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Comment by Spivak | Hacker News Reader

But nobody is being punished here. You are not any worse off than you were yesterday before the aid was announced. If you had known in advance that this aid was coming would you have stopped paying your rent? Would you have kept paying and sacrificed just because you could due to some sense of civic duty? Did you return your stimulus check because you didn't actually need it and could have sacrificed more?

If you would have stopped paying then you're just mad that you didn't get out of your obligations and sacrificed when you didn't have to and feel like because of that you deserve it more, not that meeting one's obligations is something holy.

I understand the anger. But we're supposed to take a step back and not be jealous about good things happening to others.

Good for the people that didn't sacrifice and had a better quality life during COVID as a result. How could I ever wish anything else on them?

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There are plenty of people who probably made enough to continue paying rent, but chose not to because of the eviction moratorium.

A tech worker could basically stop paying rent, stating they've been effected by COVID, even if they weren't, or if it was short-term, and then basically collect their tech salary check's while not paying rent.

They _could_ pay, chose not to, and reaped the benefits.

Tech workers could have gambled that plat but few did unless they needed to.

Plenty of rich people shoplift. It doesn't mean you should too.

A percentage of people park in handicap spaces when they legally shouldn't. Some people feel entitled and will take advantage of any situation.

You had to be that person above and still have the foresight to see this coming to pull off this scam.

The risk here is a lot lower, it’s not really gambling. In this situation, you’re in the same position as everyone else in the country. It’s that fact that means you can more easily slip by without being caught. Not only that but it’s arguable that even people still working were financially impacted by the pandemic, and they could reduce or stop paying rent. A lot of people had pay cuts, or lived with roommates, it’s not hard to justify it. You might not think your stretching the truth or you may think if your the only roommate paying rent that it doesn’t matter at that point.

Back to your example of shoplifting: If it’s a riot and looting is happening, then even people who normally wouldn’t steal or commit often join in. It’s mob mentality. “If everyone is doing it, why can’t I?”

Of course you’re being punished. Not getting something that you could have gotten if you chose NOT to fulfill your financial obligations is a punishment.

By your logic if everyone but you get a $10,000 check you haven’t been punished? That’s ridiculous.

I honestly don't think that last example is ridiculous. I would be disappointed that I didn't get my $10k for whatever reason but I wouldn't think myself punished or be angry at someone who got their $10k. It's basically how I feel about student loan forgiveness. I paid back my loans but I still want that debt to be forgiven for everyone else. I have no expectation that because I paid my loans I deserve some cash reward because of it.

The reason to forgive any kind of debt is because the economic benefit of doing so it better than the alternative. Not because it's a reward for people who deserve it.

Don’t forget that it’s not just a free lunch. Your tax dollars are paying for the $10,000 checks in this scenario. So not only would you be not benefiting, you’d also be paying and not benefiting.

Idk if that changes anything but I think it’s worth pointing out.

Publicly created money does not come from taxes. It's generated de novo within a computer system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AyT9zftNrE

These people shrieking about how its punishment that some people get their rent paid sound like psychos, honestly. I'm on your side.

Oh really? So even if the millionaire next door got the $10,000 check but you didn't, you wouldn't feel resentment? How about if Bill Gates got it but you didn't?

Nope. I would not feel one iota of resentment.

You know how I know you're lying?

Because you're projecting?

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