Capitalism. Good or Bad?

[rdmayo21]

rdmayo21-
What do you make of the issue of wealth inequality in America?
I think this might cut through some of the language snags and get us to the point.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM[/youtube]

I agree with you wholeheartedly that there exists an enormous amount of wealth inequality, and it is a tragedy. However, I'm sure we disagree on the cause, which I believe to be such things as government-enforced monopolies, subsidies, and the distortion of interest rates by the Federal Reserve.

 

[narouz]

... the distortion of interest rates by the Federal Reserve.

"Fiat Currency"
and that sort of thing?

 

[rdmayo21]

... the distortion of interest rates by the Federal Reserve.

"Fiat Currency"
and that sort of thing?

Not really. If you think your currency has no value, then buy something with it that does. Problem solved. However, creating an environment where retirees can't get adequate income from investments to support themselves, now that's immoral.

 

[narouz]

... the distortion of interest rates by the Federal Reserve.

"Fiat Currency"
and that sort of thing?

Not really. If you think your currency has no value, then buy something with it that does. Problem solved. However, creating an environment where retirees can't get adequate income from investments to support themselves, now that's immoral.

There are quite a few seniors who don't have any investments.

 

[rdmayo21]

This optimistic view is an official part of Marxist doctrine, but I think much of it derives from a cultural optimism that has been recurrent in Russian history. Marxism without the rich Russian culture can be a relatively sterile branch of Hegelian philosophy, or a relatively abstract economic theory. Marxism on a foundation of Aristotelian attitudes is less abstract than a marxism that is grafted onto Cartesian and Hegelian ideas.

mind and tissue page 170

He taking into consideration other characteristics that can influence a direction a society goes, when he says Marxism is a sterile branch of Hegelian philosophy. I think that is a relatively good way of approaching any theory that can be taken and applied.

What he's saying is that a given society's social system is a consequence of that society's generally-accepted views on metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.

I understand where he's coming from. However, it's certainly a leap to say that he believes that every characteristic of capitalism should be avoided. It seems that what he advocates is a kind of voluntary collectivism, where independent-thinking individuals work together to achieve a common goal that would directly benefit each individual more than they could achieve by themselves. However, the individuals could not be forced to participate, because you would lose his/her independent thinking and, consequently, the synergistic effect from working together. This can be seen as a certain twist on capitalism (similar to his different takes on Marxism), where you would have the optimism of Marxism but without the force. Like I said before, the only essential principle of capitalism is that the initiation force is never morally justified. Everything else is flexible.

 

[IWishIWasRich]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

 

[Such_Saturation]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

Not really... many compensate using stress and drugs. Ever seen a millionaire who looks miserable as hell? That's why.

 

[IWishIWasRich]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

Not really... many compensate using stress and drugs. Ever seen a millionaire who looks miserable as hell? That's why.

Wanting to use drugs = genes/environment triggering you to do so.

 

[Such_Saturation]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

Not really... many compensate using stress and drugs. Ever seen a millionaire who looks miserable as hell? That's why.

Wanting to use drugs = genes/environment triggering you to do so.

They still made money though.

 

[IWishIWasRich]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

Not really... many compensate using stress and drugs. Ever seen a millionaire who looks miserable as hell? That's why.

Wanting to use drugs = genes/environment triggering you to do so.

They still made money though.

Thats irrelevant for my point still prevailing.

 

[Such_Saturation]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

Not really... many compensate using stress and drugs. Ever seen a millionaire who looks miserable as hell? That's why.

Wanting to use drugs = genes/environment triggering you to do so.

They still made money though.

Thats irrelevant for my point still prevailing.

what is the point, IWishIWasRich?

 

[rdmayo21]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

Not really... many compensate using stress and drugs. Ever seen a millionaire who looks miserable as hell? That's why.

Wanting to use drugs = genes/environment triggering you to do so.

They still made money though.

Thats irrelevant for my point still prevailing.

what is the point, IWishIWasRich?

He's trying to show that there's no such thing as free will, and he's doing a poor job.

 

[IWishIWasRich]

Good if you have money.
To have money you need good genetics and good environment, things you don't choose.
Therefore money is luck.

Not really... many compensate using stress and drugs. Ever seen a millionaire who looks miserable as hell? That's why.

Wanting to use drugs = genes/environment triggering you to do so.

They still made money though.

Thats irrelevant for my point still prevailing.

what is the point, IWishIWasRich?

He's trying to show that there's no such thing as free will, and he's doing a poor job.

I didn't choose to do a poor job.

 

[Such_Saturation]

Uh oh... he got you there

 

[rdmayo21]

Uh oh... he got you there

Haha, it's really hard to take people like that seriously. It kind of reminds me of the people that don't know whether or not they exist.

 

[Such_Saturation]

Uh oh... he got you there

Haha, it's really hard to take people like that seriously. It kind of reminds me of the people that don't know whether or not they exist.

Well I don't see anything wrong with where he is coming from, although he will find that it is not the end of the line, so to speak.

Sometimes we can (perhaps through serotonin) make ourselves to think that some kind of escape can be the solution to all problems, be it finding a rich partner, or going home and eating chocolate, or getting one more shot of heroin for example.

 

[Sheik]

Uh oh... he got you there

Haha, it's really hard to take people like that seriously. It kind of reminds me of the people that don't know whether or not they exist.

The problem is not whether you exist, the problem is whether anything can truly be known. Or more broadly, what is knowledge?

There will come a time when each of us can no longer afford to presume that we exist. The intellect is a function of the human animal, like digestion. It's not Reality™. You DO NOT know whether or not you exist. Sorry.

 

[rdmayo21]

The problem is not whether you exist, the problem is whether anything can truly be known. Or more broadly, what is knowledge?

There will come a time when each of us can no longer afford to presume that we exist. The intellect is a function of the human animal, like digestion. It's not Reality™. You DO NOT know whether or not you exist. Sorry.

You better find out whether or not you exist quick, because I'd hate to be caught talking to myself.

 

[Sheik]

Right over his head...

 

[narouz]

rdmayo21-

In your thinking
it would seem that you see government as the source of the problems?
For one thing, going back to your sadness over the tragedy of retirees
not being able to get a fair return on their investments...
am I right to understand that that tragedy lies at the feet of government,
in your view?