Kumar Thangudu

My theory on this is that as a civilization, humans are experiencing the pains of a system of living introduced 137 years ago, that unless confronted, will topple the western way of life. We cannot advance our next generation unless we remove the care (healthcare and retirement) of our elderly back to the system of relying on sons and son in law(s) (in scenarios whereby a family has only daughters) instead of relying on the government. The Payroll Tax cartel is massive as well. Grok:  “Since Otto von Bismarck introduced the world's first modern government-mandated old-age pension system in Germany in 1889, payroll contribution rates started at a modest 1.7% of wages (split among employee, employer, and a small state share), but have grown dramatically due to expanded benefits, longer lifespans, and demographic pressures. By 2026, Germany's statutory pension insurance contribution rate stands at 18.6% of gross wages (split equally between employee and employer at 9.3% each), reflecting over a 10-fold increase from the original level as the system shifted from limited coverage to a comprehensive pay-as-you-go model. In the United States, Social Security payroll taxes (for old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) began at a combined 2% rate (1% each from employee and employer) in 1937 on earnings up to $3,000, but rose through legislative changes to the current 12.4% combined rate (6.2% each) since 1990 on earnings up to $184,500 in 2026, marking more than a 6-fold increase to sustain the program amid similar aging and funding challenges.” If you're wondering why everything feels out of whack right now, it might be because we are living out a gerontocracy nightmare where local control has been removed and healthcare and retirement tithings to the government are mismanaged and we feel it in facets of every day life. Anyhow, just a random thought.