Well I can’t say I didn’t half expect this (second link in the post, along with the insinuation). Since I’ve never known Billy to lie (not a single time ever), or even to use selective truth to be dishonest (most people do it all the time), let me clarify a few things (much of which is done in the comments to that post he cites).

First, I’m speaking for myself. I happen to find it glorious to produce in spite of the general and institutionalized theft of a portion of what I produce. I’d probably still produce even if they stole it all because they can’t steal the fact that it was I who produced it. That’s just me.

Second, I’m not hedging on what I call it. It’s theft. Theft of a penny is theft. It’s robbery, and it’s done — ultimately — at the point of a gun and under threat of the loss of your freedom or your life.

My point is that you can be miserable about the "penny or two" (I am) or you can be miserable about it (I am) and produce anyway (I do). Advance your life anyway. And I’m not talking about just getting by. I’m talking about pushing and pushing and pushing it. Billy is welcome to call that "more misery," but I disagree (this dispute crops up every now and then). I think it’s less misery — mostly because I didn’t let it bring me down. Not permanently, anyway.

One of the things I said in the comments to that post are worth noting:

You know, it’s really no different, in principle, than a slave who
had the opportunity to buy his freedom. Should he not try because
slavery is wrong and by buying his freedom he would be surrendering, in
part, to an evil master? We’re all slaves to the state, but we’re not
all equally enslaved. The more you produce, the more freedom the state
allows you to buy.

So buy it. I’m just sayin’

Just sayin’.