01-31-2018, 02:29 PM
(01-30-2018, 06:50 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Lying implies an intentional act of misrepresentation. You're accusing ijmorlan of something personally, not that he misunderstands or that he doesn't know or that you see it differently but that he is intentionally trying to mislead and modify the truth.
Exactly. There is no evidence that I am lying, and anybody who thinks there is such evidence is either not reading clearly or not thinking clearly.
As to why there is such a strong reaction to what I’m saying, I’ve had a few speculations but unlike some people I don’t pretend to know why the other person is saying what they are saying.
Perhaps they recognize on some level that they have it really good as a driver, and are afraid of a potential upcoming loss of privilege.
Perhaps they for some reason think I am a zealot who must be opposed.
Perhaps something else. Who knows?
But I know that I do not know so I avoid asserting as factual what is really just idle and meaningless speculation about somebody else’s mental state.
I also know that:
- drivers do not pay (much) to use the local roads
- drivers do not pay (much) to use the highways
- library patrons in this city do not pay to use the library
- sidewalk and bicycle path users do not pay to use the paths
- parents do not pay to send their children to public school
- and so on, for many many many government services.
Now, obviously, I don’t mean that none of those people contribute to the cost; in fact, in almost all of those cases, most of the users are taxpayers and therefore do make a contribution. But the contribution has nothing to do with their use of the service beyond perhaps the fact that both the taxes and the use of the service are related to living in a certain geographical area. It is permitted to use the service without paying for it; and one cannot be exempted from a portion of taxes on the grounds that one does not use the service.
In some cases I agree fully with the way things are; in others I think they should be tweaked; in others I think major changes should be made; and in still others I’m not even sure what I think should be done. But it is a fact that the above-mentioned services operate on a non-cost-recovery basis and it’s impossible to discuss rationally whether this is the right way to run things without people acknowledging this.