I hear the core point of the concept, but it’s kind of like saying “these people don’t understand concepts of community and empathy,” because that’s essentially what the grievance comes down to. Not “what do we get out of it as a society” but “what’s in it for me.”
As a concept, if you can’t be ok with some of your income going to say, feed kids in need or provide healthcare for the elderly, I don’t know how to explain those concepts to someone.
Personally I like the argument that my taxes pay for a society I live in. They pay for education, even though I don’t have kids, because I don’t want to live in a society full of dummies.
I believe there's a component at play where certain concepts have become so hard coded as signals of political/cultural alignment that for some, it becomes a warning trigger to go on defence. I don't say that to be defeatist, but hopefully as part of understanding those connective pieces.
Well, for one, the rest of the country can drop the whole "they're all just rural hicks" when there's two million plus cities in Alberta and a near 800k city in Manitoba.
A lot of services paid for by tax money get glossed over when an area is considered rural.
Just spitballing: PSAs on services provided through taxes (healthcare, emergency services, water, roads, sewage, emergency relief, education, UI, etc) and maybe some data on what these services cost? Or what Canadians pay into these services coast to coast?
I'm a progressive who works on the rigs (geologist). I have a no political discussion at work rule for my mental health. I have no idea how to bridge the gap. You're talking about reaching smart, but uneducated folks to have been brainwashed by right wing media and the algorithm for ~30+ years.
Lived here in Alberta my whole life. It's generational, institutionalized degradation of empathy. 'I got mine, I only help my own' has been handed down, especially in rural Alberta. See it first hand all the time. Not part of the immidiate in crowd, you're a potential threat. Lack of empathy.
I do feel like there needs to be better education in public school about all the things taxes go to pay for. Break down the costs of things like health care.
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A lot of services paid for by tax money get glossed over when an area is considered rural.