Richard Dawkins for President

Music is Emperor Tomato Ketchup by Stereolab

I just passed quickly over a blog with the word 'meme' in it. I got the feeling that the word 'meme' is being overused when someone just wants to refer to some cultural entity but that is the definition of meme and why use more words than one to describe just that. Do you ever find that something you are trying to define and which turns out to be complex, suddenly flips over so that you realise that in fact it is quite simple? It happens a lot to me. The simplest solution is always the best.

Don't read this rubbish.

So much in the world is just too complicated. The tax and benefit system seems to be divided into so many small compartments to ensure the scrupulous fairness of it all. Sometimes my view of taxes being necessary annoys a few people who see them selves paying for something they don't use. Of course it is true that there are many people who use everything that is provided by all levels of government and contribute nothing to it. (I could mention a few tycoons at this point) but overall the idea is that we all contribute to the welfare of everybody and we all benefit to some extent. I know this sounds like an over-simplification. Bear with me. Maybe you could decide say on ten rigidly defined levels of taxation and ten corresponding levels of benefits. Wait for the howls. I don't really want to make a point one way or the other and the reason is precisely because any system has to be complicated to keep all but the most anti-government reactionaries slightly better than discontent. See the howls over the repeal of the Steel tariffs. As you can see, if you wanted to see me on one or other side of the fence you are mistaken which probably devalues all the above rubbish. Hence the instruction I am going to put above the paragraph now.