"[when that tax bill comes your thought should be]... a recognition that in paying your taxes you are helping to support millions of Americans that are not as fortunate as you."<p>Right, so I bust my ass in school, non-paid internships, contracting as much as possible, and 50 hour work weeks on my startup... and the reason I'm making money is b/c I'm more "fortunate" than the slob who is still playing video games in college after 6 years and the idiot who chooses to have kids he can't afford?<p>OK, got it... making wise choices makes you "fortunate"... and it's "unfortunate" when idiots who make poor decisions just don't make quite enough money to afford cigarettes, bling for his car, and health insurance.<p>Another serious flaw in this article, besides his inept philosophy: money stolen from us by the government is not "helping to support millions of americans"... it's being completely wasted by GovCo, for the most part, or at minimum used very inefficiently.
Cuban is well known for speaking his mind, and he lived up to his reputation in this interview. Thats what we are all out here to do. And thats what this country is built on. Entrepreneurship. Creating something from nothing, and making the process better, more efficient, and productive each time.<p>Mark Cuban said that we need to make a boatload of money, but does not say how exactly to do that. At this point, you cant go by the Mark Cuban book. Dont try to duplicate what he did. Aside from the rare occassion of the German based ebay copycats whom later became reviered VCs, The European Founders (<a href="http://www.europeanfounders.com/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.europeanfounders.com/index.html</a>), you have to create your own path. What do you enjoy? Where is there a void in the market? Etc.<p>But, hopefully, you are not trying to "Get Rich Quick". Create your entrepreneurial venture off of passion and a genuine interest in what you are creating. Dont need it to blow up and produce millions over night, because you have to pay your electric bill. Thats not the way.
"Make a boatload of money. Pay your taxes. Lots of taxes. Hire people. Train people. Pay people. Spend money on rent, equipment, services. Pay more taxes."<p>Don't most wealthy people hire lawyers and lobbyists to help them not pay taxes? Don't they also move jobs overseas to reduce how much they pay to their own economy?<p>Cuban seems to be living in a dreamworld.
<i>and your 3rd [thought] should be a recognition that in paying your taxes you are helping to support millions of Americans that are not as fortunate as you.</i><p>So just to clarify-- if you become successful, it was a combination of hard work and good fortune but if don't become successful, it was just poor fortune?
He makes an argument for making money, but not for getting (or being) rich. What societal advantage is there to one person amassing wealth? It seems like Cuban is saying that if you create wealth, you can pass it on to others. So wouldn't that mean that it would be better for society if you were just a conduit for wealth, paying your employees, contractors, and suppliers as much as possible?<p>It seems like the most beneficial thing would be to "Hire people. Train people. Pay people. Spend money on rent, equipment, services." but not skim a bunch off the top for yourself.
Getting rich by creating American jobs that manufacture goods that we sell to Asia and re-balancing the trade imbalance would improve the dollar strength and create American jobs, that'd be ok. If I get rich by putting Applebees out of business because I made a slightly better boneless buffalo wing, nothing would be gained.
<i>"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."</i> -- Samuel Johnson<p><i>"The most patriotic thing you can do is get rich."</i> -- Mark Cuban<p>Sounds about right.
I would also like to point out that Cuban has incentives to have his fan base think of him as patriotic: he wants patriotic people to consume his NBA entertainment and think well of him.<p>Just because someone posts something on their blog, does not mean it is what they truly believe. It is only what they want to appear on their blog.
I'm almost certain there there may be flaws in this though but:<p>Isn't there a limited monetary supply at any given time? So the richer I get, the less rich other people become. Even after I pay rents and salaries and everything else, if I'm richer than I was before, then there is less wealth available for everyone else.