Why should my hard earned money go to those less fortunate?

[Pat Mustard]

Read the Spirit Level. It explains why countries with stronger welfare systems and more equal wealth distributions are better for all living there.

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Ideally, help for the needy would come strictly from charity rather than the government. Unfortunately, it isnt enough bc many ppl dont give. But if you want to change this personally for yourself, you can factor in whatever you give to charity when doing your taxes, and you won't have to pay as much to the government.

Government distribution is far better than charitable distribution. All too often charities (even secular ones) discriminate in favour of "people like us". Plus with government distribution you've got economies of scale and better protection against fraud (for example, in Ireland there's barely a charity that hasn't had problems with misuse of funds and nepotistic business dealings or hirings in the last five years).

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Yes this thread has turned into a white male supremacist debate.

So you don't actually give a shit about anybody else, but you care enough about your image in front of others to find a rationalisation to jusitfy your greed and lack of empathy. Got it.