way no one gets privileged enough to read or do math and we're all on the same playing field.

I'm assuming typo, but I suppose he could be strawmanning me.

No, no, I sincerely support the idea of sending all children to the same standard of school.  It's the perfect solution - if no one can get ahead, no one will ever be behind.  Since you mentioned education/etc obviously this could be applied to after school activities or anything else that might give someone an unfair advantage.

[Eagle_eye]

TBH, inequality could be down to our genes. someone gets down's syndrome, and they are on a less equal footing than someone who is a natural genius.

The solution to that is obviously to figure out what genes cause someone to be a genius, then genetically modify all fetuses to be geniuses. Or you could give them all down's syndrome, but I don't think anyone thinks that's a good idea.

[Africa]

A much more interesting and relevant question is, to what degree is reducing inequality a good thing?

I'd say that I'm OK with inequality as long as everyone's basic needs are being met (food, shelter, medical care) especially those of children and the elderly. Everyone's income doesn't have the be the same, but everyone's basic rights, both positive and negative, have to be protected by the government. That's the point of a government.

[Eagle_eye]

A much more interesting and relevant question is, to what degree is reducing inequality a good thing?

Inequality or equality aren't inherently desirable or undesirable. If you can take a bunch from one person, and have a group of people collectively put it to better use, that's good. If you can take a bit from a group of people, but get a larger benefit for others, that is also good. Whatever maximizes happiness. 

[kaijyuu]

  is that satire?

That way no one gets privileged enough to read or do math and we're all on the same playing field.

I'm assuming typo, but I suppose he could be strawmanning me.

No, no, I sincerely support the idea of sending all children to the same standard of school.  It's the perfect solution - if no one can get ahead, no one will ever be behind.  Since you mentioned education/etc obviously this could be applied to after school activities or anything else that might give someone an unfair advantage.

So you are strawmanning me, then.

I'm not advocating forcing square pegs into circular holes. I'm advocating removing the parent's wealth from the equation, nothing else.

You wanna talk about the failures of public schools in encouraging kids? Fine. It'd make a fine topic. But it's not this topic.

[genmac]

  is that satire?

That way no one gets privileged enough to read or do math and we're all on the same playing field.

I'm assuming typo, but I suppose he could be strawmanning me.

No, no, I sincerely support the idea of sending all children to the same standard of school.  It's the perfect solution - if no one can get ahead, no one will ever be behind.  Since you mentioned education/etc obviously this could be applied to after school activities or anything else that might give someone an unfair advantage.

So you are strawmanning me, then.

I'm not advocating forcing square pegs into circular holes. I'm advocating removing the parent's wealth from the equation, nothing else.

You wanna talk about the failures of public schools in encouraging kids? Fine. It'd make a fine topic. But it's not this topic.

I continue to agree with you on this.  Parents shouldn't be able to send their child to a better school just because they can afford it, because this is inequality.  We're absolutely on the same page.  And as we both agree, this extends into a child's life far past mere education.  Is it really fair that some children do piano study?  I don't think so.

[Leafsnail]

Schools.  Get rid of the private ones, or at least make it so they have to operate to the same budget per child as the surrounding area (this way it's actual competition rather than just "An alternative for rich people", and a school wishing to increase its budget per child would have to help out the surrounding area).