• sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    You're welcome to dunk, I don't mind.

    Assuming you engage in wage labor (despite it being antithetical to all of our beliefs) and your employer offers you a greater portion of the fruits of your labor via a matched savings account, is it wrong to accept it? I think it's not wrong at all, and workers should accept and make the most of their 401k.

    Bruenig's video is a framework for understanding personal finance from a leftist perspective, or the "personal welfare state" as he calls it. These are things the state should handle, but instead has created a mess of rules we have to decipher.

    • mayo_cider [he/him]
      ·
      5 months ago

      Assuming you engage in wage labor (despite it being antithetical to all of our beliefs)

      I do, and it's not antithetical to my beliefs, it's the only acceptable form of wealth accumulation offered to me right now

      is it wrong to accept that?

      Yes, it's called solidarity

      Bruenig's video is a framework for understanding personal finance from a leftist perspective

      It would work better if they actually had a leftist perspective

      • PauliExcluded
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        edit-2
        5 months ago

        Most employers offer a match on 401(k) contributions. For example, you contribute $500 per paycheck and the employer contributes $250. By turning down this money, you are literally letting the company you work for keep extra money that would otherwise go to you. Fuck companies. Accept the match, so they can’t keep that extra money. You worked for it.

        I’m a Marxist and want the downfall of capitalism. However, I’m investing in total market index funds in case capitalism remains the dominant economic system for the rest of my life, because I don’t want to be a wage slave when I’m tired, old woman.

        • mayo_cider [he/him]
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          edit-2
          5 months ago

          You are free to do whatever you want, and you are not a bad leftist if you invest

          But if you claim that you are not going against the most basic principles of socialism while investing is just sad

          • PauliExcluded
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            edit-2
            5 months ago

            The most basic principles of socialism like checks notes letting your employer keep extra value from you by turning down extra money and having to work as a wage slave when you’re 80.

          • space_comrade [he/him]
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            5 months ago

            But if you claim that you are not going against the most basic principles of socialism while investing is just sad

            A whole lot of things in our lives go against basic principles of socialism, not sure how this is that much different.

      • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
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        edit-2
        5 months ago

        Thanks for explaining. I won't be joining you in the boycott of retirement accounts, but I understand your issue of profiting from other's work.

        • mayo_cider [he/him]
          ·
          5 months ago

          I'm not boycotting retirement accounts, I have one myself, I just wanted to try to explain my ideology

          Thanks for a good faith reading of my comment