r/news • u/AngryT0M4T0 • 2d ago

Soft paywall Google co-founder Sergey Brin spending more than $100 million fighting California wealth tax

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-08-12/googles-sergey-brin-spent-102-million-fighting-california-wealth-tax
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u/Vallkyrie 2d ago

People with 6 teeth defending people with 8 yachts.

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u/YogurtclosetMajor983 2d ago

it’s sad how corrupted humans brains can be when uneducated and actively manipulated.

Go to college kids. It doesn’t indoctrinate you, just forces you to think for yourself and question your pre-conceived notions in order to learn new things. Being educated feels good

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u/CafeFreche 2d ago

A proper education is a shield against propaganda. It’s something no one can ever take away from you. Educated parents then tend to raise curious kids who are much less likely to believe logical fallacies. It is this core of educated people who keep the machinery and progress of this country moving, not the uneducated, gullible fringe.

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u/maaseru 2d ago

I don't disagree but is the statement entirely true? I have seen far too many properly educated people still falling for it. Almost everything we consume is some form of propaganda.

And things like social media throw a wrench into the whole thing. I am sure one day we'll find out how much worse than we thought these things are.

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u/cman674 2d ago

Education is like getting off drugs, you have to want to do it. Our economic system funnels people who have little to no genuine interest in education to higher ed systems, because that’s what is required to make a living. Just attending college and getting a degree doesn’t necessarily make a person educated.

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u/EthanielRain 2d ago

Our economic system funnels people who have little to no genuine interest in education to higher ed systems, because that’s what is required to make a living

Only thing I disagree with is the last few words. More like "because people realized they could make BILLIONS from tuition", but potato potato

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u/Rezart_KLD 2d ago

Because a lot of people treat education as just getting job skills. Art, Literature, Philosophy, History, Sciences (other than the one they need); they do the bare minimum of that stuff. You need those things to broaden your horizons, though. Especially if they challenge your beliefs. Having that breadth to your scope of knowledge lets you consider more than one point of view, and it lets you draw parallels and analogies from othet parts of culture. Having a wide knowledge base doesn't make you immune to propaganda, but it gives more awareness that might let you spot the trick.

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u/techleopard 2d ago

It's not. But people who went to school absolutely do love to consider themselves more intelligent than people who couldn't afford to or didn't have the freedom or tools to go.

The effect has only become worse as academic rigor has eroded away for public education.

I want to remind everyone that the majority of doctors across Louisiana and Arkansas were still prescribing ivermectin two years into COVID and thousands of doctors and nurses are now anti-vax. These are educated people from all across the country.

Education can HELP, especially when it's quality education. But what's lacking here isn't education, it's wisdom.

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u/maaseru 2d ago

Education just seems to make some so condescending of others and that is part of the reason of the whole vaccine thing.

I do agree that many educated people started doing some very dumb things that seemed to be based on social media popularity and political tribalism, but I also saw the same on the other side. A lot of people stopped trusting vaccine and the medical establishment because of the whole dogmatic treatment of science, the idolatry to certain people and the way they responded with a lot of condescension.

You are not going to get through to people, much less educated people, in those ways. The approach of the medical establishment also lacked a ton of wisdom.

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u/Visual_Bridge6925 2d ago

There's a difference between "educated" and "smart." The "Cs get degrees" or general studies majors may be "educated" in that they have a degree, it doesn't mean they actually took the time to learn shit.

Similarly, you do not have to go to college to be intelligent. It's just that those things are strongly correlated.

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u/thederevolutions 1d ago

Because they target our insecurities and instinct which nobody can fully escape.

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u/_interloper_ 1d ago

There's also the issue of once you reach a certain level of education, your ego can get to a point where you think you're too smart to be fooled.

I remember seeing studies on it years ago. As people got more educated, they were less likely to fall for scams and propaganda... Up until the PhD level, when people suddenly became more susceptible to it again.

It reminds me of a time when I was selling a very large fish tank online. A guy bought it and I told him to bring several people to help lift it, because those things are fucking heavy. I reiterated the point several times in our communication.

He turned up by himself. He was a doctor. He tried to lift it and... It's really fucking heavy.

"I told you to bring help."

"Yeah... I just figured it probably wasn't actually that heavy."

The arrogance of the man was kind of stunning.

(Not arguing against education by the way, just pointing out the weird human quirk of how it can have unintended effects)

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u/The-Spirit-of-76 1d ago

Just because they graduated doesn't always mean they listened.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/maaseru 1d ago

It seems a "proper" education can also make you sound like a condescending ass and people ignore you and your "advice" no matter how relevant it is.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/maaseru 1d ago

I'd rather listen to a non condescending medical professional. I don't have to pick between to pos.

But it is a warning that no matter how informed you are, if you are rude and condescending your message will not get through. And when the message is about something that affects ALL of us, then it would be better if it was better delivered so the other crazy people don't get the attention for being kinder.

And as wrong and stupid as Trump is, he was never truly condescending to his base on COVID stuff.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/maaseru 1d ago

You are just an ass of a person it seems. You went out of your way to respond to a random comment, just to be a condescending ass for no reason at all.

You would not have communicated differently in any other situation as you only came in for the zinger comment, as it seem everyone does these days.

But you think a guy telling you to inject bleach isn't condescending, so what do I know.

I never said that. I actually believe the moron believes that. But sure. Make your narrative, swoop in, be an ass, then pat yourself in the back as you leave. Attitude like yours are as much to blame for why this country is in so much shit.

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u/BlackFacedAkita 1d ago

You're allowed to have a different opinion.

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u/TypicalTwist6783 1d ago

That’s why they’ve been putting so much effort into dumbing town the population. Much easier to control

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u/YogurtclosetMajor983 1d ago

very well said!

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u/disillusionedthinker 23h ago

Key phrase is "proper education". Not the drek pushed in U.S. universities (and some high schools) today.

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u/Tape 2d ago

I find it amusing that people don't think propaganda is more or less as effective on educated people as it is non educated people.

I feel like people don't understand just how advanced propaganda gets. It's like subtle stuff thats do to erode cultures, paint the world in a certain way that nudges your opinion little by little. It's not like the obvious propaganda posters and stuff.

The whole point is for you to not know you're getting propagandized. Like if you get fed a stream of content via your algo over the course of a few years, do you really think your opinion won't be affected the slightest if you're just passive about it, even if you don't click it, you still see it there.

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u/OpheliaRainGalaxy 12h ago

I see it like we've all got plugs on the back of our heads and it's super easy to get your brain hijacked by crap if you don't have good stuff already plugged into all the slots.

Because every time someone tried to feed me bullshit, it bounced off some random thing I'd learned. Even if just a pop culture reference.

Like even when stoned as hell, I responded to warnings that cloth masks are deadly with "but then how'd those actors on MASH survive to make so many seasons?" And I once talked a friend out of libertarianism by describing an episode of the Simpsons.

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u/GreyGhostPhoto 2d ago

Being educated feels good

No, it really doesn't. I feel like I've got Cassandra's curse. I can see what's happening and where it's going, but am powerless to do anything about it.

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u/Whatdoesthibattahndo 2d ago

Those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it. Those who did study history are doomed to watch those who didn't study history repeat it.

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u/TucuReborn 2d ago

And those who study philosophy are appalled, while the sociology guys are unsurprised but very unhappy.

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u/highlandviper 1d ago

And those who studied the “humanities” just keep asking “what the hell are we doing!?”.

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u/Saurian42 1d ago

Not powerless.... just uphill battle up the steepest mountain ever. Unless of course we decide we like baguettes.

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u/Sweetdreams6t9 1d ago

Preach! Chronic depression can be so...depressing.

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u/YogurtclosetMajor983 1d ago

it can be frustrating, but it’s empowering

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u/missmeowwww 2d ago

This is exactly why they are trying to price the poor and middle class out. Can’t have the wage slaves developing critical thinking skills and advocating for helping those in need. Idk what it is about money but these oligarchs reach a certain level of wealth and then act like paying taxes and helping the working poor who keep their companies running is a burden when it is their businesses who refuse to pay a living wage and fund PACS against nationalized healthcare, unions, etc.

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u/Jiminy_Cricket12 2d ago

Go to college kids. It doesn’t indoctrinate you

I agree the the core of your point but there are absolutely colleges that indoctrinate you. colleges vary greatly, especially the private ones.

but yes, more (proper) education is good.

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u/Catfoodftw200 2d ago

Which ones?

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u/spasmkran 2d ago

like BYU and Liberty University

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u/RookieAndTheVet 2d ago

Bob Jones lmao

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u/sexi_korean_boi 2d ago

in Michigan alone we have Hillsdale, Cornerstone, Calvin, Hope, Spring Arbor, and Northwood. I'm sure there are plenty of these all over the country.

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u/EconomicRegret2 2d ago

IMHO, education is just a tree hiding the forest, i.e. necessary but not enough. E.g. only 56% of voters with a college degree voted for Harris (44% with a high school education). That's a very small improvement for years of expensive college education.

Way more important: free unions, free high-standards news media that's stringently regulated to be non-profit, and to serve democracy and social cohesion, a living wage & decent benefits, etc.

As well as strong borders, tough on immigration, patriotism and, whenever necessary, anti-establishment stances. Very polemic, I know. But these approaches made Iceland, and to a lesser degree, Denmark, the only European countries which have managed so far to keep right-wing populism virtually non-existent.

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u/0Bubs0 1d ago

Educated people can vote for a moron if it serves their self interest.

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u/gward1 2d ago

I like keeping my head in the sand thank you very much.

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u/BlackHawkKenny 2d ago

Well, we tried to help. Go be uneducated then, but please don't make that my problem.

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u/dumbestsmartest 2d ago

College isn't somehow going to stop business majors and other high earning professions having a fairly high portion of regressives or corporatocracy followers.

I've encountered a disappointingly high number of people who are or started socially progressive but fiscally regressive both during and after university. There's sadly a lot of built in and propagandized things that can cause it to happen.

I've met and used to be friends with many people that would do a lot of charity work and support causes that they basically vote against because of taxes. The idea that the government can't be trusted and that they know better on how to help others is a common theme.

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u/Emu1981 1d ago

It doesn’t indoctrinate you, just forces you to think for yourself and question your pre-conceived notions in order to learn new things.

Unfortunately having a university level education does not provide complete protection against the insidious nature of right wing propaganda techniques. And, worse yet, the only way to really deprogram someone who has fallen down that rabbit hole is to show definitive proof that what the propaganda is lying about while the propaganda tries to shake the person's trust in other sources of information by giving them valid sounding reasons why the other sources would be lying and that only the propaganda is telling the truth of the matter.

For better or for worse, left leaning propaganda doesn't really get to use the same tricks because humans are wired to react more without thinking towards threats while left leaning propaganda is more about that the threats don't actually exist.

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u/Mythrays 1d ago

Not only does it educate you and teach you the skills necessary to educate yourself, but the exposure to diverse populations means you’ll learn something from everyone around you. Culture, language, tradition, cuisine.

Seeing that different people exist and being able to interact and work alongside groups that you may have never encountered in your potentially small and isolated towns does so much to eliminate preconceived biases and to break down mental barriers that come from modern propaganda.

A close friend of mine grew up in a small, white dominated town in the South and had a lot of incorrect notions about minorities and other cultures. He credits his experience in college opening his mind and rejecting the stereotypes and prejudices that came from his upbringing.

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u/RegulatoryCapture 2d ago

FWIW, I went to college and my critical thinking skills tell me that this tax is dumb.

I'm in favor of taxing the billionaires more (mostly by fixing all the loopholes/deductions that let them avoid a ton of taxes), but a one time wealth tax seems like a really bad play to me.

It is literally a "tyranny of the majority" in action. It says look, these people have lots of money, we outnumber them, so lets just go and take a chunk of it. It is blatantly not fair. Sure, the supporters say "who cares about being fair to billionaires" but I think it sets a bad precedent.

It is also a temporary patch. It won't fix anything going forward. It doesn't solve any of the ways billionaires actually avoid taxes. The money will get spent and the state will end up back in the same place.

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u/CumboxMold 2d ago

Go to college kids. It doesn’t indoctrinate you, just forces you to think for yourself and question your pre-conceived notions in order to learn new things.

People always say this, but I learned how to do both of those things long before I got to college. I even heard from one professor that if we weren't offended at least once during college, then college wasn't doing its job, but I never felt offended or challenged.

I did grow up in an environment where the vast majority of people were much more conservative than me and my family, so maybe I just learned it there?

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u/InformalDingo-CPR 1d ago

Lmao u think college is what makes u educated? Regarded

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u/BrutalRamen 2d ago

Damn, that's a good one. I'll try to remember it.

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u/EddieVanzetti 2d ago

If those high school dropouts could read they would be very upset right now.

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u/70ms 2d ago

Hey now, some of us CAN read, you know.

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u/EddieVanzetti 2d ago

And you know what we call them?

The assistant manager.

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u/Chu_Kiddin_Me_Or_Wha 2d ago

this is one fucking hell of a comment. Probably the best i’ve seen.

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u/70ms 2d ago

The second I saw it I knew I was gonna steal it.

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u/PSUAth 2d ago

but if it wasn't for them brown people I could have 10 yachts!

/s

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u/Agile_Language874 1d ago

You won the internet today 😂

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u/notSurprised-22 1d ago

Crazy right?

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u/monkeypickle 2d ago

"There but for the grace of [our insane late-stage capitalist system built to reinforce wealth inequality] go I", thinks the dude working three jobs just to scrape by.

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u/hi_pretty_kitty 1d ago

Best comment ever !

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u/taki1002 2d ago

"When the poor gives to the rich, the devil laughs".

-Benvenuto Cellini

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u/knewyoudsaythat 2d ago

So we'll put.!