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Elvin

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  1. I hate the injustice they are perpetrating and can understand how you feel in a lot of ways. I hope the following helps. I think everyone here agrees to one extent or another, that the government has oppressive, collectivist elements. We can try to point out how to view them as less negative a factor in your life. And if you want to enjoy life on earth, you should try to do that for yourself with regard to governemnt and every other thing. But that is a political discussion. That is exactly what you don't need to discuss. What you need to examine are your perspectives on metaphysics, on day-to-day happiness, and of course on figuring out all of your options and the best ones and how to pursue them. Objectivist politics tells us that no man should be oppressed. Metaphysics tells us that humans and human societies are fallible and that you and I, here and now live in a far from optimal society (and let us not forget, a far from completely unfree one). Reality based philosophy tells us that philosophizing or wishing aren't going to change that in time to help you with the practical issues your facing. Unless you think it is worth trying to challenge the tax laws or officials, you're just crying over spilt milk (I would be outraged too, in fact I am, but that's not really getting us anywhere in this context) The fact that you are being oppressed and squeezed, like all facts of reality, simply is - unless you can change someone's mind, someone who can choose to make things politically different. Even if you choose to pursue that path, the only reasonable thing is to also pursue other courses of action that take the tax problem as an unchangeable given. Back to non-politically philosophy: No matter how outrageous the situation is, if it can't be changed (in time to help your situation) then you might as well be fussing over the fact that you can't flap your wings and lift off the ground. You have to let that go. the rational thing is to constantly strive to find the best life you and your family can enjoy. Accept the fact that the government is unjust. Accept the fact that you may have to temporarily do some unpleasant work to make money. You may have had expectations that you would never again have to do that in life. I know it hurts when our expectations aren't realized, but sometimes you have to recognize and accept that. Spend your energy concentrating on developing a strategy to get the most happiness you and your family can over the next couple of decades. Accept the fact that you may not wind up with what you thought you would a few years ago. Accept the fact that things change. (unfortunately for you unjust tax evaluations are part of that picture. it sucks, but you know, a lot of unfortunate things prevent us from getting everything we'd hoped for. I'm not unsympathetic, I'm just trying to tell it to you objectively.) The whole thing is a matter of perspective. the goal of life is happiness. Even if you lose the house you love, admit it, you can have happiness in life, especially with a wife and child to love you. Of course it's not ideal to pay rent. That doesn't mean it is rational to refuse to even consider it as an option, even temporarily. Plenty of people manage to live happy lives without owning real estate. I'm just saying, you can't knock something off the table just because it's not your first choice (or your second or third). Your situation sounds very tough. Your choices are very tough, but in the end it's just a complex problem to be solved mentally. You look at the given facts (such as you can try to fight the taxes, but they don't look like they're going away, so plan accordingly), variable (e.g. you can do x, y or z to make money) and invariable (e.g. you need a minimum of $XX dollars buy April 15) and you figure out what will bring the great est happiness and the least pain. Leonard Piekoff chose not to fight the Library of Congress, even though he felt they perpetrated a great injustice - he decided the cost was too much, his life was better fulfilled with other pursuits) Thinking about situations that are worse than mine helps me to balance my perspective, so I'm offering that to you. There are so many different things that people go through. As bad as your situation is, it's not the worst I've heard of or you have I'm sure. Again, I'm not being unsympathetic, just objective. I think you should concentrate on salvaging the most you can, building a strategy for the future and trying to be innovative in that. Appreciate every single good thing, try to ignore, as much as you possibly can (and then some) all the bad. When I feel bad I try to think over good things and people I have. And I remember that the purpose of life is happiness. Going over and over how terrible the state of politics is in 2006 in CT (that's where you live, right?) is not going to get you there. Thinking, and then some hard work and struggle will be necessary. Best of luck with all that your facing!
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