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What if public libraries...
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this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2024
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Libraries would need more funding to operate extended hours...
Then people would complain about gov't spending and taxes. Then we would privatize the libraries
This is why we cant have nice things
Turns out brainwashing a society to be selfish consumers has side effects like: not wanting to spend their money on services for the public good.
"They aren't me, why should I care!?"
Or even if you personally benefit from public services, you'll still complain about "muh tax dollars!!"
Years and years ago my friends mom was complaining about taxes for public school. I said 'but your kids were public schooled!?' and she responded, perfectly seriously, "yeah but not anymore." (We had recently graduated). I have never forgotten this. It's real. Real people think like this
I fucking hate those people so much. It's those people and the "I don't have kids" people that are the reason why teachers have to buy their own damn supplies that the kids actually need.
This isn't a charity, those teachers are working and deserve their full income (that already isn't high enough because of the previously mentioned assholes.)
Always worth reminding those without kids that someone else's kid will be the doctors keeping them healthy, building their homes, working out how to power society as they fight to hold back the immense tide of global ecosystem collapse due to humanitiy's hubris and need for constant gratification with a minimised focus on the impact decisions have on the future.
I like to remind those without kids that they were kids themselves and got an education.
That went south quick... What I meant to say was that we need to invest in building skills in young people. Not skimping on it like it's an annoying sycophant begging for succour.
Oh yeah, the taxes! The finger thing means the taxes!!
I really don't understand the "my tax dollars!" argument. Like, it's a pool of resources and you deducted as much as you could, Robert.
Capitalists trying to convince the public to privatize things has nothing to do with cost; even if they were free, every dollar saved by the public represents a potential profit they're losing.
Ah yes, privatization will make it cheaper because of competition…
meanwhile one company buys out all the competition, monopolizes, charges more, and becomes the modern day version of a duke or lord. Yay capitalism
Cheaply selling drinks (maybe non-alcoholic) would probably more than off-set the additional costs.
I wanna get lit at the library though.
Litbrary
Nothing a flask can't fix.
We held a private work event at the museum one time... I got loaded on whisky and went to see all the dinosaur bones. It was one of the best nights of my life
Lib[ation]rary
Imbibe-rary
I don't want to read at library where people are getting lit - and it misses the whole point of having a healthy third place to be. Take your book to a bar if you want that 😆
Yes but it needs to be a nice cognac or fancy cocktails.
I prefer getting non-fiction. But I once frequented a bar called The Library. It was not wholesome...
Coffee, tea, chocolate, lemonade, ...
Add some waffles and I join the project!
In his book Humankind Rutger Bregman talks about the election of a mayor in a city in Venezuela who campaigned on the notion that he wouldn't do the job. After years of corruption and broken promises from other politicians, the people hated the mayor so much they liked this idea a lot.
Part of his job was to create a budget. So he told everybody to submit a budget, and gave them last year's as a template. The general consensus was that they'd happily raise their taxes to pay for new parks and bus routes.
(This is a half remembered summary but I highly recommend the entire book.)
I think the real reason we can't have nice things is because we don't have a way to make sure nice things can happen.
I'm pro-library, and many reduced hours during the pandemic and never picked it back up. Resources are shrinking for them.
And it sucks that there's so many society problems and places like libraries and ER rooms get slashed resources. Because these spaces serve a public good, for neighborhoods, and the unhoused.
This is why I don't get the generalized hate on taxes. If I worked and had to give like 90% away for taxes and was left just with pocket money I would be absolutely on board if that meant that the money went to what you mentioned above. Guaranteed healthcare, good education for kids, an apartment, basic foods. Imagine having everything you need provided to you and just having 200-300€ a month to spend on what you will. Theater, movies, a fancy restaurant, or save up for a small trip. And all the while you know you're safe, and your neighbor is safe, and in the fancy third wave coffee shop you sit next to the garbage man and the finance attorney because both have pretty much equal money to spend. But somehow just the idea of having to pay taxes turns so many people off.
quite sad that politicians and the billionaires funding them just dont care about their own country
Those damn librarytarians!
Also librarians maybe want the same free time as their families
Nobody says the same librarian would be 24/7 there.
Presumably not the same one no, but somebody has to cover it. Not a job that's traditionally shift work in my past of be world, so a sizeable change for existing staff. I think a community ran version would be better for this sort of idea, or if people are aware of the less formal evening setting doesn't have to be full librarians on staff, reduced service sort of thing.