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Comment by b1daly | Hacker News Reader

I agree with a lot of his points, and I would do well to embrace them.

When he gets into diving people into “makers or takers” that’s an arrogant and ugly way to look at the world. Because “taker” has a perjorative element.

People are not one thing. Maybe I’m biased by living in the US but most people I know try to be a positive member of society, even if they lack wealth.

Perhaps you could apply the “taker” label to the severely disabled, or to pathological criminals. If ones criteria is net contribution to the worlds wealth.

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"Maker" and "taker" are also technical terms from trading markets. The "maker" is the firm who puts a limit order into the order book and waits for someone to accept the trade; the "taker" is the firm who enters a market order (or a limit order that'll fill immediately) and accepts whatever the best bid is in the market.

Not sure if he meant it like that, since the following paragraph seem to go on to say that yes, he did mean "taker" in its pejorative sense. But there's an interesting analogy there: the maker sets the terms of trade, while the taker just offers their consent to the terms that are given. Similarly, in entrepreneurial markets, the "maker" is the one who determines what the world will look like, while the "taker" can merely offer their consent to one possible vision that is offered by an entrepreneur.

He does define takers in the very next paragraph.

> When he gets into diving people into “makers or takers” that’s an arrogant and ugly way to look at the world.

Indeed. It's almost like a status game.

I don't think he intended taker to mean someone who lacks wealth, but rather someone who exploits others to gain wealth, rather than participating in positive sum activities (making). IE, you could put various rent-seekers in here, some traders, and yes, criminals.

Maybe you missed the part where he defines takers. Here's the part :

>Then there are people who come along with a sword, or a gun, or taxes, or crony capitalism, or Communism, or what have you. There’s all these different methods to steal.

I know its frowned upon to ask why you are being downvoted, but honestly I would like some feedback on why the comment is being downvoted. The commenter I was replying to, it seemed to me had missed the part and so was forming an opinion on what they think a "taker" is. In the article, you will find that he defines takers the very next paragraph after he uses the word takers. In the Joe Rogan podcast, infact he elaborates on this.

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