A Creepy Way to Spend 60 Seconds

This video, from the Swedish version of the IRS, shows what the world would supposedly look like without taxes. All soccer fields would be left to deteriorate. Filth would come out of your shower head. We’d all be driving in the mud, because we’re too stupid to figure out a way to build roads cooperatively, without threats of violence. And so on.

So be sure to pay your taxes, you stupid rube: without us, you’d be a pathetic boob, driving in the mud and reeking of filth to a soccer field overrun by weeds.

(Thanks to Travis Holte.)

Josh Taylor

I’m not even mad. This is hilarious. I’m only sad if anyone actually bought it.
http://rosarynovice.stblogs.com/ Augustine

And, of course, we’d all be driving car and riding bikes and dressing as in the 70s! We cannot allow that!

PS: was that piece of propaganda shot in Detroit or in St. Louis?
chris

it forgot to mention that, with the help of taxes, and generous loans, the government then builds these massive stadiums for some global sports event, which then, a couple of years down the road, end um looking pretty much like the one depicted here; the only difference is that afterward, your taxes have to pay to service those loans.
Chris Barcelo

I love how they don’t even have an inkling to clear the field to play soccer. How would we know what a clear field was without the government
Chris Barcelo

Also how without roads etc. did they ever get to the point where they could in fact build any of these things (buildings, cars, etc.). That means elsewhere private enterprise is picking up the slack. You can also note that there was no productivity to be observed, maybe that has something to do with it. Flies in the face of logic.
http://TheInterventionistParadox.wordpress.com/ Bharat

This is an affront to government. How would we build the houses without them?
Anonymous

Well, to quote one Tom Woods, “Where would we be without our wise overlords?”.
The depressing thing is, people BUY INTO this doodoo…
kirk

a study recently appeared wherein it was noted that the average American (and, likely, a majority in the western world) operates at an eighth grade level. while not reading the actual study, being unable to verify the data does support the conclusion, my daily experience empirically testifies to the veracity of the conclusion.

with the above in mind, it becomes evident to whom such an abomination (and all others like it) is directed and why such propaganda writ large is successful. given that those who believe such tripe are the vast majority among those who vote (D/R alike), voting will change nothing and has become an ‘example of freedom’ which is, in reality, a waste of time. a waste of time? what other phrase would apply when there is no difference between the major parties, the contending sides differing only on what they will spend our expropriated (that’s a fancy word for theft, isn’t it?) money on?

from the above, the choices are stark: accept, or separate. voting will change nothing.
Mike

Yeah. It’s too absurd for me to be angry. It’s just pathetically sad that people actually believe the type of silliness promoted in the video.
http://www.facebook.com/steve.mcnair.5030 Steve Mcnair

Even if this were a possible future without taxes, I would sure prefer one like it that included the freedom to be left alone by a nonexistent government that didn’t breath down our necks every April 15th; or ticket, taser, club, arrest us; meddle in our commerce; tell us what to eat, think, say, write; who to associate with; how to spend our money; how to run our business; how to educate our children, etc.
Joel Poindexter

Totally off topic (sorry), but are you the Josh Taylor of Blimey Cow?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Sedkowski/100001467305337 Paul Sedkowski

That’s what communism actually looked like.
JoshArizona

Are you sure this isn’t a travel advertisement for Detriot, aimed a swedes?
http://www.facebook.com/michael.p.shipley Michael P. Shipley

Ever
been to Disneyland? It’s the size of a small city. It is totally self
contained. All built and run privately by a corporation. Roads,
electricity, water, security, everything built and maintained without
government or taxes. Where would you rather live? In a despotic corrupt crime
ridden tax stealing warmongering land of government tyranny? Or in
Disneyland?
Franklin

Surprised nobody mentioned the insidious irony: How was this video funded?
Eerily akin to history’s innocent slaves who were tortured unless they dug their own graves prior to their execution.
Not only are you gonna be forced at gunpoint to pay your taxes, you’re gonna fund the propaganda too.
Anonymous

Be angry, billions believe it. Virtually 9/10ths of the planet. If it’s not democratic socialists, it’s fake conservatives.
Anonymous

Wow, I forgot about this one. I remember seeing it on state (!) television as a child. Funny, but mostly disgusting.
***********************************************************************************************
Someone commented and said that they’re sad if someone actually bought. I’m sorry to say that yes, most do. The status quo in Sweden is believing in socializing; it’s reinforced in various way in out culture. This shit is for example played on state television on prime time every Christmas youtube. com/watch?v=KnM4hswopgs
complimentary admission

Well of course they can’t fix the soccer field, the government has declared all lawn mowers to be assault weapons.
Wheylous

I came here to say this. I was watching this video (I’m Bulgarian), and I’m like “actually, that’s what Bulgaria looked like until a few years ago.” It might be a little better now – but those panel buildings, overgrown grasses? Problems in water distribution? shoddy roads in the villages. Yep, that’s the Soviet Union, alright.
Wheylous

But… but… the free rider problem! Someone might come after them and play as well! Noooooooo!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Roddis/707435410 Robert Roddis

Thanks to the Canadian government building the St. Lawrence Seaway, ocean-going ships now come into the Great Lakes and have introduced dozens of nasty exotic critters that have harmed the local fish and ecosystem. As they say, we wouldn’t have this “infrastructure” without the government.

http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/glwqa/usreport/part5.html
MM

Where did they film that? Detroit? Cleveland?