How to Fix the Tax Code + the Problem With Corporate Jargon

What It Covers

Scott Galloway answers three listener questions covering national sales tax reform, corporate jargon in the workplace, and whether a 25-year-old should abandon a two-year London contract to save a long-distance relationship.

Key Questions Answered

• •Tax Reform Strategy: Lower the estate tax exemption from $30M to $1M, raise capital gains to match income tax rates, and impose a 40% alternative minimum tax on individuals earning over $1M annually. Only 8% of households would face the estate tax change.
• •Regressive Tax Warning: National sales taxes disproportionately burden low-income households, who already spend 16% of budgets on food versus 10% for top earners. The lowest income quintile spends $35,000 annually exceeding reported income, making flat consumption taxes effectively a near-100% disposable income tax.
• •Corporate Communication Fix: Replace jargon-heavy language with data-driven statements — present numbers, evidence, and specific interpretations instead. Managers should ask more questions than they answer; speaking less while listening more signals stronger leadership than dominating meetings with consultant-style terminology.
• •Early-Career Sacrifice Framework: Finish professional commitments before prioritizing relationship proximity. Economic security built through early sacrifice strengthens relationships long-term. If a relationship cannot survive a defined 12–24 month separation, it likely lacks the durability needed regardless of proximity.