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Comment by alexanderwept | Hacker News Reader

>You can ask libraries to get books you are interested in.

I can also just go online and buy them and they show up at my front door.

>You get the value out of the library that you put into it.

My tax liability is such that that I put a lot of value into the library. I try to get use of the library, but I'm not going to inconvenience myself to use it. That it's easier for me to spend the $5-$10 to buy a book rather than deal with the ILL bologna is a sign that the library isn't really working for me.

>it comes across as selfish and staying in your ideological bubble.

And that's my prerogative. However, it's not like I'm hoarding my money and acting like a scrooge mcduck. Every dollar my library gets to keep the dust off of feminist "all men are bad" literature is a dollar that's not going to alleviating hunger or malaria. Isn't it selfish of the library to misuse the money that could be better spent on the less fortunate?

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You seem to be fortunate enough to have other options. Not everyone is so fortunate. Personally I believe society as a whole is better when we offer opportunities for education and self-improvement to those who can't otherwise afford it. Many people derive real value from public libraries simply because it is the only option they have for the services it offers.

Personally I haven't set foot in a library in a long time but I would proudly and gladly vote to increase funding for libraries, even at my own tax expense. I earn enough for my family to live comfortably. Increasing my material wealth further won't bring any increase in personal happiness so I will gladly spend it to better society as a whole, even if I do not directly benefit from it.

>Personally I believe society as a whole is better when we offer opportunities for education and self-improvement to those who can't otherwise afford it.

And you're welcome to do that with your own money. Why is the cause so moral that others get to decide I have to support it with my money?

That's a complicated question but I'll sum up my thoughts on it by saying because you have benefited from it too. Would you have reached your position in life if not for a stable society and functioning economy? As I see it we've got to pay it forward for the next generation as the last did for us. Whether you prefer it or not you are a part of our shared society.

There is of course more nuance to it all.

I didn't ask for this. If society collapsed and I became a sustenance farmer or hunter gatherer, that'd be alright by me.

I agree with the rule of law and I'll do what I'm legally obligated to do, however, every chance I get I'm going to vote in favor of returning to the pre-history status quo of all-against-all.

Interesting. Your Abrahamic theology won't help you there. Please don't drag us all down with you. I'm sure you can find a remote bit of forest somewhere where you can live on your own for as long as you can make it. Come on now, walk the talk.

>>Isn't it selfish of the library to misuse the money that could be better spent on the less fortunate?

Gosh, I hope you don't have any vices or leisure pursuits.

Private citizens don't have the same moral burdens that public enterprises do.

google your <city name> public library interlibrary loan. You can request what you want on-line. Many will also deliver it to you. You can also get ebooks that way as well. Also check out the app called Libby.

Perhaps all of this won't satisfy your political needs to "own the libs" by killing libraries, but who knows!

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