(urth) Gene Wolfe Fans Talk Politics (Again)

[Adam Thornton]

On May 19, 2009, at 7:07 PM, brunians at brunians.org wrote:

> Well, I'd think you'd have to minimize the shame-heaping aspects if  
> you
> wanted to adapt the system for general use, but that doesn't mean it  
> can't
> be done.

Isn't that the engine that drives the whole thing?

Since I know you have a tendency to narrowly-construe if it suits your  
argument, I will amplify:

Traditional "extortionate" taxation uses the threat of incarceration  
and siezure of assets as the stick to drive the recalcitrant mule to  
puke up the carrot of tax revenue.

The Mormon model uses the fear of community shaming.  Even I am not so  
naive about human nature to think this will work in the absence of a  
stick of some sort.  I mean, I do it myself about public radio (inter  
alia): most years, I feel like I *should* be giving my local NPR  
station some money, but I always have an excuse for not doing it, and  
uneasy guilt isn't quite enough for me to pull out the checkbook.

Adam